Endurance

Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

By: Alfred Lansing

Narrated by: Simon Prebble

This is a new reading of the thrilling account of one of the most astonishing feats of exploration and human courage ever recorded.

In August of 1914, the British ship Endurance set sail for the South Atlantic. In October, 1915, still half a continent away from its intended base, the ship was trapped, then crushed in the ice. For five months, Sir Ernest Shackleton and his men, drifting on ice packs, were castaways in one of the most savage regions of the world.

Lansing describes how the men survived a 1,000-mile voyage in an open boat across the stormiest ocean in the world and an overland trek through forbidding glaciers and mountains. The book recounts a harrowing adventure, but ultimately it is the nobility of these men and their indefatigable will that shines through.

©1959 Alfred Lansing (P)2007 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Simon Prebble gives each [of the crew] a unique voice, from Cockney to Scot. He ambles engagingly through the calmer moments of the narrative and grabs the listener by the lapels when the going gets rough…Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”

“Riveting.”

“Grit in the face of seemingly insurmountable adversity.”

“Endurance is one of the most gripping, suspenseful, intense stories anyone will ever read.”

“Without doubt a classic, rousing tale of the heroic age of exploration.”

“This painstakingly written authentic adventure story will rank as one of the classic tales of the heroic age of exploration.”

gripping freezing penguin eating tale

fantastic story...and true. Maybe the best casting of voice and story I've listened after several hundred books..at the top of my list

Endurance

Enjoyable audiobook to listen to. Thank you audible for making it free that particular day.

True Survival

"Endurance" is a true survival story about Shackleton and his crew being shipwreck by a iceberg and being lost in the sea for almost two years. This is one of the best stories that I've heard because it really happened. Just imagine being on a broken ship without a radio and just floating with the current for months.

The crew was totally lost in the ocean. It was like the blind leading the blind. Their only hope was their captain trying to navigate without any direction in 1914. It's a remarkable story that you cannot forget. I'm really glad this was a true story and they all got rescued at the end.

If it was a fictional tale by an author, typing away behind a desk, the reviews for this book would been very different. What truly amazing is the diaries from all of the crew for the author to write this book.

I now understand the punchlines of Shackleton jokes.

Well-Titled . . .

You wouldn't believe it if it were fiction . . . just when you think "ok, it can't get worse than that . . ." wait ten pages . . . and I thought that probably a dozen times.

I wasn't terribly interested in the topic but picked it up due to the exceptional reviews. I'm glad I did. I very worthwhile credit even for someone with only casual interest. Superb non-fiction writing . . . I'm kind of surprised it didn't win a Pulitzer---it's of that caliber.

Amazing story!

Any additional comments?

After watching a documentary on the Endurance, I had to read the book. I purchased it for my kindle and added this audible edition. Simon Prebble does a fine reading (as always). It took so many miracles for all of these men to survive the treacherous conditions of Antarctica. A thrilling and chilling survival story.