Customer Reviews

Antarctic Destinies: Scott, Shackleton, and the Changing Face of Heroism

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Meant for both Heroic Age of Polar Exploration novices and experts, Antarctic Destinies ultimately proves rather disappointing for both. The author did an outstanding job of reading and collecting popular literature about her subject, however, there is too much basic background on Robert Scott and Ernest Shackleton for those who are polar afficionados, and too much detail about how these men were viewed in their day and ours for the reader who is unfamiliar with the countless books written on Scott and Shackleton.

For the fan of polar exploration, it is interesting to read about the rise and fall of Scott, and the fall and rise of Shackleton. However, the author makes promises she does not keep. Throughout the book, there are hints that she will discuss why Shackleton's reputation as an almost superhuman leader of men in tight situations is overblown. The author, however, does not get around to disputing Shackleton's reputation until the Epilogue, and then only mentions briefly the diaries of two of Shackleton's men, James Wordie and Leonard Hussey. She does discuss very briefly the Ross Sea Party fiasco, but Shackleton was not directly involved in leading those men. Instead, she drops comments like "It does not matter that much of this is hyperbole (praise from a modern British writer about Shackleton)at best and utter falsehood at worst; what matters is that Moore, like her readers, believes that it is true, because that is the Shacklton she imagines, and wants to imagine." There is then no discussion about what makes it either hyperbole or why the writer is lying.

Two final notes: there are a few typographical errors with words either left out or misused, and it would have been nice to have a bibliography of the many works the author read in preparation. Instead, the reader is left to comb the very copious notes.

An authoritative and well researched review. The author has used her literary skills with inteligence and there is evidence of a degree of passion for her subject. I have enjoyed the book immensely.
I don't consider this a book for the novice. One needs a reasonable understanding of Antarctic exploration and history to appreciate the finer points encountered.
There is a bias towards Scott in her comparisons, but the author makes her position clear from the outset;in fact her reason for writing the account.
I am full of admiration for her exhaustive research on the achievements of the two explorers and their life and times. I have found the account a wonderful addition to my Antarctic Library and it is already being used as a source of reference to other work.
There some factual errors in the text and in one photo along with some typographical errors, which are disappointing in such an authoritative review, but do not detract from the substance of the theme.
I have pleasure in recommending this work. I believe all 'Antarcticans' would enjoy this account which offers a catalyst to 'polarise' ones views on the destinies of these two explorers.

As someone who tries to read everything published about the heroic age of Antarctic exploration I awaited this book with anticipation. What I expected to read from the description, introduction and other opening words was a book looking at the rise and fall of Scott & Shackleton and providing an insight into the attitudes of the time they were from with regard ot heroism and reputation. I was very disappointed. The book has two main sections. First, a biased and poor re-telling of some aspects of both of their explorations, with contradictions, and also what appeared to be deliberate omissions and partial statements to support just one point of view. The second section, while extensively researched, appeared to be written to continue to support the same bias. So the material and quotations were very selective, significant sources and other author's comments and arguments were overlooked or omitted. Unlike the books promise, I did not walk away with either an understanding of the real reasons and nature of their public persona and reputation, nor any further understanding of the attitudes of their times that drove these perceptions. This is not a book I would recommend.

I have always been intrigued by polar exploration, both north and south, and have read many books on the subject. This one isn't so much a telling of the exploration stories of Scott and Shakleton as it is a look into their changing hero status.

To be fair, there is a straight forrard recitation of their respective expeditions, but that is really only a short part of the book. For the most part, the author gives the reader an almost decade by decade account of the rise and fall of the status of the two men. She resists trying to compare their successes and failures, although to be fair she tends to fault Scott a bit more than Shakleton. That seems to be the consensus of most of the writers concerned with these two men, so I have no quarrel with that.

I do find somewhat annoying the attempt to use a modern psychological attempt at evaluating the character and actions of these two men. It seems that their status should be judged by the mores of their own time, and not the particular differences in approach of ours. Both were brave men who did things the ordinary people would not attempt, or be interested in attempting, and their respective success or failure should rest on how they were perceived by their contemporaries. After all, they were a product of their time. All in all, though, I did enjoy reading this book.

I've read about all there is to read about Antarctic's exploration history. Don't buy this book if it's the first book you'll read about Antarctic explorations. This book is about the treatment Scott and Shackelton got from the medias ever since their glory days. There are some factual errors those familiar with Polar exploration will notice.

The author analyses the Heroe/Demi-God treatment Scott got from his failure at the Pole until the Roland Huntford attack in "Scott and Amundsen", and goes on to explain the indifferent reaction Sir Ernest got from his return from South Georgia Island to his glorification days of the 1990's.

Some aspects are shocking to learn, such as people mocking Titus Oates in comedy. However the author takes too much pages about things that are of no interest, such as how a particular play was written and so on.

The book is interesting, but only to a certain extend.
Be warn.

ANTARCTIC DESTINIES: SCOTT, SHACKLETON AND THE CHANGING FACE OF HEROISM follows the changing reputations and historical discovers of three early explorers of the Antarctic and their entwined lives and objectives. The idea of the heroic explorer and their special challenges comes to life in chapters that reveal their changing images, their lives, and how and why their reputations have changed in the literature. Any general-interest library strong in exploration history and Antarctic history in general will find this invaluable.