Shackleton

The Biography

De: Sir Ranulph Fiennes

Narrado por: Jonathan Keeble

An enthralling new biography of Ernest Shackleton by the world's greatest living explorer, Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

To write about hell, it helps if you have been there.

In 1915, Sir Ernest Shackleton's attempt to traverse the Antarctic was cut short when his ship, Endurance, became trapped in ice.

The disaster left Shackleton and his men alone at the frozen South Pole, fighting for their lives. Their survival and escape is the most famous adventure in history.

Shackleton is a captivating new account of the adventurer, his life, and his incredible leadership under the most extreme of circumstances. Written by polar adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, who followed in Shackleton's footsteps, he brings his own unique insights to bear on these infamous expeditions. Shackleton is both reappraisal and a valediction, separating Shackleton from the myth he has become.

©2021 by Ranulph Fiennes (P)2021 by Penguin Audio

Fiennes Keeps it Interesting

This book on Shackleton is well written and engrossing. Sir Fiennes, the narrator, does a wonderful job of making the book even more compelling. This is a thorough accounting of Shackleton that I highly recommend.

An Armchair Quarterbacks View?

I don't review hardly any books that I read, however, I have strong opinions about this writing. The information he writes about E. M Shackleton is interesting and brings his persona more into view than just reading Shackletons own writings (South), although he did have a ghostwriter write (South) . He appears to put himself above Shackleton and other explorers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The reason he does this is unknown and just wrong. Shackleton explored parts of this globe that were completely unknown and without the aid of air and satellite reconniscience. Neither did he have the modern materials that make up sleeping bags, tents, clothes, shoes, and other materials that are much more protecting and aide in survival and comfort. Nor, did these explorers have the modern navigational equipment that he had available. His constant use of the word (however) throughout the book is very annoying. I understand that he is trying to show to the reader the constant problems that Shackleton faced. When I read South about his expedition, I was amazed at the amount of problems he had face and they were seemingly endless. He did save himself and everyone of his party. Lastly, the way he interjects some of experiences into those of E. M. Shackleton is pompous, arrogant, and disdainful. I cannot imagine Sir Ranulph doing better than the earlier explorers. I really have no desires to read about his exploits or successes now as the times in which Sir Ranulph accomplished his feets, and they are wonderful and story worthy, but not at the price of belittling and exalting himself above others when it cannot be measured with the same yardstick.

Fantastic Book!

I read the book about Shackleton and endurance several times, and this I think was just as good. I just really enjoyed this.

Great story about an overrated man

Polar Exploration served mostly the purpose of boosting the explorers’ ego. Shackleton is case in point. Incompetence and vanity drove him to extremes and cost people lives and money. Lesson to be learnt from this book is not to trust people like that.

Excellent adventure!

This biography sheds a lot of light and provides context for the incredible life story of Shackleton.