In amundsen, vivien hyde is a college graduate from toronto who moves to amundsen, ontario, toward the end of world war ii 19391945. Pdf scott and amundsen download full pdf book download. South pole first edition roald amundsen bauman rare books. Science and life at the amundsenscott south pole station is documented in dr. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read.
History of the conquest of the south pole ivan siiak december, 24 2014 the rivalry between british and norwegian expeditions, each of which intended to be the first to get to the center of antarctica, is one of the most dramatic events in the history of discoveries. In 1911, british explorer robert falcon scott and norwegian explorer roald amundsen both aimed to be the first to reach the south pole. Antarctica is a long way from anywhere, and thank goodness, as youll need all the reading time you can get. I would urge that this book be required reading for all future military officers.
Roald amundsen planted the norwegian flag on the south pole on december 14, 1911, a full month before robert falcon scott arrived on the same spot. I get it scott isnt my favorite either, but contempt and loathing ooze off every page, which makes it a little hard to trust the authors conclusions. Between december 1911 and january 1912, both roald amundsen leading his south pole expedition and robert falcon scott leading the terra nova expedition reached the south pole within five weeks of each other. The best books on polar exploration five books expert. On december 14, 1911, the classical age of polar exploration ended when norways roald amundsen conquered the south pole. Scott and his men reached the south pole only to find amundsen s norwegian flag planted in the frozen ground. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the south pole. Dec, 2011 december 14th marks the anniversary of the conquest of the south pole. Nov 27, 2002 the journal of roald amundsens expedition to the south pole. It is a book well worth reading and is better than many contemporary leadership books. Amundsens route was more to the east, while the framheim base was almost a degree to the south of scotts camp.
Amundsen used canisters that left his sledges permanently lashed and loaded. He has written biographies of robert falcon scott, ernest shackleton and fridtjof nansen. They were soon joined by roald amundsen and his norwegian team and the race to be first to get to the south pole began. It was a fascinating and moving book in fact it was one of the most powerful books ive read in a long time. To start with, two compendiums should be in your hand luggage. An account of the norwegian antarctic expedition in the fram, 19101912. The press branded amundsen a thief for taking an honor the british felt belonged to scott and the empire. Not exactly scott and amundsen as much as amundsen, with a dash of scott.
Beginning with the details of how the expedition was manned and planned, the author develops a convincing thesis. Amundsen recounted his journey in the book the south pole. Combines a dual biography of the two great antarctic explorers with a history of antarctic exploration, enhancing roald amundsen s reputation and showing robert scott to have been a serious bungler. The last place on earth is an exhaustive, wellresearched account of scott and amundsen s race to the south pole, but i cant rate it any higher because of the authors huge bias against scott. Scott s expedition to the south pole was wellpublicized, but his rival roald amundsen strategically kept the destination of his ship, the fram, secret until the last moment. Amundsen, scott or shackleton what type of leader are. It is a first class effort by an author who understands both the british and norwegian mindsets.
The last place on earth is a 1985 central television sevenpart serial, written by trevor griffiths based on the book scott and amundsen by roland huntford. Comparison of the amundsen and scott expeditions wikipedia. First edition in book form, in the original norwegian, of amundsen s own account of the first successful attempt to reach the south pole, with 40 photographic plates, over two hundred fullpage and intext photographic illustrations, and numerous maps and charts, four folding, and facsimiles of notebook entries. Jul 23, 2010 remembering the race to the south pole in 1911, two groups of explorers set out to be first to reach the south pole. An excellent book for anyone interested in the heroic age of antarctic exploration ie just over a century ago. Portraits of the south pole which chronicles the south pole foucault pendulum, the 300 club, the first midwinter medevac, and science at the pole including climate change and cosmology. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. For the first time scott s unedited diaries run alongside those of both amundsen and olav. In 1910 robert falcon scott and roald amundsen set sail for antarctica, each from his own starting point, and the epic race for the south pole was on.
Scott and amundsen s race to the south pole presents the unedited diaries of explorers roald amundsen and robert falcon scott, recounting the journeys of the separate norwegian and british expeditions that, between 1910 and 1912, competed to be the first to reach the south pole. For the first time ever roland huntford presents each mans account of the race to the south pole in their own words. Scott and amundsen s race to the south pole by roland huntford, 1979. The first scientific expedition to the antarctic by hugo decleir, bluntisham books, erskine press. A page from the observation book, december 17, 1911.
The leadership lessons of the race to the south pole. An important addition to amundsens expedition to the pole is the sledge journey of lieutenant. Expedition diaries of scott and amundsen by roland huntford hardcover mint condition. In contrast to scotts south pole expedition, amundsens expedition benefited from good equipment, appropriate clothing, and a fundamentally different primary task amundsen did no surveying on his route south and is known to have taken only two photographs amundsen had a better understanding of dogs and their handling, and he used of skis more effectively. The last letters from scotts south pole team are heart breaking. Roland huntford is an author, and biographer of polar explorers. Nov, 2012 the last letters from scotts south pole team are heart breaking. Sydpolen first edition roald amundsen bauman rare books. Considering that this continent has no indigenous human population, it has a disproportionately large library of historical inspiration. This book launched me onto a 3 month reading project of other books related to the subject matter, including books about laurence oates and i especially enjoyed. Amundsenscott south pole station nsf national science.
The race to reach the south pole for the first time was an unparalleled adventure in the early twentieth century. Amundsens daring raid was a success and mounted as it was in the face of the challenge from scott. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. But while scott and his four companions died on the return journey, amundsen s party managed to reach the geographic south pole first and subsequently return to their base camp at. Amundsen and his team set out on a large ship and get deposited on antarctica where they set up a base camp to overwinter to try to reach the south pole the following spring. Roland huntford gained greater notoriety in 1979 with the far more trenchant scott and amundsen, but thomson was the first to critically assess the myth of englands beloved national hero, robert falcon scott, who perished with four of his men after their secondplace finish in the 1912 race for the pole. Roald amundsen was the leader of the norwegian expedition that was the first to reach the south pole, on december 14, 1911, just one month ahead of scott s famous expedition. Scott, rn of great britain and that of roald amundsen of norway. They died on their return journey not far from their base camp.
What has become known as the race to the south pole came about incidentally rather than by design. The last place on earth is a complex and fascinating account of the race for this last great terrestrial goal, and its pointedly geared toward demythologizing scott. The race to the south pole roald amundsen and robert scott. Huntford begins long before the final antarctic contest between amundsen and scott. For the first time, the british and norwegian expeditions to. Traditionally, scotts and amundsens expedition are portrayed as lines on a map. Amundsen definition and meaning collins english dictionary. The south pole roald amundsen audiobook and ebook all. Sep, 2012 at the beginning of the twentieth century, the south pole was the most coveted prize in the fiercely nationalistic modern age of exploration. At no time did amundsen and scott acknowledge or plan for a race, they both planned expeditions that had as an ambition to be the first man to reach one of the last great geographic goals of the age, the south pole. One claimed victory, and the other perished on the return trip. When amundsen learned from previous voyages, namely his northwest passage succes and the belgicas wintering inside the antarctics circle, scott still hung to manhauling, having learned absolutly nothing from his discovery days.
Mar 11, 2020 i have been meaning to read scott and amundsen the last place on earth for some time, and have finally got round to it. Race to the south pole nnn1287 map of the routes taken by amundsen, scott, and shackleton on their expeditions to the south pole source. Combines a dual biography of the two great antarctic explorers with a history of antarctic exploration, enhancing roald amundsen s reputation and showing robert scott. Two planks and a passion thus reads less as a standalone volume and more as a companion to huntfords cycle of books about polar exploration, which began with scott and amundsen in 1979, continued. Slightly revised and with a new title for its first us publication, this originally called scotts men reexamines conventional wisdom regarding the expedition, from the choice of scott as leader to his claim that he didnt much care if he got there first. South pole station by ashley shelby ashley shelbys debut novel set among an appealing mix of nerds and oddballs at antarcticas amundsenscott research station is a. He beat robert falcon scott, who also made it to the pole, but after amundsen and sadly perished on his return journey. Buy a cheap copy of scott and amundsen book by roland huntford. The writer of this terse diary entry was roald amundsen, a norwegian explorer who had won renown five years earlier for being the first to sail the arctics fabled northwest passage from the. Dec 26, 2008 huntford is now editing a book for the fram museum named after amundsen and nansens ship in norway, and hes contemplating a book on sweden and the winter war between finland and the soviet. Join facebook to connect with scott amundsen and others you may know.
Scott s team had to unload, and load and relash their sledge at every camp, no matter what the weather. The race to the south pole roald amundsen and robert. His book the last place on earth narrates the race to the south pole between scott and norways roald amundsen. Roald amundsen 18721928 in contrast to scotts south pole expedition, amundsens expedition benefited from good equipment, appropriate clothing, and a fundamentally different primary task. The fact that amundsen had accomplished the trip with dogs was seen as unsportsmanlike. Scott and amundsen is a study of two very different styles of leadership. In 1910, robert falcon scott and roald amundsen set sail for antarctica, each from his own starting point, and the epic race for the south pole was on. Two new books for ice and death fans chronicle the exploration of the. The story of amundsen is a fascinating story of human intelligence and learning, more than grit and passion as scott would make it seem. This first edition by roald amundsen is available at bauman rare books. The focus of this book is primarily roald amundsen, and with good reason. This year is the 100 year anniversary of roald amundsen reaching the south pole, the first person to do so. South, by historian hunter stewart, chronicles the competition between two fierce rivals robert f.
The last place on earth is the perfect antidote to the daily battering of todays drummed up drama. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the south pole was the most coveted prize in the fiercely nationalistic modern age of exploration. Sep 11, 2014 roald amundsen 18721928 in contrast to scotts south pole expedition, amundsens expedition benefited from good equipment, appropriate clothing, and a fundamentally different primary task. The reasons for amundsens success and for scotts failure in returning from the south pole have always been the subject of discussion and controversy. The south pole by roald amundsen and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Roald amundsen has 51 books on goodreads with 3635 ratings. This account was originally published as two volumes in 19 and is here reproduced in a single. The treacherous race to the south pole in the early 1910s, explorers roald amundsen and robert falcon scott engaged in a frantic, and ultimately tragic, race to be the first man to reach the south. I have been meaning to read scott and amundsen the last place on earth for some time, and have finally got round to it. In the foreground is the ceremonial south pole and the flags for the original 12 signatory nations to antarctic treaty. Amundsen s daring raid was a success and mounted as it was in the face of the challenge from scott. Real drama, real life as countries sought to be the first to discover what seemed to be the last unexplored territories. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. The author has woven together the antarctic expeditions of mawson, scott, amundsen and shackleton during the first dozen years of the 20th century with background of the previous explorers who had sighted or landed on the antarctic continent and the scientific.
A hundred years ago tomorrow roald amundsen and his teammates from small, newly independent norway beat the british empire. Dec 07, 2000 i have been meaning to read scott and amundsen the last place on earth for some time, and have finally got round to it. The book covers amundsens and scotts origins and background in polar travel scott badly overmatched there. Will include dust jacket if it originally came with one. This approach is good for showing the parties locations.
Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. This article appeared on wikipedias main page as todays featured article on december 14, 2011. Though this was the age of the amateur explorer, amundsen was a professional. I recently finished reading roland huntfords excellent book last place on earth, a dual biography that retells the story of scott and amundsen in their race to be first to the south pole in 19111912. In 1911, roald amundsen and four companions were the first human beings to stand at the south pole.
Roald amundsen, a full biography by tor bomannlarsen, 2006, isbn 0750943432. And i have to say, that despite all its innaccuracies, omissions and onesided appraisal, i enjoyed it as a book. Using skis and dog sleds, they beat robert falcon scott s british expedition by just a few weeks. The south pole an account of the norwegian antarctic. Roland huntford examines the differences in the two mens approaches to the discovery of the south pole. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle. Eyewitness accounts my life as an explorer by amundsen, captian roald and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Scott and roald amundsen to secure their place in history as the first man to.
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