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Summary: Historic account on Scott's last expedition
Review: Apsley Cherry-Garrard, the author of this book, was the youngest member of the british expedition, lead by Robert Scott, that would try to reach the geographical South Pole for the first time, in the summer of 1911/1912. Cherry-Garrard wrote "The worst journey in the world" after the first world war, ten years after he returned from Antarctica, so he took his time to write a book based on reason and not based on the recent emotions he lived while on the frozen continent. We have to remember that this book is almost 100 years old, so the text sometimes reads like something from Jules Verne... only it's true. His experience in loco aside, Garrard uses many passages from the crew's personal diaries (everybody had a diary going on) to better illustrate what happened on the expedition. The book starts very slow, with more than a hundred pages of logistics, arrangements and such. What makes this part interesting is Garrard's personal views of other members of the expedition. But thes first 100 pages will prove difficult for the reader who only wants to know what happened to Scott and his four partners in the South Pole Expedition. "Worst journey" really comes to life in Chapter 5, when the author starts to describe and explain all the expeditions and processes that would make possible Scott's going all the way south. I, for one, didn't think the whole thing was so complex. The final chapters, when Garrard narrates what really happened to Scott's party, and how the rescue team discovered their tent only 11 miles from salvation, are touching, and kept me reading way after bedtime. Of course, as most of others reviewers stated, Cherry-Garrard's style is dry and his narration is partial, after all he personaly knew the people he was writing about, and he writes about things that really happened (that's why he says only a few words about Amundsen's expedition). "The worst journey in the world" is mandatory reading for everybody interested about South Pole exploration, no doubt about that. It's interesting to notice that, while Amundsen was the first to reach the pole, Scott, because of his tragedy, is more known to the general public. I would also recommend Roland Huntford's "Last place on Earth", a very good analysis of the differences between Scott's expedition and Amundsen's - Amundsen reached the pole 34 days before Scott and return alive and well Grade 9.0/10
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Summary: They felt like friends when I was done.
Review: As an American I don't even recall being taught anything at all about Scott and his men when I was in school.
I saw a article in a Life magazine special that got me curious and did a web search and discovered Cherry's excellent book.
Its my favorite adventure book of all time and the men were a different breed than most today. Bowers in particular sounded amazing, I think I'd rather have a conversation with him than Scott if I had the ability to go back in time and meet only one.
Sure there was the occasional dry spell but considering the age of the book I thought it was remarkably contemporary sounding.
Most amazing of all to me though was the fact that after reading the book at least 3 months ago I still think about it at least every other day!
Not only that it seems like Cherry, Scott, Bowers, Wilson and Evans were old friends of mine that in my opinion is a true testament to Cherry's writing. I wish it had more pictures but I guess you can't have everything. P.S. I can't help but looking at modern things and modern problems and thinking what would Bowers think of that or Cherry, I'm sure they'd be depressed at the overall state of morals around the world and Englands decline would suprise them but in particular I wonder what they would think of modern clothing and stuff like GPS.
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Summary: "The Worst Journey" indeed
Review: Casual glancers at the title of this book about the 1912 Scott expedition may automatically assume that it refers to the death of Captain Scott and four of his companions on their return from the South Pole. Instead, "The Worst Journey in the World" was the trip to the Emperor Penguin rookeries undertaken in the middle of the Antarctic winter by Cherry-Garrand, Dr. Wilson, and Lt. Bowers, the latter two of whom would die with Scott on the polar trip. It makes absolutely terrifying reading; the men were not equipped or trained for the rigors of the expedition, and the scientific results from their collection of penguin eggs appear to have been absolutely nil (Shackleton fans will be interested to know that Dr. Eric Marshall suggested such a journey during the 1907-1909 Shackleton expedition, but Shackleton thought the idea was cracked and refused to countenance it). Cherry-Garrand is indeed a bit of a ragged writer, but as a non-heroic account of the Scott expedition (compared to Scott's own journals, written with Posterity in mind and "improved" by J.M. Barrie) this book is a valuable addition to the bookshelf of anyone interested in the heroic era of Antarctic exploration.
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Summary: A great book by a merely good writer
Review: Cherry is not a great writer, but is consistently competent and often manages some excellent passages. However, his honesty makes this book excellent. He does not hide his own limitations or the fact that he bought his way onto the expedition. He describes events as they occur and does not attempt to dramatize or melodramatize them. The text can be accordingly dry at times, but by allowing the facts to accumulate without too much editorializing, Cherry allows the reader to discern exactly how and why the Scott expedition failed. The overall effect is far more convincing than than secondary works on Antarctic exploration in which the writers inject their own conclusions. Cherry's relentless optimism and deep pro-Scott bias increase the effect. When he describes events and concludes that conditions are unpleasant or that Scott did something ill-advised, the reader knows that they must be truly awful and Scott insanely silly. For just this reason, The Worst Journey in the World ends up being a far more damning indictment of Scott than partisan work like Huntsford's. He avoids melodrama and simply describes what happens. This straightforward I am sure that Cherry omitted some material, especially in his cheery description of the long Antarctic winter nights, which are reputed to bring out the worst in everyone who suffers through them. Anyone who comes to this book expecting 19th century melodrama or 20th century travel excitement will be disappointed. But people who are ready to read a primary source and understand it in the context of its time will surely be fascinated.
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Summary: he makes us understand
Review: Either the Antarctic draws explorers of uncommon literary ability, or something in that desolate, terrible beauty draws out eloquence from those who go there. Apsley Cherry-Garrard stands primus inter pares among south polar chroniclers. With the hindsight of ten years, and with liberal use of letters and diaries written by his companions on the Terra Nova expedition, he gives us a clear insight into the splendor and horror, the tedium and exhilaration of life in Antarctica. He talks about everything; most eloquently, perhaps, of his companions and their life in the snug little hut at the base of Mount Erebus. But his narrative gleams with wonderful portraits of fractious ponies and rambunctious dogs; of killer whales and of penguins notable for "devouring curiosity and a pigheaded disregard for their own safety". He tells of the "worst journey": a harrowing, immiserating and near-fatal trek through the Antarctic night in quest of ... a penguin egg. He describes a barren landscape of snow and ice which somehow vibrates with color and awes all who see it. And he makes us understand why they go back.
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Summary: Best written first-hand account of Antarctic exploration
Review: Explorers are not usually born writers. Apsley Cherry-Garrard is a towering exception. Of all the first-hand accounts of polar exploration, this volume is clearly one of the best written. The author combines a deep understanding of his fellow team members with an eye for capturing the profound in a simple scene. From Chapter 15 - Another Spring "God sent His daylight to scatter the nightmares of the darkness. I can remember now the joy of an August day when the sun looked over the rim of Barne Glacier, and my shadow lay clear-cut upon the snow. It was wonderful what a friendly thing that ice-slope became."
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Summary: A Tragedy
Review: Firstly after reading other reviews i feel i should just say the lenght of the book does not really matter and that if you are to judge a book fairly you should forget about the length and focus on whats inside. Now thats finished i can tell you about this truly wonderful book which, i feel, captures the emotion and drama of Scott's Last Polar Expedition. Cherry-Gerrard manages to bring all the trials and tribulations of Polar existence to life. Cherry-Gerrard was in the right place to tell all of this journey, including as many people forget, the Cape Crozier expedition which he undertook with Birdie Bowers and Bill Wilson who were both to die with Scott. That expedition gives the title for the book.This is a truly tragic story and was written beautifuly by one of the survivors of the Expedition.
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Summary: The best of Travel Writing
Review: Having been a fan of good travel writing for years this is the best of the best.The writer Cherry Gerrard as a young man manages to bluff his way onto the fatal Scott of Antartica Expedition.This account which ranges from details of the scientific work through to the esprit de corp enjoyed on the journey is riveting.There are some basic facts of which I stand in awe,they did not have basic modern clothing which now we take for granted,also Cherry Gerrard was a young man in his mid-20's during the expedition.The most gripping part of the tale is the discovery by Cherry Gerrard of the bodies of Scott and his colleagues from their fatal attempt on the Pole.This is a read that will reward,yes there is detail but none of it is ballast.If you love travel writing,then this could be something that you will really enjoy.
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Summary: Extraordinary Mess!
Review: Having previously read "The Last Place on Earth', and lived in Antarctica myself for 5 months, it was a different experience to read Cherry-Garrard's telling of the horrible expedition to Cape Crozier. His youth and impressionability are evident in his viewing others as so much larger than life doesn't subtract from his observations about polar living; not for everybody.
For myself, it was of interest in how he painted Scott and Wilson. Being so close to Scott, it was refreshing to see him actually find flaws in his character along with the adulation that was so evident. The other pleasure was in his recounting the journeys back and forth between Hut Point and Cape Evans, Tent Island, the Razorbacks, Vince's Cross, which I could see from my domicile at Mc Murdo....all landmarks I knew well. But none so much as the huge cross on Ob Hill for those poor wretches who perished on the ice. Cherry's dealing with the deaths of his friends is rather poignant.
A great book, trapped forever in Edwardian faith in England and all her holdings, as seen thru the eyes of a young man who somehow blundered into one of the worst Greek tragedies in modern times.
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Summary: Science was the main object of this journey
Review: I found that the book was very easy to read. I have a lot of admiration and respect for the tough British explorers, they were hardy men and achieved the impossible with bare basic equipment, transport and clothing. Nobody in the 21st centuary will survive this sort of journey with the equipment and clothing these men had. The whole journey was about science (reaching the South Pole was an added bonus), they experimented with the rations, with transport methods. Even when they new they were near going to dies and could have saved themselves by dumping the geological samples Wilson still insistet that they do not leave the samples behind. Bowers kept on taking metrological notes even though he was at deaths door. It is one of the best books I have read this year and did not find it at all boring or tedious, I read every word and somtimes re-read chapters. The one flaw of the book are the maps, I found that I had to keep on referencing other books to follow the journeys in detail.
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