Mawson: And the Ice Men of the Heroic Age: Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen.

by Peter Fitzsimons | History |
ISBN: 1741666600 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingDavros-10wing of Banyo, Queensland Australia on 1/22/2012
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1 journaler for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingDavros-10wing from Banyo, Queensland Australia on Sunday, January 22, 2012
A fantastic birthday present from KEMS! Thank you sweetheart.

From amazon.com:

"Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2012

The incredible story of Australia's most famous polar explorer and the giants from the heroic age of polar exploration

Douglas Mawson, born in 1882 and knighted in 1914, was Australia's greatest Antarctic explorer. This is the incredible account of an expedition he led on December 2, 1911, from Hobart, to explore the virgin frozen coastline below, 2000 miles of which had never felt the tread of a human foot. After setting up Main Base at Cape Denision and Western Base on Queen Mary Land, he headed east on an extraordinary sledging trek with his companions, Belgrave Ninnis and Dr Xavier Mertz. After five weeks, tragedy struck—Ninnis was swallowed whole by a snow-covered crevasse, and Mawson and Mertz realized it was too dangerous to go on. Dwindling supplies forced them to kill their dogs to feed the other dogs, at first, and then themselves. Hunger, sickness, and despair eventually got the better of Ninnis, and he succumbed to madness and then to death. Mawson found himself all alone, 160 miles from safety, with next to no food. This staggering tale of his survival, against all odds, also masterfully interweaves the stories of the other giants from the heroic age of polar exploration, to bring the jaw-dropping events of this bygone era dazzlingly back to life.

About the Author

Peter FitzSimons is a journalist with the Sun-Herald and the Sydney Morning Herald, and the author of more than 20 books, including How Hemlines Predict the Economy.

Product Details

Hardcover: 738 pages
Publisher: Random House Australia (April 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1741666600
ISBN-13: 978-1741666601
Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.5 x 2.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 1 pound
Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars (1 customer review)"

Journal Entry 2 by wingDavros-10wing at Lutwyche, Queensland Australia on Sunday, July 8, 2012
What can I say? Fantastic read? As a child I was fascinated by the story of Scott and his party - (Douglas Stewart's "Fire On The Snow" for instance, or the film "Scott of the Antractic" starring John Mills were personal favourites. Then as I became older it was the story of Shackleton and the Endurance that became the real story for me. In later years it was Mawson's lone trek after the death of Ninnis and Mertz that was the spirit of Antarctic exploration. Now it is all these combined, partly due to this great book.

You know that quote by Sir Raymond Priestley: "For scientific leadership, give me Scott; for swift and efficient travel, Amundsen; but when you are in a hopeless situation, when there seems to be no way out, get on your knees and pray for Shackleton." Now we need to add another line after Amundsun, "For individual courage and determination to survive, Mawson".

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