Product Description

Ernest Shackleton was the quintessential Edwardian hero. A contemporary - and adversary - of Scott, he sailed on the 'Discovery' expedition of 1900, and went on to mount three expeditions of his own. Like Scott, he was a social adventurer; snow and ice held no particular attraction, but the pursuit of wealth, fame and power did. Yet Shackleton, and Anglo-Irishman who left school at 16, needed status to raise money for his own expeditions. At various times he was involved in journalism, politics, manufacturing and City fortune-hunting - none of them very effectively. A frustrated poet, he was never to be successful with money, but he did succeed in marrying it. At his height he was feted as a national hero, knighted by Edward VII, and granted GBP20,000 by the government for achievements which were, and remain, the very stuff of legend. But the world to which he returned in 1917 after the sensational 'Endurance' expedition did not seem to welcome surviving heroes. Poverty-stricken by the end of the war, he had to pay off his debts through writing and endless lecturing. He finally obtained funds for another expedition, but dies of a heart attack, aged only 47, at it reached South Georgia.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5665714 in Books
• Published on: 1996-01-18
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 789 pages

Amazon.com Review
Sir Ernest Shackleton, the Anglo-Irish explorer, never achieved his goal of reaching the South Pole, though he was knighted in 1909 for having come within 100 miles. With bravery matched only by his theatricality, Shackleton sought to top that accomplishment by landing on one side of Antarctica and traveling the width of the icy continent by sledge. What might have been a great exploratory journey turned into a raw struggle for survival when his ship became trapped in pack ice, and he was forced to lead his team on a desperate trek across hundreds of miles of the world's most dangerous terrain. He made it home, but even his stature as one of Edwardian England's greatest heroes could not save Shackleton from financial risk taking; he ended his life mired in debt. Roland Huntford's biography presents a balanced and lively portrait of a man who was, depending on which of his contemporaries you asked, a national hero or a contemptible rogue. --Robert McNamara

From Publishers Weekly
He is a biographer's dream: Ernest Shackleton was ruthless and ambitious, an unabashed adventurer, an inspired leader, a glorious failure. Also, for much of his life, he was beset by financial and romantic entanglements. Huntford, author of Scott and Amundsen (basis of the recent PBS series The Last Place on Earth), has written a superb account of heroic adventure, of ineptitude and disappointment. Shackleton left a career in the merchant marine to join Robert Scott's expedition on the Discovery (1900); sent home for reasons of health after the first season, he determined to try for the South Pole on his own. The bitter rivalry with Scott had begun. Shackleton's charm and powers of persuasion enabled him to raise money for his 19071909 expedition that came within 100 miles of the Pole. Back home, he was a national hero with financial troubles (he always sought instant fortune). Again, he found backers and planned the "last great journey" across the Antarctic continent. This produced epic adventure: the loss of Endurance in the ice and the long, open-boat journey to safety and rescue. It is one of the greatest survival stories of all time, and Huntford gives it full treatment. Readers interested in polar exploration will find this book hard to put down. Photos. January 14
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Despite his great leadership gifts, Ernest Shackleton (1874-1922), the Anglo-Irish Antarctic explorer, was dogged by failure. None of his business, political, or exploratory ventures achieved their goals. Yet the narratives of his expeditions still make gripping reading. Huntford, the author of Scott and Amundsen (the basis for a PBS miniseries), has written the definitive life of Shackleton, copiously detailed and documented. Some readers may be shocked by the negative portrayal of Scott, Shackleton's rival, and the revelations of British ineptitude in polar exploration, and others may be overwhelmed by the profuse detail, but this book belongs in all exploration collections. J.F. Husband, Framingham State Coll. Lib., Mass.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

"This is a man's man!"
I first read of Shackleton in National Geographic. That only whetted my appetite to hear his entire exruciating journey. Roland's biography took me two months to read, but it was worth it.

I will never forget Ernest Shackleton. From "Shackleton" I leaned about leadership, the power of hope, optimism, human relationships; the power of dreams, perseverance. You will learn more from "Shackleton" in two months than you will from a lifetime of MBA professors.

Shackleton's antarctic journeys are the most engaging tales of survival, endurance and human pressure that I have ever read. Can you image yourself crossing 1,000 miles of frigid south Atlantic seas in a 20 foot boat, with 3 men, a box of matches, a pulpy map, a Victorian compass, and insufficient water in order to save the lives of 50 men who are in an even worse predicament! He did all that and more.

If you like real life stories of survival and adventure, you will enjoy this book to no end.

"Great Shacks, this is good stuff!"
Huntford's book is the definitive Shackleton. Contemporaries compare him to Churchill; in his ability to use language with presence of personality to entertain, convince and convert listeners into followers. He couldn't be trusted with women or money but on the ice or at sea many men trusted him with their lives; repeatedly. He had the ability to make his dreams yours and make you want to achieve them. You will find here the leadership that was beyond Scotts comprehension, the perseverance that the RGS needed but could not recognize, and the courage not to sacrifice life for fame. Shackleton was one of the few men in history who in desperate circumstances actually improved under the stress; became more resourceful, more courageous, more obstinate.

If Lansing's book left you wide-eyed and open-mouthed in astonishment this book will compound that, fill in the social and political context, and completely describe Shacks and all who came in contact with his whirlwind of adventure, ambition, and survival.

Put this book up on your shelf next to Manchester's Chruchill, Morris' Fisher, or Rice's

Cold, wet and dirty
Such a fantastic book, using copious material from the explorers diaries with page turning narrative. By reading this book you become a member of the expeditions, feeling cold, hungry, tired, dirty and seasick.

Comparisons between the British and Norwegian explorers of the day are fascinating. While you can relate to the British explorers as hero's, you are also made aware of their failings. It is clear that in many instances their need for endurance was often self inflicted, while the Norwegians move quickly in comfort. The book makes you realise that the British were true amateurs in polar exploration and it is truly amazing that any came back alive. Yet, despite these failings, men such as Shackleton seem to thrive in adverse conditions. You can only marvel at Shackleton's ability to lead, when many others would sit down and give up. They are true hero's and you root for them every step of the way.

Huntsford brings this adventure to life. I must now travel to Antartica to satisfy my thirst for more.