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Shackleton
“When Ranulph Fiennes produces a book about Ernest Shackleton, it should get our attention. I found that the best way to read this book is to imagine that you are in a pub sharing a beer with Sir Ranulph while he regales you with his tale about Ernest Shackleton. Fiennes moves the narrative along at a good pace and his storytelling becomes particularly animated when he is describing the actual grind of slogging through the snow and ice.”—Lloyd Spencer Davis, The New York Times Book Review (front page review)
An enthralling new biography of Ernest Shackleton by the world's greatest living explorer, Sir Ranulph Fiennes.
To write about Hell, it helps if you have been there.
In 1915, Sir Ernest Shackleton's attempt to traverse the Antarctic was cut short when his ship, Endurance , became trapped in ice.
The disaster left Shackleton and his men alone at the frozen South Pole, fighting for their lives. Their survival and escape is the most famous adventure in history.
Shackleton is a captivating new account of the adventurer, his life and his incredible leadership under the most extreme of circumstances. Written by polar adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes who followed in Shackleton's footsteps, he brings his own unique insights to bear on these infamous expeditions. Shackleton is both re-appraisal and a valediction, separating Shackleton from the myth he has become.
An enthralling new biography of Ernest Shackleton by the world's greatest living explorer, Sir Ranulph Fiennes.
To write about Hell, it helps if you have been there.
In 1915, Sir Ernest Shackleton's attempt to traverse the Antarctic was cut short when his ship, Endurance , became trapped in ice.
The disaster left Shackleton and his men alone at the frozen South Pole, fighting for their lives. Their survival and escape is the most famous adventure in history.
Shackleton is a captivating new account of the adventurer, his life and his incredible leadership under the most extreme of circumstances. Written by polar adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes who followed in Shackleton's footsteps, he brings his own unique insights to bear on these infamous expeditions. Shackleton is both re-appraisal and a valediction, separating Shackleton from the myth he has become.
452 pages, Hardcover
First published September 16, 2021
256 people are currently reading
3438 people want to read
About the author
Ranulph Fiennes
100 books290 followersSir Ranulph Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 3rd Baronet, OBE, better known as Ranulph (Ran) Fiennes, is a British adventurer and holder of several endurance records.
Fiennes has written books about his army service and his expeditions as well as a book defending Robert Falcon Scott from modern revisionists. In May 2009, aged 65, he climbed to the summit of Mount Everest. According to the Guinness Book of World Records he is the world's greatest living adventurer.
Fiennes has written books about his army service and his expeditions as well as a book defending Robert Falcon Scott from modern revisionists. In May 2009, aged 65, he climbed to the summit of Mount Everest. According to the Guinness Book of World Records he is the world's greatest living adventurer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 285 reviews
March 8, 2023
One of my favorite books of the year so far. Was such an easy read. And the story of Shakleton was almost unbelievable. So impressive that he and his crew went through such hell.
And who better to write a biography on a great explorer than the current greatest living explorer
Recommend for anyone
And who better to write a biography on a great explorer than the current greatest living explorer
Recommend for anyone
March 31, 2022
I first became interested in Ernest Shackleton after seeing an odd musical about him. Since then, I have read about this explorer who failed to reach the South Pole after 3 attempts but was famous for bringing his crew home alive. This book begins with Shackleton’s childhood and describes how he settled on his career. Throughout his life he had a driving ambition for fame. He pursued his future wife relentlessly, but had no interest in domestic life and spent most of his marriage away (where he named various landmarks after other women in his life). The book also describes his rivalries and the difficulties in obtaining financing.
This was the perfect author for a biography of Shackleton. Fiennes not only writes well, but as an “adventurer” he has shared some of the same experiences. I admit that a large part of me believes that explorers such as Shackleton and Fiennes engaged in dangerous, narcissistic follies that were huge money pits and never should have been funded. Nevertheless, it can be tremendously interesting and enjoyable to read about these expeditions. Fiennes is able to comment on and evaluate Shackleton’s decisions. He can also equate the hardships that the Shackleton crew members endured with those that he suffered - which body parts froze, exactly how close they came to starvation. This was a very entertaining book.
This was the perfect author for a biography of Shackleton. Fiennes not only writes well, but as an “adventurer” he has shared some of the same experiences. I admit that a large part of me believes that explorers such as Shackleton and Fiennes engaged in dangerous, narcissistic follies that were huge money pits and never should have been funded. Nevertheless, it can be tremendously interesting and enjoyable to read about these expeditions. Fiennes is able to comment on and evaluate Shackleton’s decisions. He can also equate the hardships that the Shackleton crew members endured with those that he suffered - which body parts froze, exactly how close they came to starvation. This was a very entertaining book.
July 7, 2023
I wanted to like this much more than I did. There was a bit too much, "well, when I made this trip....", which wasn't really what I was looking for.
September 29, 2021
This book will appeal to anyone with a sense of adventure or who recognises the heroism and sacrifice made by those men and women determined to face the challenge of extreme conditions.
Shackleton was such a man. Fiennes writes with the credibility of his own lived experiences in the frozen lands and therefore his narrative and conclusions are rooted in an authority few have. Exploration was Shackleton's life. It was the very core of his being. Everything else was of secondary importance. He was a flawed character. Shunned by some, lauded by others. Shackleton was a hapless organiser, and made some wrong and costly decisions. But he was a leader exemplar. A man who never asked more of others than he did himself. A man who stood tall when everything looked lost. Our greatest Anglo-Irish explorer.
Shackleton was such a man. Fiennes writes with the credibility of his own lived experiences in the frozen lands and therefore his narrative and conclusions are rooted in an authority few have. Exploration was Shackleton's life. It was the very core of his being. Everything else was of secondary importance. He was a flawed character. Shunned by some, lauded by others. Shackleton was a hapless organiser, and made some wrong and costly decisions. But he was a leader exemplar. A man who never asked more of others than he did himself. A man who stood tall when everything looked lost. Our greatest Anglo-Irish explorer.
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May 30, 2022“For scientific discovery give me Scott; for speed and efficiency of travel give me Amundsen; but when disaster strikes and all hope is gone, get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton.” - Sir Raymond Priestly
Sir Ranulph’s biography of Shackleton provided a brilliant insight into the revered explorer. Fiennes was able to use his own experiences on “the ice” to add the depiction of what Shackleton and his crew had to deal with.
Highly recommend to anyone interested in exploration or epic journeys.
Sir Ranulph’s biography of Shackleton provided a brilliant insight into the revered explorer. Fiennes was able to use his own experiences on “the ice” to add the depiction of what Shackleton and his crew had to deal with.
Highly recommend to anyone interested in exploration or epic journeys.
October 31, 2021
I always like an explorer story, Shackleton does have a pretty good story. The writing style was pretty strange though, every chapter had to finish on a cliff-hanger for no reason. And the author also kept name-dropping himself, some of it was interesting, but sometimes it felt a bit forced. Shackleton was definitely a character, he travelled with Scott on his first expedition to the South Pole. Then went back again and tried for the pole, he got very close, but had to turn back about 100miles away. Then decided for a super crazy expedition where he was going to walk across Antarctica and meet his crew coming from the other direction. This had zero chance of working. They never even started because his boat got crushed in the ice. So the crew had to get into the lifeboats. Most of them remained on one island and Shackleton set off with a few in another boat to raise the alarm. He managed to get to South Georgia island where he then had to cross 1000m mountain range with no map, completely uncharted. It’s amazing that he managed. But it seems purely down to luck. Rather than any skill or good planning.
January 5, 2023
I remember where I was when I first heard that Shackleton's Endurance was found earlier this year. It was a moment of pure childish joy. A piece of incredibly well-preserved polar-exploration history, the ship practically intact, found resting on the seabed hundred years after sinking. It somehow made the hardships Shackleton and his men went through, more real. I knew about the story of the Endurance expedition but not the details.
I am happy that I chose Ranulph Fiennes Shackleton's biography as the book to introduce me to it. It is actually a biography of Shackleton's life and expeditions instead of emphasizing Endurance alone. And what a hell of a ride it is. Fiennes is a very fine storyteller. The 400-page book didn't drag once. I was glued to the page. Especially the parts that described the expeditions themselves. The conditions the men went through for survival, and the sheer length of distances covered in equipment that was completely different from the comforts of the materials and choices available in the modern day. Simply unbelievable, there is nothing more to add.
Shackleton was a natural leader and I loved the details and examples of his clever leadership throughout the book. Fiennes has been criticized for namedropping himself and talking about his own expeditions but I found it interesting to have his perspective and comparisons. He is the greatest living explorer and who else if not him, knows what Shackleton went through? Fiennes is also the only living man to have crossed Antarctica on foot - the same thing that Shackleton attempted on his ill-fated Endurance exploration. He also resists the temptation that many hero biographies are prone to do - to paint a glorified picture. He points out Shackleton's infidelities to his wife. neglect to his family, poor financial management, and hasty decision-making when planning the explorations.
But even his calculated take won't hide the fact that despite many shortcomings, a man who leads his exploration with the might, faith, and determination as Shackleton did and brings all of his men with him, back alive, can be nothing but a hero. And exceptionally engaging read and an absolute must-read for anyone into adventure stories and The Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.
I am happy that I chose Ranulph Fiennes Shackleton's biography as the book to introduce me to it. It is actually a biography of Shackleton's life and expeditions instead of emphasizing Endurance alone. And what a hell of a ride it is. Fiennes is a very fine storyteller. The 400-page book didn't drag once. I was glued to the page. Especially the parts that described the expeditions themselves. The conditions the men went through for survival, and the sheer length of distances covered in equipment that was completely different from the comforts of the materials and choices available in the modern day. Simply unbelievable, there is nothing more to add.
Shackleton was a natural leader and I loved the details and examples of his clever leadership throughout the book. Fiennes has been criticized for namedropping himself and talking about his own expeditions but I found it interesting to have his perspective and comparisons. He is the greatest living explorer and who else if not him, knows what Shackleton went through? Fiennes is also the only living man to have crossed Antarctica on foot - the same thing that Shackleton attempted on his ill-fated Endurance exploration. He also resists the temptation that many hero biographies are prone to do - to paint a glorified picture. He points out Shackleton's infidelities to his wife. neglect to his family, poor financial management, and hasty decision-making when planning the explorations.
But even his calculated take won't hide the fact that despite many shortcomings, a man who leads his exploration with the might, faith, and determination as Shackleton did and brings all of his men with him, back alive, can be nothing but a hero. And exceptionally engaging read and an absolute must-read for anyone into adventure stories and The Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.
December 13, 2021
I really enjoyed this account of Shackleton’s life although having read Endurance by Alfred Lansig, I think I prefer Lansing’s account. I was expecting more detail about the kinds of conditions experienced by Shackleton and his men based on Fiennes ‘s personal exploits, as well as personal accounts of how those conditions affect a human being. I found these lacking and My opinion is that the parallels drawn between the author’s expeditions and Shackleton’s are a bit tenuous. Taking nothing away from what the author has achieved, which is remarkable, I don’t believe that it is possible to compare what Shackleton went through in 1915, with the available equipment and technology of that time to the author’s own exploits decades later.
December 27, 2021
Fantastic insight into a great man's quest for unexplored and remote lands which drew him away from his wife and children for most of his adult life. Very poor choices with money and hair brained schemes. Loved his sense of adventure and steely determination to keep on going where others would have faltered. His loyalty and courage to rescue all his men from Elephant Island was so befitting.
I grew up hearing stories about "Scott of the Antartic" but never heard much about Shackleton's exploits. So proud to have this great man as an Irishman.
So glad to have read this book and could not put it down.
It will live long in my memory
I grew up hearing stories about "Scott of the Antartic" but never heard much about Shackleton's exploits. So proud to have this great man as an Irishman.
So glad to have read this book and could not put it down.
It will live long in my memory
September 1, 2022
"How Shackleton failed to live up to Sir Ranulph Fiennes". This should have been a remarkable tale about one of the most flawed explorers of the 20th century but the authors insistence on discussing his own irrelevant adventures and his lack of storytelling flair made this only a decent read.
I understand why Fiennes is interested in a fascinating era of British exploration and possibly the most famous explorer of his generation, but he is not the right man to tell this story. He is an explorer himself and quite clearly not a writer. Having said that it's a decent introduction into Shackleton and Scott.
I understand why Fiennes is interested in a fascinating era of British exploration and possibly the most famous explorer of his generation, but he is not the right man to tell this story. He is an explorer himself and quite clearly not a writer. Having said that it's a decent introduction into Shackleton and Scott.
January 29, 2024
"For scientific discovery, give me Scott; for speed and efficiency of travel, give me Amundsen; but when you are in a hopeless situation, when you are seeing no way out, get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton" - Sir Raymond Priestley
"To write about hell, it helps if you have been there." - Sir Ranulph Fiennes
Two standout quotes from this enthralling biography about Sir Ernest Shackleton. A life of adventure, survival and leadership. If like me, you had heard of Shackleton and Endurance bit did not know much past that, then I implore you to give this a read. I learnt of Scott in school and I certainly wished I had been taught about Shackleton in History class also.
"To write about hell, it helps if you have been there." - Sir Ranulph Fiennes
Two standout quotes from this enthralling biography about Sir Ernest Shackleton. A life of adventure, survival and leadership. If like me, you had heard of Shackleton and Endurance bit did not know much past that, then I implore you to give this a read. I learnt of Scott in school and I certainly wished I had been taught about Shackleton in History class also.
October 4, 2022
A really interesting and compelling read. I was a bit concerned upon starting this that Fiennes, for all his skills as an explorer, might not be a great writer. While having his very learned opinion on tap is a great boon to assessing Shackleton's life, it sometimes comes across a bit hamhanded when he segues into his own experience. However, other than that, my worries were unfounded, as I found the book to be fair and well written. Any worry that Fiennes would defend Shackleton to the end was also unfounded, as he gave him a fair shake all round. One thing i will say though is that the book, despite being very good, rather spoiled my notion of having Shackleton as a hero. Sure, he was a great leader, had nerves of steel, and supreme levels of grit and determination, but his poor treatment of his family, endangerment of his men, and chaotic expedition preparations, not to mention his wheeling and dealing and complete lack of business acumen, all soured his heroics for me somewhat. Still, a great and very readable book.
April 10, 2023
An absolutely riveting account of the Shackleton expeditions to the Antarctic, including his attempts to reach the South Pole. Also explores the tension between his good and generous heart, and the business sense required to manage the debt and detail involved in such undertakings. A great page turner!
May 12, 2022
Sir Ranulph writes an incredibly good story/account of the life of Ernest Shackleton. I felt I was with Ernest during every expedition and felt his pain every time a challenge presented itself. So many lessons have been learnt through the groundbreaking expeditions of Scott and Shackleton that have enabled the likes of Fiennes to succeed - but in reality how much has changed in terms of hardship ……. Thoroughly recommend this read to those who aren’t adventurous to do what Shackleton and others did, and to those that may well follow in his footsteps.
November 21, 2022
Shackleton’s life is without doubt a fascinating and awesome one, and I really wanted to love this book.
However, the author’s instance on making himself the main character in the narrative was not only jarring, but outright disruptive to my enjoyment of this book. If I wished to learn about Ranulph Fiennes, I’d by his biography. Which I didn’t.
Although this is a gripping story, the intrusive interruptions of the author forcing his own stories into the context of this book’s narrative, makes it a less than enjoyable piece of reading.
I’d recommend opting for a different author if you’re looking to read a biography on Shackleton.
However, the author’s instance on making himself the main character in the narrative was not only jarring, but outright disruptive to my enjoyment of this book. If I wished to learn about Ranulph Fiennes, I’d by his biography. Which I didn’t.
Although this is a gripping story, the intrusive interruptions of the author forcing his own stories into the context of this book’s narrative, makes it a less than enjoyable piece of reading.
I’d recommend opting for a different author if you’re looking to read a biography on Shackleton.
July 30, 2025
I had to learn more after reading Endurance. Shackleton was a truly remarkable man.
Endurance was a triumph; this book reads more like a tragedy. He accomplished so much, yet never seemed to find satisfaction.
The story doesn’t grip you like the tale of the Endurance—but few stories do. The author himself is a polar explorer, which adds interesting insight, though it also slows the pace of the narrative.
Endurance was a triumph; this book reads more like a tragedy. He accomplished so much, yet never seemed to find satisfaction.
The story doesn’t grip you like the tale of the Endurance—but few stories do. The author himself is a polar explorer, which adds interesting insight, though it also slows the pace of the narrative.
November 5, 2025
Giving this book four stars because of how it made me feel, especially at the end. Shackleton had an exciting life but a tragic one too. His extreme courage and self confidence, essential elements in his ability to accomplish incredible things as an Antarctic explorer, were at the same time inextricably tied to his failings and shortcomings.
That is why I'd say the best word to describe him would be hamartia. He was so eager to be the first to reach the South Pole that he cut corners planning for his Nimrod expedition, costing him the opportunity to achieve his goal. But the fact that he even got within a hundred miles of the pole (smashing previous records) is because of that same indominatable spirit that pushed through obstacles no matter how daunting.
Likewise, Shackleton's thirst for greatness and his inexhaustible wanderlust made him a great explorer but cost him happiness in family life and personal life. It was heartbreaking to read his letters to his wife where he promises her after each expedition, 'this is the last one — I can't wait to finally be home with you' and the children for good' only to be restless and unhappy when he did return. His wife and children had to have suffered so much, both when he was away and when he was home with them.
Like I said, the end of his life was most tragic. Too old to be an explorer and riddled with financial trouble, he tried one final expedition in an attempt to again the glory and financial stability he'd always wanted. And yet, like all his endeavors, he faced setback after setback and died on his ship before really getting into the meat of the trip.
In many ways, Shackleton reminded me of my dad which made it hit even closer to home. He was a good, but flawed man. A human. A dreamer. Generous. Lonely. Always looking ahead. A forward thinker, a conservative. A contradiction. A true adventure.
Five stars for his life story. Now let's address the writing. Fiennes did a good job at telling Shackleton's story in an engaging way but I've never read a biography where the author talked so much about himself. Every few pages, Fiennes would interject a comment about his own polar adventures. "Shackleton had to cut rations and only got 3000 calories a day. I experienced something similar in Antarctica when I..." I still can't tell if Fiennes was full of himself, if he was trying to establish his name alongside Shackleton's, if he was trying to be funny, if he was continuing some time honored tradition in the world of exploring of one-upsmanship, or something else entirely. But it was distracting and just about ruined the book for me. I admire Fiennes's expertise and real life experience in the Arctic and Antarctic, but if you want to talk about yourself, write an auto biography and I'll read that at some point.
If Shackleton seems interesting to you, I'd highly recommend the book "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong. It's an easier read (not that "Shackleton" was difficult, just longer). I believe Armstrong's book is what led me to put this book on my to-read list. If you like that book, you can read this one for a more in depth look at Shackleton's life.
That is why I'd say the best word to describe him would be hamartia. He was so eager to be the first to reach the South Pole that he cut corners planning for his Nimrod expedition, costing him the opportunity to achieve his goal. But the fact that he even got within a hundred miles of the pole (smashing previous records) is because of that same indominatable spirit that pushed through obstacles no matter how daunting.
Likewise, Shackleton's thirst for greatness and his inexhaustible wanderlust made him a great explorer but cost him happiness in family life and personal life. It was heartbreaking to read his letters to his wife where he promises her after each expedition, 'this is the last one — I can't wait to finally be home with you' and the children for good' only to be restless and unhappy when he did return. His wife and children had to have suffered so much, both when he was away and when he was home with them.
Like I said, the end of his life was most tragic. Too old to be an explorer and riddled with financial trouble, he tried one final expedition in an attempt to again the glory and financial stability he'd always wanted. And yet, like all his endeavors, he faced setback after setback and died on his ship before really getting into the meat of the trip.
In many ways, Shackleton reminded me of my dad which made it hit even closer to home. He was a good, but flawed man. A human. A dreamer. Generous. Lonely. Always looking ahead. A forward thinker, a conservative. A contradiction. A true adventure.
Five stars for his life story. Now let's address the writing. Fiennes did a good job at telling Shackleton's story in an engaging way but I've never read a biography where the author talked so much about himself. Every few pages, Fiennes would interject a comment about his own polar adventures. "Shackleton had to cut rations and only got 3000 calories a day. I experienced something similar in Antarctica when I..." I still can't tell if Fiennes was full of himself, if he was trying to establish his name alongside Shackleton's, if he was trying to be funny, if he was continuing some time honored tradition in the world of exploring of one-upsmanship, or something else entirely. But it was distracting and just about ruined the book for me. I admire Fiennes's expertise and real life experience in the Arctic and Antarctic, but if you want to talk about yourself, write an auto biography and I'll read that at some point.
If Shackleton seems interesting to you, I'd highly recommend the book "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong. It's an easier read (not that "Shackleton" was difficult, just longer). I believe Armstrong's book is what led me to put this book on my to-read list. If you like that book, you can read this one for a more in depth look at Shackleton's life.
December 20, 2024
La biografia di un inquieto, di un simpatico e cocciuto pasticcione, audace esploratore, narcisista affabulatore, pianificatore inaffidabile, convincente questuante, capo carismatico, incapace di stare lontano dai riflettori e dal palcoscenico e a casa con moglie e figli. Avevo letto l'avventura dell'Endurance nel libro di Alfred Lansing (che mi è piaciuto di più) ma di Shackleton oltre l'Endurance sapevo poco. Scritto da un altro pazzoide impossibilitato a stare fermo davanti al caminetto col gatto sulle ginocchia, ho trovato il libro interessante e, a tratti, appassionante. Ovviamente per far stare in un unico libro, anche se discretamente corposo, tutta la vita del Nostro, era giocoforza non dilungarsi nella narrazione delle avventure e delle relative sfighe. Cioè, mi spiego, il libro di Lansing mi ha tenuta incollata alle 300 pagine, pareva di esser lì, ho partecipato emotivamente alle disgrazie dei naufraghi e alle morti (sigh!) degli animali, qui la narrazione è un po' meno romanzata, sebbene entrambi gli autori abbiano seguito scrupolosamente i diari dei protagonisti senza inventarsi niente.
(PS: come cavolo riuscivano, mi sono sempre chiesta, a scrivere diari a -40°, su barchette sballottate dalle onde, bagnati come pulcini, abbandonati su isole deserte con lo scorbuto o senza cibo? Eppure il fotografo australiano Frank Hurley riuscì addirittura a salvare un centinaio di lastre fotografiche straordinarie)
foto:
https://www.history.com/news/shacklet...
diari:
https://www.shackletonfoundation.org/...
(PS: come cavolo riuscivano, mi sono sempre chiesta, a scrivere diari a -40°, su barchette sballottate dalle onde, bagnati come pulcini, abbandonati su isole deserte con lo scorbuto o senza cibo? Eppure il fotografo australiano Frank Hurley riuscì addirittura a salvare un centinaio di lastre fotografiche straordinarie)
foto:
https://www.history.com/news/shacklet...
diari:
https://www.shackletonfoundation.org/...
October 18, 2022
I have been listening to this book over the past several days and a most enthralling listen it is. Many will know of Shackleton's exploits in polar exploration starting with his being a member of Captain Scott's first visit towards the south pole. Ranulph Fiennes himself is an intrepid adventurer. This is a very comprehensive account of the life and times of Sir Ernest culminating in his death from heart disease at the age of 47 while in South Georgia trying to make another journey south.
The book does show a great leader of men whose business acumen did not match his bravery and a man who paid little attention to his wife and children who seems to have remained loyal to him throughout his life. This is an account that is well written in a Boys Own paper style, quite macho. The only downside for me is Ranulph Fiennes's persistent likenesses to his own exploits. I this and I that detracted from an otherwise great account of Shackleton's life.
4 stars.
The book does show a great leader of men whose business acumen did not match his bravery and a man who paid little attention to his wife and children who seems to have remained loyal to him throughout his life. This is an account that is well written in a Boys Own paper style, quite macho. The only downside for me is Ranulph Fiennes's persistent likenesses to his own exploits. I this and I that detracted from an otherwise great account of Shackleton's life.
4 stars.
August 30, 2022
This biography was my introduction to the life of Sir Ernest Shackleton, and I enjoyed it.
No doubt, Shackleton lived a dangerous and adventurous life. That said, the events of Shackleton's life begin to feel redundant after a time. It seems he was stuck in an endless loop of fundraising, adventuring, surviving, lecturing, then fundraising to go do it all over again.
His poor wife, Emily. And his poor kids. They basically grew up without him. And every time he promised to come home, he either wouldn't... or he would leave them as quickly as possible.
As a pioneer and leader, he was a hero. But as a father, husband, and provider, he was an absolute failure. Naturally, I have conflicted feelings about Shackleton.
Note: The author has also traveled and set records in Antarctica, so he will occasionally interject his own experiences and insights into the story. This is jarring at first, but I got used to it.
No doubt, Shackleton lived a dangerous and adventurous life. That said, the events of Shackleton's life begin to feel redundant after a time. It seems he was stuck in an endless loop of fundraising, adventuring, surviving, lecturing, then fundraising to go do it all over again.
His poor wife, Emily. And his poor kids. They basically grew up without him. And every time he promised to come home, he either wouldn't... or he would leave them as quickly as possible.
As a pioneer and leader, he was a hero. But as a father, husband, and provider, he was an absolute failure. Naturally, I have conflicted feelings about Shackleton.
Note: The author has also traveled and set records in Antarctica, so he will occasionally interject his own experiences and insights into the story. This is jarring at first, but I got used to it.
January 8, 2024
Although a somewhat brief existence, Shackleton can certainly take his seat alongside those in history who’ve truly lived lives less ordinary; Ghengis Khan, Napoleon, Leonardo Da Vinci, Ghandi, Mandela…
His story never fails to astound me. His tenacity, egotism, leadership of men and willingness to voluntarily and repeatedly seek out the worst human misery and hardship imaginable, all for the sake of acclaim.
One accolade he didn’t win was father of the year!
Although I’ve read accounts of the Endurance/James Caird rescue mission before, it still astonishes me how he succeeded without lives lost. If it was a movie script you’d dismiss it for being far fetched.
An enthralling and compelling read from start to finish.
His story never fails to astound me. His tenacity, egotism, leadership of men and willingness to voluntarily and repeatedly seek out the worst human misery and hardship imaginable, all for the sake of acclaim.
One accolade he didn’t win was father of the year!
Although I’ve read accounts of the Endurance/James Caird rescue mission before, it still astonishes me how he succeeded without lives lost. If it was a movie script you’d dismiss it for being far fetched.
An enthralling and compelling read from start to finish.
March 5, 2026
When I first learned about the Endurance expedition, it began my fascination with Antarctica. Ernest Shackleton's story was mind-blowing and inspiring. This biography, written by Ranulph Fiennes (an incredible explorer in his own right), paints a picture of the man in all his greatness and all his flaws. I appreciated the added context to these expeditions Fiennes provides as well as the deep dives into the often overshadowed Discovery and Nimrod expeditions. Shackleton has become one of my personal heroes. No matter how many times I hear or watch or read his story, I feel a sense of pride and triumph at what he accomplished. I am greatly looking forward into following in his footsteps next week as I embark on my own journey to the continent that held him in such a chokehold.
March 11, 2025
Earnest is fun, a friend to all, embraces suffering willingly and ambitious… he’s also flawed and so are we all….!
4 stars as the fifth star is frostbitten.
4 stars as the fifth star is frostbitten.
December 30, 2025
Fascinating exploration of Shackleton’s life and career
April 5, 2022
This is a solid biography, although I'm not sure how much Fiennes's own exploration experience mattered to it. Fiennes is particularly good at describing the competition between polar explorers.
> After a number of polar expeditions with one companion, and others with two, I look back and can see that things were always easier with just one other person. With only two of you, each time the leader makes a decision that the other person disagrees with, the latter will usually chew the matter over in their mind and will usually do as they are told. But with three, if two disagree with the leader’s decision, they might discuss it among themselves and an awkward mini-revolt may result. Even if this fails, it can lead to a bad atmosphere.
> In his diary, Shackleton titled a page ‘Desire’ and wrote below a list of foods, which included sirloin steak, crisp fried bread, jam pastries and porridge. Every recorded dream also involved eating some sort of food. In one of them, he dreamed that ‘fine three-cornered tarts are flying past me upstairs’.
> When he learned of Shackleton’s plans to land at McMurdo Sound, Scott fired off another letter, telling him such a destination was off limits. ‘I think anyone who has had anything to do with exploration will regard [McMurdo Sound] as mine,’ Scott wrote. ‘It must be clear to you now that you have placed yourself in the way of my life’s work. If you go to McMurdo Sound you go to winter quarters which are clearly mine.’
> a peculiar sort of ethics had grown up regarding rights and where people could travel. Jean Charcot, a French polar explorer, later said as much, stating, ‘There can be no doubt that the best way to the Pole is by way of the Great Ice Barrier, but this we regard as belonging to the English explorers, and I do not propose to trespass on other people’s grounds.’ Amundsen, Scott’s later rival, clearly agreed with this, for he wrote to Nansen, ‘It is my intention not to dog the Englishmen’s footsteps. They have naturally the first right. We must make do with what they discard.’ Broken promise notwithstanding, landing at McMurdo Sound still proved a challenge
> Wilson was entirely unforgiving. In a letter to a friend he later said of Shackleton’s broken promise to Scott: As for Shackleton I feel the less said the better … I am afraid that he has become a regular wrong’un … In fact I have broken with him completely and for good, having told him in a somewhat detailed letter exactly what I thought of him and his whole business. I consider he has dragged Polar Exploration generally in the mud of his own limited and rather low-down ambitions.
> it was perhaps the printing press that gave Shackleton, and the men, most joy. The South Polar Times, as mentioned, had been a huge success on the Discovery, but this time around Shackleton wanted to publish a book for the party to read, with everyone contributing. It was to be titled Aurora Australis, with Marston producing the artwork and Shackleton again using the pseudonym Nemo.
> The ponies fared little better on the ice. Unbelievably, they weren’t shod, which meant they constantly slipped and fell. Scott was later to note the excellent results of easily fitted snowshoes for ponies in soft snow conditions, but I can find no record of Shackleton’s team even considering using them.
> Amundsen broke the momentous news that he had reached the pole itself on 14 December 1911. Opting to set up camp at the Bay of Whales, 100 miles closer to the pole than if he had wintered at McMurdo Sound, Amundsen tried a new route to the pole, heading for the uncharted Axel Heiberg Glacier in the hope it offered a shorter and less hazardous journey. For haulage he used fifty-two trained dogs (no ponies) and skis. His gamble paid off, and he reached the pole in thirty-three days. His focus, however, had been on just reaching the pole, rather than being weighed down by any scientific commitments.
> Markham also hit out at Amundsen’s use of dogs and claimed that Scott’s achievement in reaching the pole, via man-hauling, was the real test of a man and ‘the true British Way’. This was of course totally untrue, as Scott had also used ponies and dogs. Nevertheless, such was Markham’s disgust that when the RGS later finally agreed to host a dinner for Amundsen, he resigned from the RGS Council. At that same dinner, with Shackleton present to congratulate his rival, Lord Curzon could not resist insulting Amundsen. Rather than asking for three cheers for the explorer, he instead asked for ‘three cheers for the dogs’. British newspapers were also unable to accept that a foreigner had beaten Scott to the pole, leading to Amundsen later writing that ‘by and large the British are a race of very bad losers’.
> Scott and his party of Wilson, Bower and Bates had indeed reached the pole but all had perished on the return journey, ridden with exposure, starvation, frostbite and hampered by poor surfaces and appalling weather
> After a number of polar expeditions with one companion, and others with two, I look back and can see that things were always easier with just one other person. With only two of you, each time the leader makes a decision that the other person disagrees with, the latter will usually chew the matter over in their mind and will usually do as they are told. But with three, if two disagree with the leader’s decision, they might discuss it among themselves and an awkward mini-revolt may result. Even if this fails, it can lead to a bad atmosphere.
> In his diary, Shackleton titled a page ‘Desire’ and wrote below a list of foods, which included sirloin steak, crisp fried bread, jam pastries and porridge. Every recorded dream also involved eating some sort of food. In one of them, he dreamed that ‘fine three-cornered tarts are flying past me upstairs’.
> When he learned of Shackleton’s plans to land at McMurdo Sound, Scott fired off another letter, telling him such a destination was off limits. ‘I think anyone who has had anything to do with exploration will regard [McMurdo Sound] as mine,’ Scott wrote. ‘It must be clear to you now that you have placed yourself in the way of my life’s work. If you go to McMurdo Sound you go to winter quarters which are clearly mine.’
> a peculiar sort of ethics had grown up regarding rights and where people could travel. Jean Charcot, a French polar explorer, later said as much, stating, ‘There can be no doubt that the best way to the Pole is by way of the Great Ice Barrier, but this we regard as belonging to the English explorers, and I do not propose to trespass on other people’s grounds.’ Amundsen, Scott’s later rival, clearly agreed with this, for he wrote to Nansen, ‘It is my intention not to dog the Englishmen’s footsteps. They have naturally the first right. We must make do with what they discard.’ Broken promise notwithstanding, landing at McMurdo Sound still proved a challenge
> Wilson was entirely unforgiving. In a letter to a friend he later said of Shackleton’s broken promise to Scott: As for Shackleton I feel the less said the better … I am afraid that he has become a regular wrong’un … In fact I have broken with him completely and for good, having told him in a somewhat detailed letter exactly what I thought of him and his whole business. I consider he has dragged Polar Exploration generally in the mud of his own limited and rather low-down ambitions.
> it was perhaps the printing press that gave Shackleton, and the men, most joy. The South Polar Times, as mentioned, had been a huge success on the Discovery, but this time around Shackleton wanted to publish a book for the party to read, with everyone contributing. It was to be titled Aurora Australis, with Marston producing the artwork and Shackleton again using the pseudonym Nemo.
> The ponies fared little better on the ice. Unbelievably, they weren’t shod, which meant they constantly slipped and fell. Scott was later to note the excellent results of easily fitted snowshoes for ponies in soft snow conditions, but I can find no record of Shackleton’s team even considering using them.
> Amundsen broke the momentous news that he had reached the pole itself on 14 December 1911. Opting to set up camp at the Bay of Whales, 100 miles closer to the pole than if he had wintered at McMurdo Sound, Amundsen tried a new route to the pole, heading for the uncharted Axel Heiberg Glacier in the hope it offered a shorter and less hazardous journey. For haulage he used fifty-two trained dogs (no ponies) and skis. His gamble paid off, and he reached the pole in thirty-three days. His focus, however, had been on just reaching the pole, rather than being weighed down by any scientific commitments.
> Markham also hit out at Amundsen’s use of dogs and claimed that Scott’s achievement in reaching the pole, via man-hauling, was the real test of a man and ‘the true British Way’. This was of course totally untrue, as Scott had also used ponies and dogs. Nevertheless, such was Markham’s disgust that when the RGS later finally agreed to host a dinner for Amundsen, he resigned from the RGS Council. At that same dinner, with Shackleton present to congratulate his rival, Lord Curzon could not resist insulting Amundsen. Rather than asking for three cheers for the explorer, he instead asked for ‘three cheers for the dogs’. British newspapers were also unable to accept that a foreigner had beaten Scott to the pole, leading to Amundsen later writing that ‘by and large the British are a race of very bad losers’.
> Scott and his party of Wilson, Bower and Bates had indeed reached the pole but all had perished on the return journey, ridden with exposure, starvation, frostbite and hampered by poor surfaces and appalling weather
May 12, 2025
Such an incredible story. Had me hooked from start to finish and in absolute awe of discoverers like Shackleton. Did feel sad for Emily .. he was not husband material!
November 4, 2021
Best book of 2021, hands down!
March 3, 2026
Shackleton’s story is a great one. Didn’t care much for the input of the author, would’ve preferred a Shackleton only story. Just read the endurance
October 14, 2021
An excellent book. A great man and true inspiration.
December 23, 2021
I have such mixed feelings about this book. Initially I was excited to read it, to finally understand the whole polar ice thing. I wanted to understand the statues, museum exhibits dotted around New Zealand. Sadly it didn’t really provide me with what I was looking for. Instead it got me thinking about the absurdity and arrogance of our colonial forebears. The inequity and oppressive hierarchy that has been foisted on us for the last two centuries. The lack of organisation and assumptions that more discovery and ownership of something that wasn’t the norths in the first place irked me enormously. I get I’m looking at this from today’s perspective and that these feats were utterly incredible. The whole bigger picture here began to irritate.
So it’s sat open beside my bed for sometime. Today I picked it back up with the purpose of completion and begun to read…. I couldn’t. So I skim read bits and pieces from where I was up to and feel utterly defeated that I’m not going to read it fully. At least not presently.
I am sure Ranulph Fiennes is an excellent chap and I’m sure this may well be a very balanced view of things given his own adventurous and extraordinary achievements (which actually scream privilege and elite narcissism to me). In the end I simply could not get over the boys cub what what tally ho let’s just stomp all over wherever we fancy cause we are British boys and bugga the consequences mindset.
Maybe another day……
So it’s sat open beside my bed for sometime. Today I picked it back up with the purpose of completion and begun to read…. I couldn’t. So I skim read bits and pieces from where I was up to and feel utterly defeated that I’m not going to read it fully. At least not presently.
I am sure Ranulph Fiennes is an excellent chap and I’m sure this may well be a very balanced view of things given his own adventurous and extraordinary achievements (which actually scream privilege and elite narcissism to me). In the end I simply could not get over the boys cub what what tally ho let’s just stomp all over wherever we fancy cause we are British boys and bugga the consequences mindset.
Maybe another day……
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