Product Description

On New Year's Day 1908, the ship Nimrod set off for the mysterious regions of the Antarctic. The leader of the small expedition was Ernest Shackleton who, in the next year and a quarter would record some of the greatest achievements of his career and would then, together with his companions, return home as a hero. Shackleton and his party battled against extreme cold, hunger, danger and psychological trauma in their attempt to reach the South Pole and to return alive. They climbed the active volcano of Mount Erebus, planted the Union Jack at the previously unattained South Magnetic Pole, and struggled to within 97 miles of the South Geographic Pole. Beau Riffenburgh has written the definitive account of what Shackleton grandly called the British Antarctic Expedition. The story features an extraordinary cast of characters including Scott, Douglas Mawson, who would become one of the greatest Antarctic explorers, and the Antarctic pioneers Nansen and Amundsen. Nimrod is a story of an adventure which was a source of huge pride and fascination to both the leaders and subjects of the British Empire, and a journey almost too incredible even for Shackleton.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #352212 in Books
• Published on: 2005-09-19
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Review
'A masterful balance of true drama and first-rate scholarship. The narrative moves with the speed of a novel, while the author's unerring eye for historical detail captures the essence of polar exploration and explorers and locates Shackleton and his men in the grand scheme of empire' Sir Ranulph Fiennes 'The story of that expedition, little known today, is retold in Nimrod with verve and pace As Riffenburgh makes thrillingly clear, it was an honour both hard won and well deserved' Michael Binyon, The Times 'The remarkable story of Shackleton's greatest achievement has at last been told in Riffenburgh's gripping and superbly researched Nimrod' Max Jones, author of The Last Great Quest: Captain Scott's Antarctic Sacrifice 'Riffenburgh's perceptive book Nimrod blends first-hand accounts with original research and a fast-paced narrative, providing a cracking adventure' Times Literary Supplement

Michael Binyon, The Times
‘The story of the expedition is retold with verve and pace’

Daily Telegraph
‘Gripping … sumptuous’

Customer Reviews

Pretty good when it finally gets going!
This book was much needed, but it doesn’t necessarily fill the gap it was meant to. Shackleton’s 1907-9 expedition was his only successful one, and has largely been overlooked in history.

I did worry when I read a big thank you to Roland Huntford in the opening pages. Huntford has made it his life’s purpose to denigrate Captain Scott and his otherwise excellent biography of Shackleton is partially spoilt by this. However, Riffenburgh seems to have done his own research and doesn’t jump to conclusions.

The title is a little misleading as the first half of the book is essentially a attempt to set the scene which turns into a biography on Shackleton up until 1907. All very well, but I bought the book knowing most of the background and wanted to read about the Nimrod expedition.

Once the book actually gets to its main subject, it is fast paced and exciting, examining closely the progress of the different arms of the expedition, including the achievements made by Mawson’s party in reaching the Magnetic South pole. The most amazing passage was McIntosh’s dangerous trek across Ross Island which gave an indication of his disregard for his own safety that would lead to his death on the Endurance/Aurora expedition in 1914/16.

Shackleton has been lionised at the expense of Scott in recent years, but it is true that he had a fair bit more luck than Scott did over the same route 3 years later. That said, the achievements of this expedition should not be overlooked. Shackleton blazed a trail to the Pole, gave lessons in leadership that are used today, and the expedition led to Mawson’s scientific discoveries in the following years.

This book is pretty good but Riffenburgh could have perhaps included more about its actual subject matter!