Gripping stuff.

Fascinating, but long. The conditions they survived seem impossible. The daily life stories were fun - had a cold penguin leg for lunch. LOL

My star rating is divided; the four is for the first two thirds of the book, and then I'm going to forget the rest ever happened. Here's why:

South tells the story of Ernest Shackelton's failed journey to the South Pole, written by Shackleton (with assistance), and with much pulled from logs and diaries of men on the expedition. The South Pole had already been reached, so Shackleton planned to make the first traverse of the continent - starting on one side, going to the pole, and then continuing across the continent to meet an expedition on the far side. It was a bold plan, which unfortunately was a total failure. Shackelton's ship, the Endurance, was trapped and then destroyed by pack ice before land could be reached. Over nearly two desperate years, Shackleton led his team out of the desolate wilderness, losing nobody (other than all the sled dogs and a few body parts to frostbite). South captures all aspects of the expedition in a engaging style - the excitement of the beginning, the sorrow of losing the ship, and the endless daily battle across the ice. It's surprisingly funny in parts, as he has a quick wit and observant eye; plus, since this is an educational expedition, we learn a great deal about the fauna (less flora) and ice-ography of the continent. I love to read about people suffering in the cold, and there was plenty of that here as well - and an ultimate triumph over adversity which provided a satisfying end!

But here's the thing - that wasn't the end. As noted above, there were two expeditions, and the one on the far side of Antarctica fared worse (worse!) than the main one. The story of the second expedition is recounted here as well, but less well done (mainly lacking in Shackelton's own perspective), and somewhat tediously. You've read one story about an early twentieth century Antarctic expedition coming to ruin in the unrelenting jaws of the ice, you've read them all. Plus, then Shackleton feels he has to justify why he took a bunch of able bodied men to the ends of the earth when they could have been slaughtered fighting for their country in World War I.

So overall, I'd recommend most of this book to any reader with an interest in adventure, travel, and people suffering in the cold. If you really SUPER like that part, go for the last bit; otherwise, feel free to quit when Shackleton saves the primary (and really, the more interesting) expedition.

Perseverance and grace of Sir Ernest Shackletone during this expedition deserve five stars. As a book, however, it is quite dull: repetitive descriptions of ice, weather, position, and food.

Utterly amazing, it's impossible, for me, to imagine surviving in such extreme conditions

Absolutely excellent and inspiring. I don't like motivational speaker stuff, I find it all very fluffy and very vacant. Shackleton's account of the 1914-1917 expedition is anything but. An amazing tale of perseverance, endurance, and on-the-ball leadership, it is a great read for anyone interested in exploration.

If someone told you this story, you'd swear it couldn't be true, but it is. Amazing stuff here.

(And I recommend the film "Shackleton" starring Kenneth Branagh, too!)