Erebus

One Ship, Two Epic Voyages, and the Greatest Naval Mystery of All Time

By: Michael Palin

Narrated by: Michael Palin

“Beyond terrific. I didn’t want it to end.” (Bill Bryson)

Driven by a passion for travel and history and a love of ships and the sea, former Monty Python stalwart and beloved television globe-trotter Michael Palin explores the world of HMS Erebus, last seen on an ill-fated voyage to chart the Northwest Passage.

Michael Palin brings the fascinating story of the Erebus and its occupants to life, from its construction as a bomb vessel in 1826 through the flagship years of James Clark Ross’s Antarctic expedition and finally to Sir John Franklin’s quest for the holy grail of navigation - a route through the Northwest Passage, where the ship disappeared into the depths of the sea for more than 150 years. It was rediscovered under the arctic waters in 2014.

Palin travels across the world - from Tasmania to the Falkland Islands and the Canadian Arctic - to offer a firsthand account of the terrain and conditions that would have confronted the Erebus and her doomed final crew. Delving into the research, he describes the intertwined careers of the two men who shared the ship’s journeys: Ross, the organizational genius who mapped much of the Antarctic coastline and oversaw some of the earliest scientific experiments to be conducted there; and Franklin, who, at the age of 60 and after a checkered career, commanded the ship on its last disastrous venture. Expertly researched, Erebus is an evocative account of two journeys: one successful and forgotten, the other tragic yet unforgettable.

©2018 Michael Palin (P)2021 Greystone Books

Engrossing story

Wanted to get the real story after reading Dan Simmons book ‘The Terror’. Very glad I found this book, great performance by the author and very well researched.

Fantastic story and well done

It’s hard to stop listening to this one. Michael Palin told a great story. well researched and informative.

The rare double polar story

This is a fascinating piece of history. The tough little ship that went to both poles. It was interesting to be able to compare the differences between exploration of poles with the same ship. As with all good polar exploration retellings - amazing at what these crews were willing able to do with the technology of the time. How the success of these missions were decided by the slightest of factors. This story was also able to clear up some mysterious with recent findings, so it is a pretty complete package.

A must read for any Franklin Expedition buffs.

This book was impossible to stop listening to. Loaded with marvelous information, it is incredibly well-read by the reader.

Gripping Historical Tale

A Gripping Historical Tale

Many adventures that previously had not been much noted are here reviewed and explained. Excellent book about early Arctic exploration.

I recommend this being an accompanying text for the 8 part video "The Terror."

A Sea Tale

Great adventure from a modern day explorer. Not just for fans of Monty Python.

Very engaging!

This book has the whole history of HMS Erebus, from her creation to her later rediscovery. It makes the ship almost a living character, her brave soul revealed. Palin is a cozy narrator, much more low-key than the Python I know.

Fascinating survey of the intrepid polar explorers

Great mix of naval history, contemporary naval archaeology, and the fascinating political and social roots of the exploratory missions of the Arctic and Antarctic zones. It’s also wonderful to discover Palin the polymath!

Grimly fascinating account of arctic exploration in the 19th century

This is not the kind of thing I ordinarily take interest in, but this was just very compelling. It didn’t hurt that Michael Palin is a terrific narrator.

Enthralling tale

Palin made the story come alive with his great narration. I enjoyed his historical research and found the telling of it very interesting.