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Rich Gordon

Just as an aside here, the story of Shackleton’s expedition to Antarctica at the onset of WWI is nothing short of awe-inspiring. After reading Caroline Alexander’s book about it, I embarked on a personal research project that went on for several years. Suffice to say that a course on leadership featuring Shackleton was, and maybe still is, on the curriculum of Harvard University. He was a man of such exceptional character and fortitude that it is virtually impossible to think of any public figure alive today who would be his equal.

Raphael

I couldn't have said it better, Raphael. Shackleton was an incredible leader and just an amazing human being according to all that I have read about him and seen in the documentaries featuring his expeditions. For those who are unaware of this incredible man I highly recommend watching the 2002 series "Shackleton: The Greatest Survival Story Of All Time" which reduced me to tears as I watched. I purchased the DVD set after it was released and have watched it many times since then as an inspiration to myself to try to attain the human qualities he had and that I fall far short of. There are several documentaries as well on Shackleton and I have purchased every one I could find. He possessed all of the selfless human traits that all of us can only hope to be gifted with.

Also hard to find is the disc version on HMV 01028 :

FellowCollector wrote: ↑Sun Mar 26, 2023 7:36 am I couldn't have said it better, Raphael. Shackleton was an incredible leader and just an amazing human being according to all that I have read about him and seen in the documentaries featuring his expeditions. For those who are unaware of this incredible man I highly recommend watching the 2002 series "Shackleton: The Greatest Survival Story Of All Time" which reduced me to tears as I watched. I purchased the DVD set after it was released and have watched it many times since then as an inspiration to myself to try to attain the human qualities he had and that I fall far short of. There are several documentaries as well on Shackleton and I have purchased every one I could find. He possessed all of the selfless human traits that all of us can only hope to be gifted with.

Agreed, 100%. I went to an exhibition at the Museum of Natural History in New York City some years back, where they had much of Shackleton's expedition gear on display. They also had an interactive display, inside of a copy of the boat that took him and his small crew from Elephant island to South Georgia Island, and visitors could try to "sight the sun" for navigating purposes. Virtually impossible. Yet he made it all the way, landing in a hurricane, and becoming the first humans to ever to cross the mountains so as to reach the whaling station on the other side.

When the men stranded on Elephant Island were finally rescued, the entire multi-year saga ended without a single loss of life. Unfortunately, some lost their lives when they subsequently had to serve in the Great War.

There are many books written about this man and his leadership abilities. "Shackleton's Way" is one of my favorites. But I defy any person to thumb through "The Endurance" by Caroline Alexander and then not feel compelled to read it from cover to cover. It is an astoundingly personal account that would be unbelievable if not 100% true.

Raphael

I, too, am fascinated by the Shackleton story- The Movie is quite good, but I found two books I really enjoyed.
"Endurance" by Alfred Lansing.. and a "kids" book "Shipwreck At The Bottom Of The World" by Jennifer Armstrong, published by Scholastic, that has lots of pictures from the voyage.

Amazing feat-- when men were men! I would have died the first week!

Brad Abell

Another interesting book is "the Adventures of Miss Chippy". Chippy was the ship's cat, belonging to the carpenter, hence the name Chippy. The book is written in the first person by Chippy, who unfortunately suffered an unfortunate demise when it had to be killed and eaten by the starving crew. It caused a lifelong rift between Shackleton and the carpenter.

Raphael