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That's a very beautiful, though ultimately sad, story. It inspired me to read Endurance which is just an amazing tale. Part of me does wonder if we over valoriz
by neaden 8y ago
That's a very beautiful, though ultimately sad, story. It inspired me to read Endurance which is just an amazing tale. Part of me does wonder if we over valorize these tales of suffering though. Is it worth all the death, injuries, and years separated from families?
- dbcurtis 8y agoYou make a good point. Shackleton’s quirks are diminished in most histories. He could be a bit capricious in decision making. Scott was an utter fool, his reputation propped up after his disastrous expedition by the Admiralty and his widdow. Roland Huntford’s twin biography of Scott and Amundson is a study in contrasts. In Antarctica, there are no preditors and no microbes. The only things that can kill you are bad planning and poor execution. Scott died with his polar party from bad nutrition and poor judgement. Amundson’s polar party got there first, got home again, and gained weight on the trip.