Sir James Wordie Polar Crusader: Exploring The Arctic And Antarctic [Hardcover]

Michael Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 30, 2004

Sir James Mann Wordie, born in Glasgow in 1889, was the elder statesman of polar exploration - the link between the heroic Edwardian Age of Shackleton and Scott and the mechanised modern era which opened up Antarctica and the Arctic. The remarkable life of one of Scotland's gratest heroes remains surprisingly little known; although resolute and ambitious (perhaps even scheming), he shunned publicity and popular fame. Wordie's career as both explorer and academic geologist opened with his participation in Shackleton's epic Endurance expedition of 1914-16, where he proved one of the most resilient of those stranded in appalling conditions on Elephant Island. He continued to lead arduous expeditions to the Arctic well into his forties, while building his reputation as an academic and mentor to new generations of explorers and mountaineers. During and after the Second World War he was instrumental in safeguarding British strategic interests in the Antarctic territories, and later rose to be President of the Royal Geographical Society and Master of St John's College, Cambridge. He died in 1962. This is the first full biography of Wordie to be written, and it makes use of a wide variety

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael Smith was a political and business journalist for over thirty years with The Guardian, The Observer and the Evening Standard, and his contributed to numerous TV and radio documentaries. He has written two other books on polar exploration - An Unsung Hero, a biography of the Irish explorer Tom Crean (2001) which has sold over 50,000 copies in hardback and paperback editions, and I am Just Going Outside, a biography of Captain Lawrence Oates (2002). He lives in London.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 371 pages
• Publisher: Birlinn Ltd (November 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841582921
• ISBN-13: 978-1841582924
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,049,980 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.