One can hardly read this book without crying out and gasping as Mawson perserveres, one grueling day after another, through one of the most incredible human dramas ever told. Read this and "Endurance" about Shackleton's adventure and begin to explore Antarctica vicariously through the unimaginable determination of these early explorers.

If ever you meet one of life's "insurmountable" obstructions.....READ THIS BOOK!

This is THE best book I have ever read. I first read it in 1978. It starts out a little slow, but by the time I was midway through, I couldn't put it down. When I finished it at about 4:00 a.m., I remember closing the book and just sitting there for a while, awestruck. The courage and determination of Douglas Mawson will surely have an impact on anyone who reads this book. I evidently lent it to someone and forgot who and never got it back. I have been looking for a copy of it ever since. If you were inspired by the courage of Nando Parada in the book "Alive" (about the Argentine rugby team that crashed in the Andes and survived 70 days), you are sure to be inspired even more by Mawson's tale.

Riveting chronicles of the Amundsen, Scott expeditions to the Antarctic, with vivid descriptions of the numbing cold, and vicious winds that howl unceasingly over the frozen tundra. The tragedy which befell these brave explorers was magnified in it's effect by their extreme remoteness from any civilization. This was the epitomy of worst case scenarios for exploration of the poles. And one came back! A magnificent tale of tragedy and triumph in the pursuit of knowledge.

I have bought three copies of this book from out-of-print resellers because I was looking for it under its original title, Mawson's Will. I wanted to give it to several people and was willing to make an extraordinary effort to locate copies and pay a premium for them.

Many years ago, while working in the Outback, I was told the story of Douglas Mawson by one of my companions. Bickel's book does justice to the most incredible survival story I have ever read. You realize that, if Mawson had gone with Robert Scott to the South Pole and back, he would have made it to One Ton Cache and returned with food and fuel, and that Scott's men would all have lived to be old men in Devon instead of perishing on the ice in the Antarctic. This book gets a read every couple of years - partly as it is a great and well crafted story and partly because I can't believe that Mawson survived the journey.

Although modern writers discussing the events of the Endurance expedition have indeed pretty much forgotten this side of the expedition, it should be pointed out that Sir Ernest Shackleton himself covered it in his own book "South." Bickel has used recently found documentation and other materials to put together the complete tale of the Ross Sea Party of the Endurance expedition. After their ship Aurora was pulled away from her moorings by a storm, the men left on shore brilliantly improvised stores and equipment to lay the depots required for the planned crossing the Antarctic continent. During their sledging journeys one man died, and the survivors had to struggle to save two more (who ultimately were lost through their own foolishness in crossing sea ice when a storm threatened). All in all this is a valuable contribution to the story of the Endurance expedition. I also very highly recommend "Mawson's Will" by the same author.

I guess this is Polar exploration week for me since I just read this volume right after the American Museum book on the Shackleton side of the expedition. This book reads very much the same as that one: a terse day by day recount of the horrible deprivations these brave men suffered, all to lay down a supply depot for Shackleton were he to actually make it across the continent. Of course most readers know already that Shackleton's side was a disaster that resulted in his boat being crushed, long months floating on ice floes and then an incredible open ocean journey to St. Georgia island.

The amazing part of this book is that the men were so willing to lay down their lives for Shackleton -- he goes down in the books as one of the all time great leaders. A shame he died of a heart attack at only age 48. He inspired incredible feats of courage. I thought the most moving part of this book had to do with how Wells compassionately took care of two invalids (advanced stages of scurvey) for months on end with nary a complaint. Well written and well-paced account that any fan of an adventure story will want to read.

If you are a Shackleton fan, then this book is sure to delight you. The epic of Endurance has been given the most publicity but this story is every bit as captivating. These men, who had the responsibility to place food and supply depots for Shackleton's intended journey across Antarctica, endured hardship beyond description. They were totally dedicated to their task and their devotion to Shackleton is heartwarming. It proves, once again, his leadership prevailed even though he was almost 2,000 miles away from them. The writer gives a good insight into each of the characters and, as you read, you will feel you are enduring the journey yourself. It is without a doubt, one of the greatest stories of survival and a tribute to the toughness of the human spirit to prevail.

A very good story, but not as riveting as Shackelton's tail. After reading about Shackelton's misadventure's, it's easy to wonder what happened to the other half of his plan. In this book, the author clearly and vividly lays out the rest of the story, of the struggles of the crew, the conflicts of command and egos, of the disasters that imperiled lives, and the eventual results. If you're new to polar exploration history, then read Shackelton as your first book. If you've already read that, then read this book.

After reading Endurance, one wonders what happened to the intrepid souls who were to meet Capt. Shackleton halfway across the Antarctic. Well, Forgotten Men is that tale - although not quite as rivetting as Endurance, Forgotten Men is especially gripping since the reader knows from the beginning (having read Endurance) that their efforts are futile.

A very good read!!

I have not read other books about this topic first. Therefore, I did not know the outcome of Shackleton's adventure. But I did learn of the endurance of the men on the otherside waiting for Shackleton. The book gives a very personal account of the men from the ship Aurora as they trek to leave supply stores for Shackleton's crossing of Antartica. It never ceases to amaze what human's can endure for exploration.

The other reviewer's comments are appreciated, this book will redefine your definition of "discomfort". He may not be one of the most well known, but Mawson was one of the world's greatest, and toughest explorers.

If you can find a copy of this book, read it. Douglas Mawson, a veteran of the 1907-1909 Shackleton expedition, returned to the Antarctic in 1912 with his own team. His sledge journey with two companions turned from a harsh but rewarding exploration into a terrifying fight for survival in an instant. At almost the same time as Scott was busily scribbling inspiring hoo-hah in his diary trying to cover up his appalling faults of leadership and organization, Mawson was courageously fighting for his life and refusing to lie down and die. An incredible story! One hopes that Australia remembers Sir Douglas Mawson and his fortitude. He is an example to all of us.

I am so delighted this book has been reissued because the original version was impossible to find. This is a story that earns its subtitle, "The Greatest Survival Story Every Told". This story is incredible and you truly feel that you as a reader are experiencing Mawson's ordeal yourself. It does what a book should do--it puts you on the ice with Mawson, his companions and the dogs. This is a rare book that makes you think--at the moment when Mawson thinks it--that you are so glad he still has "one more paw" left to eat.
Read this book and you will never be the same. It's an awesome book, thrilling and it shows you by comparison what is lacking in so many so-called adventure tales: cojones.
I am surprised this has never been made into a movie and I might write it myself. It's just a fantastic, inspiring story.

The story of Sir Douglas Mawson's 1911-13 expedition to Antarctica is, without question, one of the greatest survival stories ever told, and Bickel rises to the task in Mawson's Will. Despite this, Bickel's book is no match for Sir Douglas Mawson's personal account of his adventure, as related in the landmark work, The Home of the Blizzard. Given the choice, Home of the Blizzard is the preferred account of this adventure.

In a land of dreadful snow and wind conditions, Mawson set out with two companions to explore far from his coastal base. The story of his trek back after the loss of vital supplies ranks alongside Shackleton's 'Endurance' and Nansen's 'Fram' odysseys. His tale was long overshadowed by the concurrent loss of Scott's party, so a renewal in public awareness of Mawson is to be welcomed.

Bickel's account is generally of high quality, and concentrates on the sledging journey. For those interested in the scientific aspects of the expedition, Mawson's own 'Home of the Blizzard' is a good read.

There is something buried deep within us all called the survival instinct. It's in the cancer patient fighting for another day no matter how painful, it's in the Apollo 13 astronauts alone and thousands of miles from safety, the lone sailor or even that person you pass on the street and barely notice.

Perhaps it's the result of 4 billion years of evolution, an involuntary reaction to the need to continue the species forward. Or maybe it's altogether more spiritual, part of the journey that gives life meaning and value. Whatever, clearly it's a very important part of what makes us who we are.

But in these comfortably numb times, it's all too easy to lose touch with these very basic principles of existence. We are not challenged for survival and we barely understand that such a need can exist.

Which is why Mawson's Will, the story of the epic battle for life by Antarctic explorer Douglas Mawson, is more than just an epic tale of adventure. While his lonely struggle to cross 300 miles of frozen wasteland after the death of his colleagues is in itself a wonderful tale of courage and resourcefulness, it resonates far deeper than just an explorer's tale.

Wracked by the pain of mysterious illness (later discovered to be fatal levels of Vitamin A poison from eating husky dog livers to stay alive) and caught in the most hostile environment on the planet, Mawson has many reasons to give up. Agony, loneliness and despair were his constant companions. On more than one occasion, dangling suspended by a rope through a fallen crevice all it would take was to reach into his pocket for the knife that would cut the thin line that held him in limbo. It a moment it would be over, the pain and useless struggle over.

But Mawson refused to succumb, and eventually, through extraordinary efforts, survived. Even to this day it hard to imagine how.

In his wonderful account of this story, culled mostly from Mawson's own heart wrenching diary of the events, veteran Australian writer Lennard Bickell has managed to capture superbly the details of Mawson's battle to survive.

While he spends little time contemplating the inner meaning of such a struggle, it is plainly there for the reader to contemplate. We are left to consider our own resources, our own inner strength. For anyone involved in a difficult situation that requires courage and fortitude, 'Mawson's Will' is an inspiration. And for those of us merely intrigued by the real nature of existence, here at least is a definition of the outer borders of human willpower, that strange and unknown land where the real world meets the spiritual.

A wonderful book.