Antarctic Journals of Reginald Skelton by Reginald William Skelton

My own Pilgrims on the Ice deals with Scott’s first Antarctic expedition and reviewers have been consistent in praising the balanced view of Scott presented in that book. Ranulph Fiennes, Captain Scott, London, 2004, blends his own life as an explorer with that of his predecessor in an enjoyable biography. Regrettably, you should avoid Roland Huntford’s Scott and Amundsen, at least until you have read two other books about Scott. Thatcher, Scott was the penultimate British hero, and Britons in two world wars went to battle with the image of Scott’s sacrifice as part of the propaganda experience. Remember to read about Robert Falcon Scott:įor most of the twentieth century, until the arrival of Mrs.

Mill and Lady Shackleton in connection with the former’s research for his biography of Sir Ernest.

Even after reading Huntford, you will profit from reading Mill.įor a short book, designed to be read in one hour, my own Shackleton of the Antarctic places the whole of the explorer’s life in context while giving a reasonable account of the Endurance expedition.īe on the lookout for a book entitled Rejoice my Heart, which is the correspondence between H. Mill knew Shackleton for more than twenty years by the time he wrote this book and Mill also had the full cooperation of Sir Ernest’s widow. Not to be overlooked is Hugh Robert Mill’s The Life of Sir Ernest Shackleton, published within a year of the explorer’s death. Although I can no longer recommend his Scott and Amundsen because prejudice overcomes brilliance and genuine scholarship in that latter volume, his Shackleton remains the standard text. The best single book is still Roland Huntford’s Shackleton. But Rubin’s book delights even people who have spent a lot of time on the ice.

Usually the more we know about a place, the less satisfied we are with guide books to it. Younger travelers know this series but everyone going to Antarctica should regard this book as essential reading.

Temporarily out of print, easily available on abe.com Rosove does what few others might have attempted and none likely would have achieved-an overview of Antarctica from Captain Cook through the Heroic Era, allowing the explorers themselves to speak to the read. Serious readers who want the most complete listing of Antarctic books will turn to the monumental book, Antarctic Bibliography by Michael Rosove but for the general reader seeking to know something about Antarctica, especially in preparation for a trip to the South, I recommend the following.

Antarctic Journals of Reginald Skelton by Reginald William Skelton