David Spilman Fine Books

Shackleton's Way; Leadership Lessons from the Great Antarctic Explorer [Preface by his granddaughter the Honorable Alexandra Shackleton]

Morrell, Margot and Capparell, Stephine

New York: Viking Penguin, 2001. Near Fine in Near Fine dust-jacket First Edition. [9.25x6.25in]; 238 pp., images and maps in text, bibliography and index; White paper covers with dark gray paper backstrip, silver lettering on spine, map of Endurance tracks on end papers; Pictorial dust jacket with red and dark blue lettering on front and spine. Negligible shelf wear and light soiling to Dust jacket. Item #11355

Sir Ernest Shackleton (1874-1922) was a merchant seaman and Antarctic explorer in the early 20th Century. His leadership skills were second to none in the Arctic and Antarctic explorers during the 'Heroic Age' of polar exploration. He participated in Robert Falcon Scott's 'Discovery' expedition in 1901-03 and reached the farthest south in discovering the Beardmore glacier and route to the South Polar Plateau. He then led his own expedition in 1907-09 to reach within 112 miles of the South Pole. He turned back short of the goal, due to the low of supplies needed for all the party to return to the base safely. When he return to England he was hailed a hero and knighted for his achievements.

This book is about the management skills Shackleton used in the failed Trans-Antarctic Imperial Expedition 1914-1916 on the 'Endurance". The ship was to drop the polar party of at Vahsel Bay in the Weddell Sea to march across Antarctica to the South Pole and then on to the old base at Cape Royds at the Ross Sea. However the ship trapped in the pack ice and ultimately was crushed and sank. Twenty-eight men were trapped on the ice with limited supplies and three life boats. Under Shackleton's leadership, they were able to survive and land on the desolate Elephant Is. Shackleton, with five men, then sailed a 22.5 ft lifeboat over 800 miles of open polar seas to a whaling station on South Georgia Is. for help and rescue of the 22 men still on Elephant Is. He succeeded and did not lose a man.

Price: $15.00