Man has ever to push onward to the unknown, often against tremendous odds, and the odds in the Antarctic were indeed formidable. Here man had not only to fight conditions for which he was bodily ill-equipped, he was also unprepared and without knowledge of the tools he would need for the exploration of so vast a continent.
This book tells of these men and their determination to learn as much about and from this "Third World." This cold world of water, ice, and snow where the next step might lead to total destruction, and, for some, tragically did.
British and American whalers and sealers seeking more profitable hunting grounds were in great part responsible for opening up the knowledge of the Antarctic and its fringes. The tales they brought back with them fired men and nations to send out expeditions to research and conquer this area. Such men as Captain James Cook, Captain James Weddell, and Charles Wilkes led the way to the South Pole. It took many years, much effort, and some lives to reach the goal but finally the success of Roald Amundsen, Robert Falcon Scott, and Ernest Shackleton was rewarded by one of the truly great experiments of our century, the International Geophysical Year.
Here is not just a story, but a saga. A saga of real men facing real adventure. Mr. Strong, who has personal knowledge of his subject, has written a most interesting and exciting book.
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