The Endurance : Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition

Rating:
Summary: Endurance; Caroline Alexander
Review: It was the best book I've read in years. I couldnt put it down. I've purchased 7 copies as gifts!

Rating:
Summary: Hardship. Adversity. Stress.
Review: THE ENDURANCE is all. If you are a woman or man with an armchair (or real life) appetite for adventure, Caroline Alexander's story of Shackleton's legendary Antarctic expedition is a must read. I endured (remained firm) through the first quarter of the book and was richly rewarded with a fascinating adventure I did not want to put down. Follow with Worsley's first-person account in ENDURANCE: An Epic of Polar Adventure. Then retreat into the Adirondack backcountry with LIFE WITH NOAH, an equally fascinating adventure that recaptures the wilderness of America filled with anecodtes and pure adventure.

Rating:
Summary: Riveting!
Review: I bought this book for my husband, but read it myself the same day -- I could not put it down! It is an incredible story that is all the better for extraordinary photographs that bring the story to life. Shackleton defines what it means to be a leader and to refuse to give up. He and his men lived through unbelievable conditions. If you want to put your problems in perspective and read a thrilling story, read this book!

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Glimpse Into the Antarctic
Review: First of all, I think the pictures in this book are fantastic! I was really able to witness the expedition more clearly with the aid of the excellent photos. Secondly, I found the book very interesting because I often wonder about Antarctica. This book showed the harsh conditions as well as perseverance of the expedition. The personal comments were added qualities that made the Endurance more powerful. Overall, I recommmend the book for a interesting visual and personal history of the Endurance.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Mesmorizing
Review: Caroline Alexander has combined amazing photo's with "edge of your seat" writing. A must read for anyone who wants to truly understand the meaning of "Leadership".

Rating:
Summary: any child looking for a hero should read this book
Review: I am still frozen with fascination in this book. It is an honor just to know these men through their diaries along with the help of Caroline. If anyone is looking for a pure hero, who gives as much respect as he earns, please read this book! You will find the person for whom you are searching. Sports figures be damned, I'll emulate Shakleton and crew.

Rating:
Summary: THE BEST BOOK!! YOU MUST READ IT!!
Review: The Endurance by Caroline Alexander is a non fiction book about an explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew as they try to become the first explorers to cross Antarctica on foot. Sir Ernest Shackleton was one of the most known polar explorers of his day. Shackleton and his crew of 27 set out to sea on his boat Endurance on August 8th, 1914. The 28 men went down to Buenos Aries, Argentina then they continued to their last stop South Georgia Island which is in the southern Atlantic before they went to the pack ice and beyond. Once they got the ship into the pack ice they followed the cracks between each floe (leads) to try to get to the main land of Antarctica. Do they ever get home to England? Do they all even survive such a journey? This book was a heart racing kind of book. If you previously were not interested in history books The Endurance might change your opinion. I was impressed by how these men risked their lives freezing to death just to obtain their personal goals. The adventure of when they have to abandon ship will leave you hanging from your seat. The way Caroline Alexander wrote the book was engulfing . Her detail was thorough and she must have put many months of research on their journey. She also used clips from journals telling in the sailor's words what was happening and what was going on in their minds. I have read a few books about sailing the sea and The Endurance was the best one because of the way in which it was written. The photographer Frank Hurley took unbelievable shots of the whole expedition. The types of photos that were taken included, black & white stills, movies and color slides. The photographs look like they were taken recently by a digital camera instead of a Kodak in the early 1900's. Technically the pictures are crisp and clear for surviving the 22-month journey. This is a book that should be in every school library and all public libraries so everyone can experience The Endurance.

Rating:
Summary: Endurance captures you. You become a crew member.Whew!
Review: This book was recommended at a book group. The enthusiastic response to it made me curious. It is not disappointing. The moment I began reading I wanted to know more about this trip, these men. Ms Alexander has done a fine job of combining her wonderful research with these beautiful photographs.

Rating:
Summary: excellent: devoured in only 2 days!!
Review: very clearly written and tons of specific info. also with great pictures. outstanding narrative style. even better than "south"written with Sir. Ernest diary.

Rating:
Summary: Next best thing to visiting Am Museum of Nat Hist Exhibition
Review: This is not the best written account of Shackleton's voyage. However, its use of Frank Hurley's photographs to enrich the telling of this compelling story makes Alexander's book essential to anyone at all interested in Shackleton's voyage. As a result of reading both this book and Alfred Lansing's "Endurance", we made the trip to New York to visit the American Museum of Natural History's Endurance exhibition. The exhibition, which includes the photographs in the book, some early color photographs and motion pictures from the expedition, and the James Caird itself, was well worth seeing, but a tribute to this book is that it captures the essence of the exhibition very well. If you can't go the exhibition, and even if you can, you should read this book.