Shackleton's Medical Kit (2012) | Hacker News Reader

Shackleton's Medical Kit (2012)

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Shackleton's ill-fated Trans-Antarctic expedition of 1914 is an amazing story of perseverance and resourcefulness. If you haven't read up on it, I highly recommend Alfred Lansing's Endurance, or Shackleton's own South (which is in the public domain, and can be found as an eBook for free, even on Amazon).

Why there hasn't been a major motion picture about it, I'll never know.

This is one of my favorite non-fiction stories. The BBC movie starring Kenneth Brannaugh isn't bad. There were rumors of a Tom Hardy-led movie a couple years ago, but haven't seen any updates since.

There was in fact a film about it. I watched it twice and enjoyed it both times.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0272839/

This is my favorite audio book. I had a long drive to a friend’s wedding so I picked up an audio book to listen to, Lansing’s Endurance. I recommend it over the hardcover book, which is the way I consume most non-fiction, because of it incredible suspense.

Not knowing who will survive and who will perish and will they be able to persevere under the most extreme circumstances makes the audio presentation one of the most compelling tales of adventure I’ve ever heard. The book is great, but it includes pictures of the ill-fated expedition and so subtlety foretells aspects of the outcome. I recommend listening to it first, then buying the book.

For real life adventure lovers I also recommend Into Thin Air about climbing Everest and the movie, Mountains of the Moon about the explorer/translator Richard Burton [1].

[1] https://www.adventure-journal.com/2016/06/historical-badass-...

Into Thin Air is another one where I'd highly recommend listening to the audiobook, for more-or-less the same reason.

I found when reading the book, it also really helped to have a polar projection map out. It made it easier to follow what was going on.

It's one beef I have with some audiobooks. Sometimes it really helps to have maps or other graphics.

Another book you might appreciate is Stan Nadoldny's "The Discovery of Slowness." It's been a while since i've read it, but I still remember some dazzling language about the arctic landscape and an evocative passage about a sailor gnawing on a human ribcage.

I just finished listening to audiobook yesterday. Really gripping stuff. Amazing what people can endure.

When it came out in 2001 or so, "The Endurance" was considered a major motion picture. Blew my mind anyway.

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_endurance

"Alfred Lansing's Endurance"

Just an incredible book. If you have any interest in survival stories this is an absolute must read.

There is a TV mini series[0]. I was excited to watch it but was quite disappointed. The hardship shown doesn't even come close the actual hardship described in the book Endurance. I almost felt like it was an insult to Shackleton.

[0] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0272839/

Shackletons boat jouney by Frank A Worsley [1] is the single best book I've ever read. If you like reading about Antarctica, adventure, survival etc, I believe it's as good as it gets.

Edit - the author was on the trip next to Shackleton the whole time.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Shackletons-Journey-Frank-Arthur-Wors...

Currently writing a game heavily inspired by this story. Best non fiction read of my life.

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