Like almost every other reviewer here, I regard Shackleton's odyssey has one of the most incredible tales of human endurance...ever. His men...survive months of exposure to the Antarctic cold, on the floating, shifting ice pack...and nobody dies. If it weren't thoroughly documented it would be an unbelievable tale. As it is, it is a tale both remarkable and wonderful and is a testament of Shackleton's leadership and the grit of a remarkable crew.

Still for me, there was one thing that it is difficult to regard as literally possible...wet sleeping bags. If I can remember rightly the author states that most of the men's sleeping bags...bed rolls...were wet during most of the ordeal. I just don't believe this. I was stranded in Alaska in conditions far less horrific than the one's encountered by Shackleton's expedition. Nevertheless, the thing I feared the most was getting my sleeping bag soaked [it rained most of the time]. I truly believe that...although the temperatures were in the 30's and 40's...that I could not have survived 2 nights in a wet bag. All the sleeping bag's insulative properties would be lost and there would be nothing to protect me from the cold.

In the case of Shackleton's men, their sleeping equipment was reported as uniformly wet from their dousings in the frigid sea. Yes, given the extreme low temperatures, these bags would have frozen right up and it would have been possible to knock some of the ice from the surfaces of the bags but internal ice would have stayed and thawed on contact with warm human bodies. The crew would indeed have 'slept wet'...for months. It's scarcely credible unless their's something I'm unaware of...

Ron Braithwaite, author of novels--'Skull Rack' and 'Hummingbird God'--on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico

I can't believe I didn't read this book earlier in life. I'm recommending it to everybody!

came on time and in good condition! And very inexpensive compared to about 15 dollars at the book store!

Aptly named, this is a stunning story of courage, strength and perseverance. Good medicine for a nation of whiners.

This account of Shackelton's expedition to Antarctic is a read like no other. I could not put this book down,nor could I believe the constitution each person on the crew had to continue forth under such insurmountable odds. The author, Lansing has provided a compelling book. His research of events are smoothly seamed together captivating the reader. Even if ones interest usually doesn't lean toward the topic of explorer, I promise you this book will consume you. Its message is especially good for any of us who may be feeling "overwhelmed" by what our lives are tossing our way... you will be giving thanks at the comforts you have by comparison to this expeditions minimal articles to provide their continued existence. As another reviewer mentioned, buy the hard or soft-cover not paperback version as these include all of Hurley's photographs which are essential to this book-seeing is believing and you won't believe what this photographer captured. Enjoy, you will share the events of this book over and over with many.

The true story of Shackleton's exploration is an amazing testament into the power of strong leadership. Shackleton's leadership skills helped the entire crew to overcome seemingly impossible circumstances to achieve the end goal. This book chronicles a life lesson for all of us to know and understand. Although parts of it are hard for the non-seaworthy to understand, the book is still a good read. I found it hard to put down.

The extraordinary record of Ernest Shackleton and his company of the "Endurance". They set out for the South Pole, but their shp was caught in pack ice, and eventually destroyed. Read how Shacckleton and a few members of his crew set out in one of the ship's boats to find rescue for the remaining men. Courage and loyalty in the extreme.

Great book! We used this book in our book club. Everyone enjoyed it! Very interesting and kept your attention. You really felt like you were there on the ice with the men.

This book was exactly what I wanted and it arrived in great shape. The service was excellent; thank you!

This book is a treasure. It's hands down the best retelling of a survivor tale that I've read. The author just tells the story in such a simple and yet compelling way. The details that are included are incredible. And the story is totally miraculous. I recommend this book to anyone who likes history or tales of courage/adventure. I was blown away by Shackletons (and his men's) accomplishment in the face of what was should have been sure death.

There's not much to add to the almost 400 reviews preceding-other than another five stars.

Working almost exclusively with a palette of black, white, gray and blue, Lansing manages to craft a vivid account of the Imperial Trans Antarctic Expedition of 1914. As others have mentioned, this story, as interpreted by Lansing, is so engrossing you won't want to put the book down. (Even after a second or third time!) It's also an interesting perspective on leadership under the most dismal conditions that can be imagined.

A tidbit from one of the one star reviews that deserves mention: there was more than one publisher for the paperback versions of this book; Carroll & Graf, and Tyndale. As I understand, the Carroll & Graf edition contains the familiar secular foreword followed by Lansing's original text. The Tyndale edition has a Christian themed foreword from James C. Dobson, followed by Lansing's text edited for a Christian audience. IF this bothers you, make sure you're getting the Carroll & Graf version! (Thanks, Joel Abrams, for that information.)

Utterly astonishing book, that builds and builds, leaving the reader in near disbelief at the display of sheer will-power, persistence---and yes, endurance--of all these heroic survivors. After reading this, I went and read the several negative reviews here, and while at first I was puzzled and of a polar-opposite (pun intended) opinion, I quickly came to see how worthless said reviews are, when considering the sources, with their concomitant, atrocious grammar and spelling. One can only conclude that such reviewers, being more familiar with the "airport fiction" genre, are persons unfamiliar with the reading of history, true-life narratives, or maybe even of reading itself. Seriously, even a fictionalized account could hardly have been more gripping, especially toward the mid-point of the book and onward. The fact that this was real makes the book all the more fascinating and riveting.
Indeed, the book does not begin by suddenly plunging the reader into break-neck-pace action. Rather, there is a deliciously slow build-up---the descriptions of the preparations made for the journey ahead, and of the men and their individual temperament and personalities----which became more fleshed-out as their individual contributions toward survival was told. Yes, the first 1/3 of the book is low on pure action and adventure, since basically the men are merely camping (on an ice flow probably the size of a city), and the book narrates day-to-day life on the flow. But this is indispensable in fleshing-out the personalities of the characters, and in bonding the reader to these men; we truly care about them, as things get dangerously more dicey as the books proceeds.
Once the ice flow breaks-up, and the men take to the boats, there is no end to the excitement and exhilaration in reading this book. The reader will be amazed at how, right to the very end, fate seems to erect constant, seemingly insurmountable, barriers and impediments to their ingenious and courageous efforts at self-preservation.
One small criticism of the book: I wish there was a follow-up, prologue chapter, describing what happened to the men following their rescue---maybe a "where they are now" summary.
Again, I can't, for the life of me, understand how someone could give this a poor rating, unless, as I stated, one concludes such reviewers are ignorant and inexperienced practitioners of the reading and historical arts (again, you be the judge, after noting their misspellings and grammar).
Anyway, I will probably get this in hardcover, if available, as it is a worthy addition to my permanent library collection. And I will likely seek out more books and information on the subject.

This is not a book I would typically choose but a friend recommended it as "the best book I've ever read" and so trying to determine what would constitute this recommendation, I read it. It is the true tale of a group of men trying to explore the antartic in 1916. How their ship gets trapped in the ice and how they manage to survive until they are rescued or I should say, how they rescue themselves. This is really a gripping story that I would recommend as an excelent read.

Alfred Lansing wrote this in 1959, but its popularity has been revived recently when PBS broadcast a documentary on the book. It tells the story of how Ernest Shackleton led a crew of 27 on an exploratory expedition to the South Pole in 1914. It reminds me of Roosevelt exploring the River of Doubt, a book I reviewed at hungerisgood.blogspot.com.

My recommendation is that you read this book in the summer, outside in a hammock, drinking lemonade, with the warm breeze blowing your hair. After all, Shackleton and his men are experiencing extreme, bitter cold, and this book has the capacity to make you feel cold even on a hot day. However, if you want to get the full experience, go to a walk-in cooler at someplace like Costco, and read it in short sleeves.

You won't be able to put this book down, so don't start it until you are sure you won't compromise your work or family obligations. I suggest you wait until you get influenza, or perhaps take a trip to Mexico. Whatever you do, don't read it while you have influenza in Mexico. That would be a little over the top.

My favorite part was their encounter with a rogue wave. The worst part was so bad that I can't discuss it. The best news is that Shackleton brought all his men home alive.

This book is an excellent study of leadership. Shackleton had an uncanny ability to know the strengths and weaknesses of his men. He was able to control the troublemakers, and that is no small feat when you are crowded in total darkness for months at a time in the bottom of a wooden ship. Remember, they hadn't invented antiperspirants yet.

Read and enjoy!

if you like "call of the wild', 'to start a fire', or 'into thin air' this is right up your alley. the descriptions of this harrowing journey into the arctic are vivid. i'm so glad someone survived to tell this incredible true story!

In August 1914, Ernest Shackleton and a crew of twenty-seven set sail from England to Antarctica, their goal to cross the last uncharted continent on foot. These guys didn't have any kind of luck but bad. First their ship gets stuck in the ice for ten months, then the ship is crushed in the ice, and then they float on the ice for another five months before taking to the small boats. And that's just the beginning. Given up for lost, it would be 20 months before the rest of the world knew they had survived, against every imaginable force the sea could throw at them. Whenever you think you can't do whatever it is that you must, read Endurance by Alfred Lansing.

An excellent adventure story where no one dies or gets killed.
A real "page turner".

People bandy about the word "classic" without considering its significance, but this all-time bestseller will remain in print many more years. It's a true classic, ranking among the top adventure books. Nowhere will you find a more gripping account than Endurance, the survival story of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton and his crew of 27 men, in 1915. This cliff-hanger of a book stays with you. Could it be that today's leaders pale beside the likes of Shackleton?

Shackleton is always calm. He is resourceful and undaunted. He is not always right, many times he is just absolutely wrong. But his courage is simply breathtaking.

You must know many British famous sentences as those: "I am going out and will be for some time" or "Dr Livingstone, I presume".

Shackleton probably did not utter so famous remark. But still his above-the-all-odds behaviour makes him one of the greatest British heroes. And the mankind's. Read the story you will never forget. Read and think, how you could possibly behave in those utmost terrifying circumstances.

(I am Polish so my English is poor. Please forgive me).

This is an amazing story of leadership, and man's ability to persevere under extraordinary circumstances. It is really unbelievable. I was staggered by the odds these men overcame and their determination to press on. The book is well written and easy to read.

This is a great book that will make you feel as though any hardship you have ever encountered is really not so bad when you think about what these men endured. Imagine being cold, wet, hungry, tired for basically 2 years while in the back of your mind you know that the chances of ever seeing the civilized world is remote at best. These men handled it well. Very good historical account written based on interviews, historical accounts, and actual diaries of the men on the journey.

I am working my way through the top 100 Adventure Books of all time. This one is, so far, the best. It is the concatenation of several adventure books, since almost every type of mishap and obstacle is encountered. Shackleton must go down as a true hero, as well as his crew. The version of the book with the glossies in the middle was captivating... I spent a good bit of time staring at the remarkable pictures. The story of how those film plates survived this oddysey is, in itself, remarkable.

A good adventure would be ruined by poor writing. Lansing is superb and does credit to this story.

This story could never be made into the movie because it would be considered too "far-fetched" to be believable. Note that there is a documentary DVD that (in a nutshell) describes some of the story, as well as lets you see an interesting reunion of the Endurance crew's children. Try to get this video right after you read the book.

This true story of Ernest Shackleton's journey to the Antarctic in 1915 is a great preview to a trip to the White Continent. This adventure story will make you thankful for what you have.

Excellent book, technical, and lots of good visuals. The book would be good to use with upper middle school and high school social studies classes accompanying with the film.

Excellent book, technical, and lots of good visuals. The book would be good to use with upper middle school and high school social studies classes accompanying with the film.

True story of a premiere adventurer to the White Continent. Good preview to Antarctic travel.

True story of a premiere adventurer to the White Continent. Good preview to Antarctic travel.

Normally, a true account of an antarctic expedition in 1915 would not be at the top of my reading list, but I was intrigued after hearing a friend discussing Ernest Shackleton one night.

I found this to be an extremely interesting and well written account of a group of British explorers lead by Shackleton. The hardships that they face and the way they keep going is unbelievable. You will keep asking yourself if this story could possibly by true! All I could think while reading this book was that I will never complain about anything again!

If you want an exciting, well written book that reads almost like a novel, and will most likely stay with you for life, then check this one out. Even if you are not a huge fan of adventure, I think you will find a lot to like about this book.

the adventure stories to end all adventure stories. If you like adventure, travel stories then this is the # 1 book of all.

Can you imagine the feeling that Shackleton and the men had when they sighted him and he counted all 22 men alive.

I didn't receive the Item yet. once I receive it I will give my review. I'm expecting to recieve the Item by January 23rd.

This is the older edition, and it's much cheaper, (around $2), but it's no different than the newer versions, besides the cover design.

It's a great book, very entertaining. It takes a while to get into it, but it's an amazing story of survival over nature, prevailing against the odds, and excellend leadership.

The "Odyssey" of our time.

Highly reccomended.

The first half of the book is very interesting and well written. THe second half is thrilling through and through. It seems to have been written more for men; there are some politically incorrect and crude but realistic descriptions, really only a handful. The writing is excellent! Two thumbs up!

In Albanov's epic "In the Land of White Death" the root cause of disaster is also less-than-brilliant planning, although Shackleton seems to have had more foresight than Albanov's captain. The disasters are indeed somewhat parallel. Both ships became imprisoned in ice...

The 1914 story of the Endurance passing through the Antarctica and their long period of time standed on an ice burg. With out readig this book i would have never knew how Shackelton and his crew ever got around the Continent and stayed alive.

Author of
TThe Truth
About Cafffeine

When the Endurance steamed south into the splitting ice pack of the Weddel Sea in the summer of 1914, she carried aboard the renowned British explorer Earnest Shackleton. The Endurance was specially designed and massively constructed by one of the world's finest shipyards, staffed with scientists and qualified volunteers and outfitted with meticulously tested equipment. Shackleton himself was an experienced polar veteran who had once come within a day's march of being the first to reach the south pole. But in spite of careful planning, the Endurance was doomed, and this expedition would be Shackleton's last Antarctic voyage. Unexpected cold weather froze the ship solidly into the ice, and 7 months later, the mounting pressure of millions of tons of ice crushed the three-foot wooden hull. The Endurance sank into the black water, and left the 30 exhausted men marooned on the treacherous melting ice flows of the storm-churned antarctic sea. For six months the poorly-equipped castaways would struggle under inconceivable hardship until the drifting ice broke up enough for Shackleton to lead his expedition in three open lifeboats through freezing open water to a lifeless bit of rock called Elephant Island. With 5 companions aboard the remaining battered lifeboat, Shackleton left his crew and stuck out across the open ocean in a desperate attempt to reach a remote whaling station to obtain help. His faithful men would remain behind to weather the winter storms sleeping under the upended wreckage of a lifeboat -- their lives dangling by the frail promise that he would someday return. Alfred Lancing is an experienced journalist whose detailed research combines with direct and perfectly-paced prose and a handful of the expedition's original photographs. It is a tale of leadership, unflagging courage, and determination in the face of impossible odds. But maybe the real definition of heroism is to be undaunted by the impossible. After sixteen days covering 900 miles of water in an amazing feat of open boat navigation, Shackleton struck land at South Georgia Island -- and after a three-day sleepless march over the 10,000 foot mountains in the huge island's interior, Shackleton and his remaining companions finally stumbled into a remote whaling outpost. And 450 days after being shipwrecked, after 5 attempts in three different ships, Shackleton managed to return to Elephant island to rescue his 22 remaining crew members in a tugboat borrowed from the Chilean government -- finally delivering all 29 of his men without the loss of a single life -- and making Endurance one of the most inspiring stories of human survival every written.

--Auralgo

The author has clearly been rigorous in piecing together diary extracts and interview notes to put together this account of an adventure, or perhaps ordeal, which required of its survivors a degree of courage, composure and determination that cannot fail to humble yet uplift and inspire the reader. The style of narrative is rather matter-of-fact, rather than dramatic, and its coverage is limited to the expedition itself without dwelling much on the lives of the key players before or after.

This book should be a required read for all high school students. What an incredible bit of history, and a story of what it means to endure with strength and determination. A historical triumph, and a fabulous read!

Marina Kushner
Author
The Truth About Caffeine: How Companies That Promote It Deceive Us and What We Can Do about It

Alfred Lansing's book, Endurance, dramatically details the 1914 expedition to the Antarctic led by Sir Ernest Shackleton. Although a non-fiction book, Lansing manages to make it read like a thriller, adventure. He wrote his story using first person accounts, interviews of survivors, journal entries, etc. While sometimes history can be a bit dry, this novel truly makes you feel a part of the adventure and reads very quickly. Ernest Shackleton's leadership abilities ensure not only the survival of the crew, but demonstrate his character as a man. Crew and officers were treated alike and shared in the duties of survival. Order was maintained and his personality and command of the situation enabled the group to survive what could have been a disaster.

Fact is definitely more interesting than fiction. When you consider the intense physical and emotional hardship that the Endurance crew suffered, it is beyond amazing. And, when you stop to think that almost everyone survived, the story becomes almost unbelievable. But the story is true and we get all of the details thanks to the diaries of the crew, the photos taken by ship photographer Hurley, and the excellent writing of Alfred Lansing.

This is definitely a book for everyone regardless of your literary interests.

Incredible book. The fact that the author interviewed most of the participants in this adventure for his book gives you the real feeling of being there, unlike many history adventure books that are based on conjecture. A truly amazing tale in a strange and wonderful place.

I read this book before going to Antarctica and Shackleton is my hero. Few like him before or since. In modern times, people have been known to go mad while wintering over in the 24-hour darkness of an Antarctic winter. Shackleton's entire crew survived TWO Antarctic winters after the loss of their ship.
The entire story is one jaw-dropping, incredible episode after another, finishing with a mountaineering achievement as stupendous as it was unexpected.
I have seen the boat, the James Caird, that carried Shackleton and the astounding Frank Worsley (see "Shackleton's Captain" by John Thomson) and six others on the final voyage from Elephant Island to South Georgia. It's hardly bigger and looks no stronger than a rowboat you might take out on a quiet lake.(It was on display at the American Museum of Natural History as part of a Shackleton Exhibiut in 1999.)
For a heart-thumping adventure that leaves you in awe of what at least some men were capable of in terms of courage, resolve, and yes, Endurance, you need look no further.

No doubt the voyage was INCREDIBLE, however the author lacked so much discription and ACTION in the writing, that I have not been able to finish the book. BORING!!! As a matter of fact, 1/3 of the way I cannot make myself pick up the book.

What a disappointment considering the expedition being such an experience of overcoming odds.

This book is about Shackleton and his incredible voyage to Antarctica. In the beginning he gets all of his crew and his supplies then he was off to his voyage. On December 11, 19i4 they entered the ice, 6 days after they left. After about 2 months the ice started to get thicker and it got harder for the endurance to break the ice. On January 19, 1915 they spot land, then about 2 weeks later they lost spot of land. Then on October 27, 1915 endurance got abandoned and then crushed, after on November 21first endurance sinks. Then Shackleton has to take his crew to safety so he leaves most of his men at Elephant Island then to 5 men and him on a lifeboat to get men to help. They got safety and got help. Then took 4 tries to get to all the men to safety.

The sentence structure is long and use's a lot of comas and quotes. The word choice in this book is pretty big and extreme. This book is very descriptive and explains every little detail.

I found this book to be very active and every entertaining. I also found this book to be very sad and emotional because they had to kill the dogs they had for food to live. I also found this book to be very true to life that was happening in the old days back then. What I would like to change in this book is ending because it never told what happen to the crew after they were all saved. What would say about this book for an ending I would tell what happened to the crew and Shackleton. This is why I liked this book. This book is for about the age of 10 and up.

For anyone unfamiliar, the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew is one of the greatest true tales of desperation, determination, and tenacity of the 20th century. The author does a yeomans job of distilling stacks of diary entries and hours of interviews into a thrilling volume about the ill fated but ultimately successful voyage to Antarctica.

A historical account about the 1914 Antarctic expedition explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew, who hoped to be the first to cross the Antarctic continent overland. The ship is damaged and everyone is forced to abandon it and survive in the cold wilderness surrounding them. Shackleton manages to ensure the survival of everyone aboard for ten months before rescue. The day-to-day details are available thanks to Lansing's research, but its not boring at all, even if you aren't a history buff! How to lead in a crisis - and the power of determination and the human spirit. Some versions do not have photographs, which really do add to the story if you can find one that includes them.

Undeniably one of the most amazing stories in human history. Lansing's writing truly brings it to life. Leave yourself a good eight hours, because this one is hard to put down. Be warned, the story is not for the weak at heart.

Without a doubt Lansing's book chronicles the top adventure of all time! Rarely, if ever, in the history of survivability have so few men battled so many challenges. A classic Londonian "man vs. nature" theme immediately thrusts the reader into the heart of this quest. The technological advances enjoyed by modern action/adventure "extreme" explorers always seem to fall short of Shackleton's journey given his resources at the time. A true test of personal perseverance--the adventurers simultaneously endure being wet, cold, hungry, and abandoned without hope of rescue in a barren, desolate area of the world. There are so many things to like about this adventure, particularly noteworthy, however, is Shackleton's reliance on his leadership ability not only to motivate but also select the right people at the right time to do the right task. Some may view the whole quest as foolhardy to begin with and therefore dismiss it with a wave of the hand, but remember this--the truest test of a man's spirit may indeed be his ability climb out of a situation spiraling out of control while all the while maintaining steadfast integrity. In my view--> The Top Adventure of All Time--5 Stars!

The first I had ever heard of Sir Ernest Shackleton was on a PBS special a few years ago. The special dealt with the Endurance voyage and prompted me to find out more.

What an adventure! What a story! What a book! Lansing's book reads like a suspense novel -- a page turner of high quality. His reliance upon the personal journals of the men provide such a wonderful flavor to a story that is, in its own right, nothing short of unbelievable. He pays attention to detail, but just enough to keep the pace of the story just right. He provides concentrated character portraits that enhance the story rather than tax the reader's attention.

This is an adventure of the first degree -- survival against all odds, human endurance on a level never before seen. It is hard to believe that this actually happened. It is equally interesting that this voyage comes at a time when a romantic age of daring and adventure was giving way to the madness of the First World War. A handful of men proved that leadership, sacrifice, diligence and will can overcome incredible circumstances. If only their leaders, a world away, could have learned from their experiences.

I can not believe that this is a true story! It is unbelievable!
Very interesting!

Lansing's use of the diaries of the men as his primary source, along with interviews of survivors of the expedition, results in a detailed yet vivid and eminently readable account of this most fascinating survival story. You are able to gain an understanding of all of the men and how they came to be chosen so intuitively by Shackleton, using his unerring sense of not only their particular skills, but also how they would all work together as a team. Lansing also gives you a good sense of their interrelationships as the hardships mounted, along with a real feel for the sheer length and depth of their struggle to survive. You are drawn into the day-to-day struggles the expedition faced and the truly heroic nature of the effort put forth by all - particularly Shackleton. In Lansing's hands, you are able relive the sheer terror and utter exhaustion and deprivation the men faced - especially in what is perhaps the most unbelievable part of the entire adventure: The voyage in a small boat by Shackleton and a few of the men the hundreds of miles from Elephant Island - through the hellish Drake Passage, no less - to South Georgia. He also gives just the right amount of detail regarding the many, many months the men spent on the pack ice, then on Elephant Island while Shackleton made his way to South Georgia and back, and the means they all used to stay alive and relatively sane in situations that would, let's face it, send most modern-day men crying to mama and reaching for the nearest gun to blow their brains out. Also, his recounting of Shackleton's astounding mountaineering feat in his crossing of South Georgia to the whaling station was given its proper due - truly an incredible accomplishment in its own right.

Lansing's wonderful account really gives you the full flavor of the incredible hardships and sheer terror faced by Shackleton and his men. This is the best true-adventure novel I have ever read. Outstanding!