Captain Scott

By: Ranulph Fiennes

Narrated by: Ranulph Fiennes

The real story of one of the greatest explorers who ever lived by the man described by the Guinness Book of Records as ‘the world's greatest living explorer’.

Sir Ranulph Fiennes is uniquely qualified to write a new biography of Captain Scott. This is the first biography of Scott by someone who has experienced the deprivations, the stress and the sheer physical pain that Scott lived through. Ranulph Fiennes tells the story of Scott’s life – and discusses how his achievements have been viewed after his death – with empathy and great skill.

©2003 Ranulph Fiennes (P)2003 Hodder & Stoughton

Not what I expected

The story was excellent, factual and well written. But the narration...😒 not captivating at all...

Riveting tale, beautifully narrated by the author!

Would you consider the audio edition of Captain Scott to be better than the print version?

This audio edition is better for a simple reason: Ranulph Fiennes' narration. Definitely a good storyteller.

What other book might you compare Captain Scott to and why?

If you are looking for historical detail, Fiennes' own "Race to the Pole" is better source; but it's 3 times as long. If you're looking for the same high-level details but with a tighter storyline, go with this one.

Which scene was your favorite?

The slow trudge back from the Pole, defeated and starving, is incredibly moving.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Definitely made me sad.

Humanity's last great earthly challenge

If you could sum up Captain Scott in three words, what would they be?

Agonizing Frostbitten Defeat

What was one of the most memorable moments of Captain Scott?

One of the most graphic and intense images I've experienced in a novel was the discovery of Oates' collapsed body. I could feel the non-fiction frostbite burning his non-fiction flesh. Intense.

Which character – as performed by Ranulph Fiennes – was your favorite?

Narrator

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were a couple of moments in the book that moved me - one was when the team had finally reached the pole, only to discover that Amundson had already been there. The other moment was when the team reached their depot only to find it was not well supplied (fuel had leaked).

Any additional comments?

The story was great - a non fictionalized account of the last great earthly expedition. It was well narrated, with the annunciation and precision that only the English could offer, but it did get a bit distracted at the end I felt as though throughout most of the novel that Sir Fiennes was acting in defense of Scott, even though Sir Fiennes declared that this would be a transparent view of the events that had transpired. The mask really came off during his 20 'or so' minute rant at the end of the novel. I felt that was unnecessary. Other than that, I can't imagine a better person to provide insight into a journey of this magnitude. Sir Ranulph Fiennes was very appreciative of the efforts that this journey would have taken. Details of equipment (tents, boots, et al.) were welcomed. The author provided a credible level detail and insight that could be matched by few (if any) others on the planet. Aside, observing Sir Fiennes body of work, I believe him to be the inspiration for the fictional Dos Eqies spokesperson - The World's Most Interesting Man.

Surprisingly dull narration

The story of Captain Scott is both amazing and inspiring although I was disappointed with how boring Ranulph was able to make the epic tale sound.