For a joint scientific and geographical piece of organization, give me Scott; for a Winter Journey, Wilson; for a dash to the Pole and nothing else, Amundsen: and if I am in the devil of a hole and want to get out of it, give me Shackleton every time. – Apsley Cherry-Garrard

Sir Ernest Shackleton was, like most great men, also a very deeply flawed individual. After numerous “get rich quick” schemes, he died at age 47, the equivalent of over $1.5 million in debt. But as this story illustrates, he was one of the best leaders in difficult conditions ever.

In 1915, the ship Endurance, with Shackleton and 27 other men on board, became trapped in the Weddell Sea pack ice while trying to make the first crossing of the Antarctic continent. The crew stayed on the ship for about 9 months, until crushing force of the ice broke it up. The crew then set out across the pack ice, large pieces of floating ice. With no way to communicate to the outside world, and really, no way for anyone outside to stage a rescue if they knew of their plight, Shackleton and his crew knew if they were going to live, it was up to them. Traveling first across the ice, then in boats in no way suitable for the sea conditions, they worked their way toward safety.

Conditions change constantly, and nothing is ever quite what someone unacquainted with the conditions would think. Warmer weather might seem welcome, until the surface of the ice is mush, filled with sink holes. Storms can be terrifying, and damage tents and equipment, but were always welcome, so long as they blew in the right direction. Several times and ice floe breaks up right under a boat, or between the party and important supplies.

Alfred Lansing puts together information from crew diaries, personal accounts, ships logs, and interviews into a very compelling story. A story of heroism and leadership in some of the most adverse conditions available. This is not a story for the faint of heart: it is a survival story, and it’s often not pretty, but it is always inspiring, and one of the most inspiring survival stories you are likely to find.

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