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South! The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition 1914-1917 by Ernest Shackleton
37 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 4 years ago - ★★★★ - 11 ratingsThe expedition was given the grand title of The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Due to be launched in 1914, two ships were to be employed. The first, the lead vessel, fittingly named the Endurance was to transport the team to the Weddell Sea from where the great explorer Ernest Shackleton and five others would cross the icy wastes of Antarctica on foot. The second ship, the Aurora was to approach the continent from the other side and put down supplies at various points to help the explorers. The nearly 3000 km expedition was funded largely on the strength of Shackleton's formidable reputation. Many private individuals contributed along with some funds from the British government. However, the shadow of war was looming across Europe.
The expedition also included more than 70 dogs who were kept in the charge of an experienced veterinary doctor. However, the Endurance soon ran into problems. Within a month of its departure, it hit an ice floe and was completely trapped in frozen ice. It began to drift northwards, dashing Shackleton's hopes of an early culmination. South! The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition 1914-1917 by Ernest Shackleton is a brilliant portrayal of this doomed enterprise told by the leader himself.
What makes the book so interesting is Shackleton's own matter of fact courage and his extreme sense of responsibility for his crew. The book which was published long after the actual events took place, was released just a year before Shackleton's death. His physical and mental health were completely broken and the outbreak of war had also taken its toll. Though he suffered from serious ill-health, he insisted on being conscripted and also undertook several diplomatic missions on behalf of the British Government. He was an extremely charismatic figure, worshipped by his crew members and deeply admired by statesmen like Winston Churchill. He died of a heart attack in the South Georgia Islands near South America and he was buried there on the request of his wife. This was indeed a fitting end to his life, “on a island far from civilization, surrounded by stormy tempestuous seas and in the vicinity of one of his great exploits,” as his physician noted in his personal diary.
South... is mainly compiled from the logs of the Endurance and the Aurora, with plenty of observations and descriptions by Shackleton himself. The harsh and terrible beauty of the snowy continent are wonderfully and passionately described.
For readers who love the drama of an expedition to the least known ends of the earth, led by a figure of such heroic proportions, this is indeed a great read.
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Episodes
01 – Chapter I: Into the Wedell Sea, part 1
January 01, 2024 00:00 - 21 minutes - 9.54 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
02 – Chapter I: Into the Wedell Sea, part 2
December 31, 2023 00:00 - 22 minutes - 9.54 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
03 – Chapter II: New Land, part 1
December 30, 2023 00:00 - 26 minutes - 11.4 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
04 – Chapter II: New Land, part 2
December 29, 2023 00:00 - 25 minutes - 11.4 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
05 – Chapter III: Winter Months, part 1
December 28, 2023 00:00 - 29 minutes - 13.4 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
06 – Chapter III: Winter Months, part 2
December 27, 2023 00:00 - 28 minutes - 12.4 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
07 – Chapter IV: Loss of the Endurance, part 1
December 26, 2023 00:00 - 31 minutes - 14.3 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
08 – Chapter IV: Loss of the Endurance, part 2
December 25, 2023 00:00 - 30 minutes - 13.4 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
09 – Chapter V: Ocean Camp
December 24, 2023 00:00 - 39 minutes - 17.2 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
10 – Chapter VI: The March Between
December 23, 2023 00:00 - 11 minutes - 4.77 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
11 – Chapter VII: Patience Camp
December 22, 2023 00:00 - 23 minutes - 10.5 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
12 – Chapter VIII: Escape from the Ice, part 1
December 21, 2023 00:00 - 26 minutes - 11.4 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
13 – Chapter VIII: Escape from the Ice, part 2
December 20, 2023 00:00 - 27 minutes - 11.4 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
14 – Chapter VIII: Escape from the Ice, part 3
December 19, 2023 00:00 - 22 minutes - 10.5 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
15 – Chapter VIII: Escape from the Ice, part 4
December 18, 2023 00:00 - 23 minutes - 10.5 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
16 – Chapter IX: The Boat Journey, part 1
December 17, 2023 00:00 - 22 minutes - 9.54 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
17 – Chapter IX: The Boat Journey, part 2
December 16, 2023 00:00 - 25 minutes - 11.4 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
18 – Chapter IX: The Boat Journey, part 3
December 15, 2023 00:00 - 24 minutes - 10.5 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
19 – Chapter IX: The Boat Journey, part 4
December 14, 2023 00:00 - 21 minutes - 9.54 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
20 – Chapter X: Across South Georgia
December 13, 2023 00:00 - 27 minutes - 12.4 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
21 – Chapter XI: The Rescue
December 12, 2023 00:00 - 28 minutes - 12.4 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
22 – Chapter XII: Elephant Island, part 1
December 11, 2023 00:00 - 21 minutes - 9.54 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
23 – Chapter XII: Elephant Island, part 2
December 10, 2023 00:00 - 22 minutes - 9.54 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
24 – Chapter XIII: The Ross Sea Party, part 1
December 09, 2023 00:00 - 25 minutes - 11.4 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
25 – Chapter XIII: The Ross Sea Party, part 2
December 08, 2023 00:00 - 35 minutes - 15.3 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
26 – Chapter XIV: Wintering in McMurdo Sound
December 07, 2023 00:00 - 32 minutes - 14.3 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
27 – Chapter XV: Laying the Depots, part 1
December 06, 2023 00:00 - 34 minutes - 15.3 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
28 – Chapter XV: Laying the Depots, part 2
December 05, 2023 00:00 - 35 minutes - 16.2 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
29 – Chapter XVI: The Aurora’s Drift, part 1
December 04, 2023 00:00 - 35 minutes - 15.3 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
30 – Chapter XVI: The Aurora’s Drift, part 2
December 03, 2023 00:00 - 35 minutes - 16.2 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
31 – Chapter XVII: The Last Relief
December 02, 2023 00:00 - 8 minutes - 3.81 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
32 – Chapter XVIII: The Final Phase
December 01, 2023 00:00 - 8 minutes - 2.86 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
33 – Appendix I, part 1
November 30, 2023 00:00 - 35 minutes - 16.2 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
34 – Appendix I, part 2
November 29, 2023 00:00 - 26 minutes - 11.4 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
36 – Recording by Shackleton: My South Polar Expedition
November 27, 2023 00:00 - 3 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com