Antartic Exploration

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BlueSpud

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There are two books I have come accross which cover the Aurora expidition to lay the supplies for the second half of Shackleton's Trans-Antartic expedition. They are "Mawsons Will" and "Shackletons Forgotten Men". Can anyone recommend which one is the best told story, i.e. the best read as distince from which has the most, or more precise detail.

For example, I read Apsley Cherry-Garrard's book and found it very hard going. I like the level of Michael Smiths treatment of Crean, Oats and Crozier.

Can anyone reccomend one of the above books over the other on the Aurora. Thanks.
 
Why not read both and make up your own mind which is the better book?
 
There's an 8-page excerpt from Mawson's Will, and a 6-page excerpt from Shackleton's Forgotten Men, on amazon.com (NOT amazon.co.uk) which might help you make up your mind. The reviews on both sites might help you too - they're not the same reviews.
 
Not strictly to do with Shackleton, but Ranulph Fiennes biography of Captain Scott and his expeditions to Antarctica is an absolutely fascinating read. He does go into some detail on Shackleton also.
 
Apologies if you consider my reply to be offensive, BlueSpud. It was certainly not intended to be so.
 
BillK said:
Apologies if you consider my reply to be offensive, BlueSpud. It was certainly not intended to be so.
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Sorry mate, I thought you were trying to be funny, not offensive. I thought these were two books on the same subject (hence my question), but I now understand that are not.
 
I dont know about thies books but the best read I've had about the Antarctic and I just couldn't leave it down was THE UNSUNG HERO, the book about our own Thom Crane.
 
bskinti said:
I dont know about thies books but the best read I've had about the Antarctic and I just couldn't leave it down was THE UNSUNG HERO, the book about our own Thom Crane.
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That book was written by Michael Smith. He has written books on Captain Laurence Oats (I am going outside, I may be some time) and Francis Crozier (who was second-in-command to John Franklin on the ill-fated Northwest Passage expedition when all 129 souls were lost). Both equally enjoyable.
 
There is a programme on RTE 1 on Thursday night at 10.15 called North East Passage: Across the roof of Russia which might be of interest to people who enjoy this type of book.
 
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