South Pole

Terra Australius Incognito. Long before its discovery the ancient Greeks surmised that a continent must exist at the bottom of the world, writes Anthony Brandt in his introduction to this marvelous history of Antarctic exploration. The quest to find and explore Antarctica has consumed men and women ever since. The South Pole weaves together some of the great Antarctic adventure stories, as told by the explorers themselves: Ernest Shackleton's modest bravery rescuing his stranded crew: Roald Amundsen's account of being first at the Pole; Robert Falcon Scott's touching, tragic death. The book also includes little-known accounts that vividly describe the hardships, beauty, and extreme challenges of life in the most hostile environment on Earth. Readers will be surprised to discover Edmund Halley's amusing first description of penguins, Captain Cook's speculations regarding the source of Antarctica's huge tabular icebergs, and Douglas Mawson's heroic solo trek across the ice after losing his companions and his food. Anthony Brandt's authoritative narrative places this tapestry of characters and adventures into context and brings the story of Antarctic exploration from the ancient Greeks to the modern era. Book jacket.