Product Description

When Frank Debenham returned from the Antarctic in 1913 he resolved not to publish any reminiscences, but at the urging of many friends he published, in 1952, IN THE ANTARCTIC which deals chiefly with the lighter side of the three years he spent in the Antarctice. Written in his retirement, these delightful tales were Debenham's way of remembering some of the people - explorers, staff, research students - who passed through his tenure as Director of the Scott Polar Institute. The stories are a mixture of fact and fantasy, some are poignant, some are amusing, but all are delightful.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #475515 in Books
• Published on: 1998-10-30
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 160 pages

Customer Reviews

A funny, touching, informative, free-flowing read
This is a book well worth having for anyone with an interest in Antarctic exploration and particularly for anyone interested in Scott's expeditions. Debenham states right at the start that this isn't another retread of the technical aspects of the expedition or the high-drama of its tragic end, but a collection of stories, anecdotes and memories from the lives of those men who spent three years in conditions more isolated than any ever experienced before or since. It's mainly cheerful and enjoyable with an eye for characters and small details, evoking the strange, boy's own world of jokes, friendships, hardships and dangers that they inhabited. It cannot be too highly recommended for anyone interested in the characters of the men on that famous expedition, who are all recalled with honesty and tremendous affection. It also gives the clearest and simplest explainations of things like how their primus cookers worked and how sledges were packed that I've read in any books about this era. A gripping, touching, thoroughly enjoyable read.