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Comment by phkahler | Hacker News Reader

Spoiler Alert. If you haven't read "Endurance" the article gives away a critical piece of info - which crew members didn't make it. Read the book first, it is the greatest survival story ever told. Not just because it's true. It's just that incredible.

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I haven’t read Endurance (it’s on the list!) but was deeply impressed by this quote from a fellow explorer:

“For scientific discovery, give me Scott; for speed and efficiency of travel, give me Amundsen; but when you are in a hopeless situation, when you are seeing no way out, get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton.”

Sir Raymond Priestley

What a leader must Shackleton have been!

This book changed my life. I listened to the audiobook while I was doing some heavy yard work for a couple weeks in my backyard. There were times when I was 8-hours in and muscles I didn't know I had in my hands, back, and feet were aching and hurting unlike anything I've felt before. The streaks of clean skin formed by the sweat beading and trickling down my face had tried and slowly returned to the dusty grit from which it was carved. It was in these times I felt I was strong, I felt I was pushing my limits, I felt like I had conquered the earth.

Then the passages of the book flooded my mind's eye with images of their struggle, conquest, and perseverance. Their endurance.

It put my efforts into perspective.

The voyage of the James Caird must count as one of the most incredible feats of seamanship in history - 1300km across ferocious seas in a small boat with an absolute need to hit South Georgia...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyage_of_the_James_Caird

I listened to Endurance by Alfred Lansing while winter hiking the southern 1000 miles of the AT. Several days and nights below freezing didn't seem so bad any more!

They had unimaginable grit and determination. Truly a remarkable tale.

I felt their vigor warm my bones, add strength to my legs. These are true stories of what is possible on the ragged edge of human survival. What can be overcome by sheer will. Our species has depths beyond our current understanding.

We can endure.

It feels odd to refer to an actual historical event as a "spoiler"

I think one of the (many!) remarkable things about the book is that it is impossible to put down after simply reading the first page, a mere three paragraphs. Lansing was a masterful writer, for sure.

Agreed. I'm not much of a reader but the flash forward to the destruction of the ship opened up so many questions going forward and back... how did this come about? Who are these people? What happened next? How do we even know these details? I couldn't stop. And the writing really conveys the events and the mood of the crew.

I can confirm. I didn't know the story and I picked up that book randomly in a book store a couple years ago. I loved it.

It's available as a free ebook at Standard Ebooks: https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/ernest-shackleton/south

(The name of the book is South!, the subtitle is "The Endurance Expedition.")

The Lansing book is at https://bookshop.org/p/books/endurance/7205642 or https://tertulia.com/book/9780465062881 or https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=Lansing&tn... and information about this 1959 book (by a journalist) is at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endurance:_Shackleton%27s_Incr...

Which "Endurance" are you referring to? Sounds awesome, just not sure which one to read:

- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/494503.South

- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/537375.The_Endurance

- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/139069.Endurance

The first one. The one by Shackleton himself.

FWIW most people mean the Lansing book when referencing Endurance (the book).

The one called South, not Endurance?

I regret asking, I'm even more confused now after having read all these responses.

The third one is also very good! It’s the first book I would think of if you asked me about Endurance.

The audio book narrated version by Simon Prebble is outstanding.

Shackleton's Boat Journey by Worsley (the captain) is the way to go.

I find myself rereading the details of the expedition every few months, just trying to come to terms with how they actually did it. I know exactly what they did. I just have no idea how they did it.

Was Endurance good? I didn't read that one but I did read South. I really enjoyed the first part but became less interested when after the main expedition's story was over there was still a quarter or so of the book left talking about going around and picking up the guys from the other side, which felt a bit anticlimactic after what had already happened.

I read it years ago and it's incredible. Ever since I devour any little tidbit of news about his adventures. This documentary is a must see for me. Can't wait.

I’m sure that book is good too, but I’d personally recommend reading the story from the man himself in his book called “South”.

It is insane what they survived. For me "The Worst Journey in the World" was a better read.

Ebook link: https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/apsley-cherry-garrard/the-...

All the crew members of the Endurance survived the expedition - not sure about the "didn't make it" comment, or to which part of the article you are referring.

I believe they are referring to the fact that the article states that every crew member survived. As in, none of them didn't make it.

He did one better - Shackleton returned to England with more crewmembers than he departed with.

If you don't count the dogs.

And Mrs Chippy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs_Chippy

The human crew members made it.

+1, there are definitely some sad parts to this story.

I'm pretty sure they were trying to avoid that exact spoiler by hiding the fact they were talking about the null set.

Spoiler alert: do not read parent comment.

Apologies - feeling quite dim now.

Ah, but where were the survivors buried?

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