South with Endurance: Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition, 1914-1917

Rating:
Summary: Seeing Is Believing
Review: For most of the last century the definitive story of Antarctic exploration was that of Robert Falcon Scott's failed race to be first to reach the South Pole. It was a particular favorite in Britain because it had all the favorite elements of British myth-making: danger, daring and, best of all, failure. Scott ran second to the Norwegian Raold Amundsen at the Pole and there were lots of stiff-upper-lip fatalities. "I'm just going outside," said one of the last to die, "and I may be some time." Then he went outside and cheerfully, one presumes, froze to death.

Only in the last few years have clearer heads examined this story and brought some reality to it, mainly the hard-to-dismiss judgment that Scott was something of a twit who doomed his own adventure. Simultaneously those heads began to acknowledge the primacy of Ernest Shackleton's grand expedition to cross the Antarctice continent.

This too was a failure--the explorers never got onto the continent proper--but it turned into an epic of human survival and a glorous success, because not a single life was lost under the most horrific of circumstances.

The expedition's ship, Endurance, was trapped in the pack ice offshore for months; the party lived aboard it for months, then transferred to the pack ice when their ship was finally crushed and sunk. Eventually, when the pack cracked apart beneath their camp several times they made a daring escape to barren Elephant Island nearby, and from there Shackleton and some companions sailed a small boat several hundred miles across the world's most violent ocean to South Georgia Island, where there was a whaling station. When the weather forced them to come ashore on the wrong side of the island, Shackleton and one or two others managed to climb across the island's mountain range--which had never been done before, or even considered--and staggered, stumbled and even slid to safety. They were so battered and starved no one even recognized them at first. Eventually, Shackleton returned to Britain, then he returned to South American and organized--more than a year had passed by now--a rescue expedition to Elephant Island, where he picked of all the rest of his party.

This incredible story is welltold in "The Worst Journey in the World," one of the greatest of adventure epics, but you have to see it to believe it--and now you can.

With Shackleton's expedition there was the pioneering Australian photographer Frank Hurley, one of the early masters of the camera. He didn't have handy little point-and-shoot cameras but heavy and cumbersome wooden box cameras using glass-plate negatives, and he took great risks to make many of his images.

This book at last assembles the bulk of Hurley's work, pulling together several hundred photos from widely scattered sources and displays them, together with examples of Hurley's earlier and later work, in a superb large-format gallery for the armchair explorer. It's a stunning work. You may not want to believe your eyes, but you'll have to.

--Bill Marsano
(The author is a travel writer and a devotee of exploration stories.)

Rating:
Summary: You've read the book(s) now see the film
Review: Frank Hurley's book is a mastepiece of photographic art. Having read many Antarctic books already, particularly "South" the story of the endurance expedition, I devoured this book to see the whole story in detail.

The book is a work of technical genius and without artistic equal among work of that era, particularly when you realise what awful conditions he worked under.

The notes accompanying the pictures relate the epic tale in only slightly less detail than the South book, but you still fully appreciate the efforts which went into it's production.

Other members of the crew could have been more resentful of Hurley, due to the time he spent in his darkroon (he was not part of the ship's crew, therefore was not obliged to stand watch) and shooting film. Instead they regarded him with great respect, especially the numerous occasions he risked his life for the best shots. The true measure of the respect he engendered from the crew is the book itself. When the ship went down and the crew faced an uncertain future, all personal possesions bar a few photos and each man's personal journal were lost. Shackleton still insisted that many heavy glass plates be preserved dragged across the ice and sailed to South Georgia via Elephant Island. Still more were smashed by Hurley, once prints were taken (see "Green Collection" in Scott Polar research Library Cambridge UK) as he could not bear them to be left behind.

This book would form an essential addition to any Antarctic library. The faces all became attached to the names I already knew so well, seeing them at the start of the voyage then lost and forlorn next to the upturned boat on Elephant Island tells it's own harrowing story.
This bleak tale is uplifted by the magnificent images, which match the joy felt by all when Shackleton, "The Boss", returned to collect them safe and well. Even as a first foray into Antarctic literature.
(NB earlier reviewer incorrectly stated that Shackleton went back to UK after South Georgia returning to rescue the crew from Elephant Island. In fact He could not rest knowing the men expected his return and after only a few days rest, when his crew from the "James Caird" were ill in bed he took a whaler and eventually got the men safely off the Island several weeks later, after two unsuccessful attempts.)

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I was fortunate that I could follow Shakelton on T.V. while reading and viewing these excellent pictures. This book is outstanding and I would urge anyone interested in either Shakelton or photography to get it. I could not help but think that every member of this expedition had story to tell. We have heard only a few. Amazing the limits of human endurance and to think that they had a photographer with them who realized what he was filming, and did so for all of us to see.To Hurley was far ahead of his time, and I am inclined to think that Ansel Adams had probably learned from Mr. Hurley.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I was fortunate that I could follow Shakelton on T.V. while reading and viewing these excellent pictures. This book is outstanding and I would urge anyone interested in either Shakelton or photography to get it. I could not help but think that every member of this expedition had story to tell. We have heard only a few. Amazing the limits of human endurance and to think that they had a photographer with them who realized what he was filming, and did so for all of us to see.To Hurley was far ahead of his time, and I am inclined to think that Ansel Adams had probably learned from Mr. Hurley.

Rating:
Summary: A must for any adventure library
Review: If you are a fan of Antarctic exploration then this wonderful book should be in your library. Many know the incredible story of the Endurance and the trials those 28 men endured when the ship was locked in the ice and eventually crushed. The beauty of this book is that it documents the story with the remarkable photos of the expedition photographer, Australian Frank Hurley. When you consider the time period of this story (1914-1916) you can only marvel that Hurley produced such amazing images with the equipment that was available at that time. Additionally, the initial introduction to this photo collection is excellent. It presents a good recap of the Endurance expedition with many quotes from crewmembers that have not appeared in previous books.If you are a professional photographer, or even an amateur, the information on Hurley's equipment and the story of his early training will be of special interest. The over 500 photos will hold your interest for hours! I've read almost every book on Endurance and this will rank as one of my favorites.

Rating:
Summary: Ice, Terrain, Ships, Voyagers, Animals and Whaling
Review: Many people have read or watched television shows about Sir Ernest Shackleton's unsuccessful Antarctic expedition aboard the Endurance. All of those stories are hobbled in their telling by our limited ability to experience the Antarctic regions. I have never been to Antarctica and probably never will. The same is probably true for you. What is it like?

I got my first insights a few years ago when a friend shared his experiences through hundreds of photographs that he took during a two week voyage in these same seas. Ever since then, I have wondered what all the photographs of Frank Hurley, the official photographer of Shackleton's last expedition, would show. Was I delighted when this marvelous book recently became available!

Shackleton and his team headed south towards a planned crossing of the Antarctic continent through the South Pole in Endurance. With ice running at unusually high levels for summer, they became stuck within sight of land. Eventually the ship was destroyed by the ice pack. They then pulled the ship's life boats over the ice to open sea, and made it to Elephant Island. From there, Shackleton and a few of his men headed out over hundreds of miles of open sea to South Georgia Island where they made a nearly impossible trek across the island to get help. After initially unsuccessful attempts to return to Elephant Island, all hands were eventually saved. The leadership by Shackleton during those problem times has become the stuff of legends.

This book contains all of the photographs that Mr. Hurley made during the expedition. His work was critical to the expedition in several ways. First, Shackleton was only able to raise the money to launch the voyage through promising to take Mr. Hurley along as official photographers. Second, Mr. Hurley's photographs were key to the fund-raising after the expedition that got Sir Ernest out of debt. Third, the photographs made the story of the expedition more real to us today. One of the impressive stories of this rescue is that the decision was made to lug the heavy glass plates and equipment along over the ice when mere survival was a question. Has a group ever acted in a more committed way to its photographic record?

The book contains almost 500 images, some of which have not been published before. If you are like me, you will be happily surprised to see that some include early examples of color photography that capture the eerie bluish color of the ice. The end of the book has a gallery of all the images, in the chronological order in which they were taken. Happily, Mr. Hurley still had three exposures left when the rescue arrived. Undaunted, he returned to South Georgia Island in 1917 to fill in gaps in the animal records to make the whole perspective complete.

Mr. Hurley was a very brave and exacting photographer. You will see him sitting on the edge of the top parts of the mast so he can get just the angle he wants. In another remarkable image, he has climbed to the highest point near the harbor to capture the best possible panorama shot. He frequently wandered way off from Endurance so that he could provide a better sense of this tiny object locked in by nature's power.

There's a lot of human interest here as well. His portraits convey lots of aspects about the habits and personalities of his subjects. He captures the men at play and while partying, so you get a sense of everyday life, as well. The animal photographs almost add comic relief by showing life as normal. His images of the destruction of whaling are effective in denouncing the whale trade.

I also learned some important new things about the expedition from the photographs and this book. Sir Ernest made a mistake in choosing Endurance. With a relatively flat bottom and steep sides, Endurance was less likely to escape the ice. With a rounder hull (as he had used in his last expedition), this expedition would probably have succeeded. Also, the effort of escaping from the ice was amazing. One photograph shows men straining in traces to pull a single boat across the ice. You also get scenes of trying to open up the ice around Endurance. The most impressive part of the collection to me was seeing the sequence of how Endurance was crushed into little bits and pieces.

The photography is superb. Impressively, there is a fair amount of work done in the dark, which gives a sense of the endless night that comes in mid-June. The book also contains excellent essays about the expedition, Mr. Hurley's career, and the photographic methods used by Mr. Hurley. Excerpts from Mr. Hurley's diary are also used to highlight his images.

I recommend reading this book on the coldest day of the upcoming winter, while the wind is howling. In fact, you may want to walk outdoors for a while first to get into just the right mood.

Where would you like to go where you have never gone before? Prepare carefully! Bring lots of camera equipment and film!

Rating:
Summary: Ice, Terrain, Ships, Voyagers, Animals and Whaling
Review: Many people have read or watched television shows about Sir Ernest Shackleton�s unsuccessful Antarctic expedition aboard the Endurance. All of those stories are hobbled in their telling by our limited ability to experience the Antarctic regions. I have never been to Antarctica and probably never will. The same is probably true for you. What is it like?

I got my first insights a few years ago when a friend shared his experiences through hundreds of photographs that he took during a two week voyage in these same seas. Ever since then, I have wondered what all the photographs of Frank Hurley, the official photographer of Shackleton�s last expedition, would show. Was I delighted when this marvelous book recently became available!

Shackleton and his team headed south towards a planned crossing of the Antarctic continent through the South Pole in Endurance. With ice running at unusually high levels for summer, they became stuck within sight of land. Eventually the ship was destroyed by the ice pack. They then pulled the ship�s life boats over the ice to open sea, and made it to Elephant Island. From there, Shackleton and a few of his men headed out over hundreds of miles of open sea to South Georgia Island where they made a nearly impossible trek across the island to get help. After initially unsuccessful attempts to return to Elephant Island, all hands were eventually saved. The leadership by Shackleton during those problem times has become the stuff of legends.

This book contains all of the photographs that Mr. Hurley made during the expedition. His work was critical to the expedition in several ways. First, Shackleton was only able to raise the money to launch the voyage through promising to take Mr. Hurley along as official photographers. Second, Mr. Hurley�s photographs were key to the fund-raising after the expedition that got Sir Ernest out of debt. Third, the photographs made the story of the expedition more real to us today. One of the impressive stories of this rescue is that the decision was made to lug the heavy glass plates and equipment along over the ice when mere survival was a question. Has a group ever acted in a more committed way to its photographic record?

The book contains almost 500 images, some of which have not been published before. If you are like me, you will be happily surprised to see that some include early examples of color photography that capture the eerie bluish color of the ice. The end of the book has a gallery of all the images, in the chronological order in which they were taken. Happily, Mr. Hurley still had three exposures left when the rescue arrived. Undaunted, he returned to South Georgia Island in 1917 to fill in gaps in the animal records to make the whole perspective complete.

Mr. Hurley was a very brave and exacting photographer. You will see him sitting on the edge of the top parts of the mast so he can get just the angle he wants. In another remarkable image, he has climbed to the highest point near the harbor to capture the best possible panorama shot. He frequently wandered way off from Endurance so that he could provide a better sense of this tiny object locked in by nature�s power.

There�s a lot of human interest here as well. His portraits convey lots of aspects about the habits and personalities of his subjects. He captures the men at play and while partying, so you get a sense of everyday life, as well. The animal photographs almost add comic relief by showing life as normal. His images of the destruction of whaling are effective in denouncing the whale trade.

I also learned some important new things about the expedition from the photographs and this book. Sir Ernest made a mistake in choosing Endurance. With a relatively flat bottom and steep sides, Endurance was less likely to escape the ice. With a rounder hull (as he had used in his last expedition), this expedition would probably have succeeded. Also, the effort of escaping from the ice was amazing. One photograph shows men straining in traces to pull a single boat across the ice. You also get scenes of trying to open up the ice around Endurance. The most impressive part of the collection to me was seeing the sequence of how Endurance was crushed into little bits and pieces.

The photography is superb. Impressively, there is a fair amount of work done in the dark, which gives a sense of the endless night that comes in mid-June. The book also contains excellent essays about the expedition, Mr. Hurley�s career, and the photographic methods used by Mr. Hurley. Excerpts from Mr. Hurley�s diary are also used to highlight his images.

I recommend reading this book on the coldest day of the upcoming winter, while the wind is howling. In fact, you may want to walk outdoors for a while first to get into just the right mood.

Where would you like to go where you have never gone before? Prepare carefully! Bring lots of camera equipment and film!

Rating:
Summary: A real treasure
Review: This is the most defenitive retelling of Shackleton's adventure in pictures. Frank Hurley was an exceptional photographer who just happened to take pictures of a journey that without them would be simply unbelievable. Any Hurley's picture of the Endurance expedition is a treasure, and in this book are all of them!

Rating:
Summary: The Definitive Pictorial Account of the 'Endurance'
Review: This mammoth book is the definitive pictorial account of the voyage of Ernest Shackleton and the crew of the 'Endurance', on their death defying journey to Antarctica between 1914 and 1917 as told through the camera lens of master photographer Frank Hurley. The book is approximately twelve inches square, and can easily be mistaken for a (very large and heavy) coffee table book from afar. Once it is opened, though, it is obvious that this in no trifling work. It contains background and narrative on Shackleton and the expedition and all of the surviving Hurley photographs (almost 500 of them total) and in scope is the most complete and amazing account of the expedition I have ever seen.

The text is enlightening and wonderful, but the photographs are the unmistakable stars of the book. Hurley was taken along to document the expedition, and document it he did, despite the fact that it turned out completely differently than any of the men would have ever wanted or imagined. The photographs range from breathtakingly beautiful pictures of water and ice, to fascinating character studies, particularly of life aboard the ship, to poignant photos that are impossible to view without being choked up, of which I place the photos of the dogs and cat at the top, realizing that all the animals, their most faithful of friends, were ultimately killed on Shackleton's orders to conserve food (many of the dogs were eaten.) It is truly fortunate that Hurley was along to document the voyage; mere words alone could never do justice to one of the greatest survival stories ever told, and certainly the most harrowing that I can imagine.

The book is a timeless masterpiece and belongs on the bookshelf of anyone with an interest in the Antarctic, polar exploration, or man's ability to endure untold hardships yet emerge victorious over the elements.