Review of Endurance By Alfred Lansing
June 1, 2021
Endurance tells a tale so fascinating that it is hard to believe it actually happened. Shackleton and his men were supposed to cross the Antarctic continent in 1914 before their ship got stuck in the ice and was crushed by the resulting pressure. The already extraordinary story is enhanced with suspense and character development that makes the reader root for some (but maybe not all) of the crew.
My favorite part of the book is the description of the journey Shackleton and a few of his men took to the nearest whaling station in order to rescue the rest of the crew. The journey was filled with treacherous conditions on both sea and land. The excitement that builds in these chapters is engaging even if the reader knows how the tale ends. It is truly remarkable to think that Shackleton navigated the Drake Passage in a tiny sailboat without enough food and water and after traveling for months in the Antarctic.
The journey that Shackleton planned was not completed for another four decades. The party that ended up carrying it out successfully used tractors and other modern technology that Shackleton did not have access to. The second successful expedition of its kind was not carried out until 1981. This shows how massively ambitious the trip was to begin with and how harsh Antarctic conditions really are.
Overall, Endurance reminded me of how human beings are naturally inclined to explore and discover new environments. It was inspiring to read about how a group of people volunteered to partake in such a journey not for fame and fortune, but simply for the adventure. Reading about the journey made me think about how I can apply such lessons to my own life, and possibly become just a little bit better at exploring the world around me. I would highly recommend Endurance to anyone interested in Antarctica or looking for an interesting expedition story.