Declare Regarding Books Mawson's Will: The Greatest Polar Survival Story Ever Written
| Title | : | Mawson's Will: The Greatest Polar Survival Story Ever Written |
| Author | : | Lennard Bickel |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Anniversary Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 272 pages |
| Published | : | February 4th 2000 by Steerforth (first published 1977) |
| Categories | : | Nonfiction. Adventure. History. Survival. Biography. Travel |
Lennard Bickel
Paperback | Pages: 272 pages Rating: 4.26 | 1304 Users | 104 Reviews
Chronicle To Books Mawson's Will: The Greatest Polar Survival Story Ever Written
Mawson's Will is the dramatic story of what Sir Edmund Hillary calls "the most outstanding solo journey ever recorded in Antarctic history." For weeks in Antarctica, Douglas Mawson faced some of the most daunting conditions ever known to man: blistering wind, snow, and cold; loss of his companion, his dogs and supplies, the skin on his hands and the soles of his feet; thirst, starvation, disease, snowblindness - and he survived.Sir Douglas Mawson is remembered as the young Australian who would not go to the South Pole with Robert Scott in 1911, choosing instead to lead his own expedition on the less glamorous mission of charting nearly 1,500 miles of Antarctic coastline and claiming its resources for the British Crown. His party of three set out through the mountains across glaciers in 60-mile-per-hour winds. Six weeks and 320 miles out, one man fell into a crevasse, along with the tent, most of the equipment, all of the dogs' food, and all except a week's supply of the men's provisions.
Mawson's Will is the unforgettable story of one man's ingenious practicality and unbreakable spirit and how he continued his meticulous scientific observations even in the face of death. When the expedition was over, Mawson had added more territory to the Antarctic map than anyone else of his time. Thanks to Bickel's moving account, Mawson can be remembered for the vision and dedication that make him one of the world's great explorers.
Be Specific About Books In Favor Of Mawson's Will: The Greatest Polar Survival Story Ever Written
| Original Title: | Mawson's Will: The Greatest Polar Survival Story Ever Written |
| ISBN: | 1586420003 (ISBN13: 9781586420000) |
| Edition Language: | English |
Rating Regarding Books Mawson's Will: The Greatest Polar Survival Story Ever Written
Ratings: 4.26 From 1304 Users | 104 ReviewsEvaluate Regarding Books Mawson's Will: The Greatest Polar Survival Story Ever Written
This is absolutely one of the best books I have ever read. I found it in the library by accident several years ago and read it for a home school unit study. Within a few pages my world was all about following this incredible man and his companions through their travels and trials. Home school lessons revolved around Antarctica and Douglas Mawson. This incredible and true story left me breathless and amazed. I remember talking about Mawson to anyone who would listen. If I could meet an historicalOne cannot tell what one can accomplish! After you read this book, it will be impossible to make excuses for yourself ever again. I read the Kindle version of this book. The last fourth of this edition has a bundle of typos which make reading the text less enjoyable.
The "Greatest" in the subtitle seems to be no exaggeration. I give a summary in the spoiler section of what Mawson survived, in case you think I'm kidding. But I think it's best you skip it, and just get the book.It is an amazing story, and it is one of the best in the genre. I am more or less OK with the fact that the author has detailed what Mawson "thought" and "saw", as Mawson kept fairly meticulous records (except towards the end, in a state of extreme exhaustion), and carefully measured
I would have died.
The Kindle Version of this book was just terrible. Someone should have done some proof reading. There were repeated passages, glaring mistakes like 2012 which should have been 1912 and weird typos that made no sense. Despite all the errors I managed to plod through this book and ended up being very moved by Mawson's trial and tribulations. Fuller review pending...
Not nearly as literary as Apsley Cherry-Garrard's The Worst Journey in the World but still page turning exciting and awe inspiring. Bickel doesn't mention many sources but we have to assume he had Douglas Mawson's own The Home of the Blizzard Being the Story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914 to go by and presumably his diaries. Up to a certain point he has Xavier Mertz's diary as well but I'm still not sure how Bickel fills in all the blanks so definitively particularly after
I've read several stories of early explorers, including Shackleton's memoirs. This story stands on its own two feet up there with the best of them. I've come to believe that not just anyone could survive extreme conditions like this, even if you have the knowledge to do so. It takes a degree of perspicacity and faith in oneself to transcend physical hardships like those presented in this book. And, as you'll see from reading the author's prologue, there was a bit of luck involved as well.Bickel
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