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Protectionists, beware - this book will change you forever.
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I cannot imagine how they made it through the mess they were in. How is it possible to survive in perpetual cold and wet? The length of time they lived in the various components of this adventure, the amazing visual perspective and the power of nature at her worst which they experienced, and the strength of character and courage all these men exhibited combines to make a most inspiring tale --and it is all true!
I have always been attraced to artworks from that time that depict the frozen parts of the earth. Specifically, Frederick Church's painting of "The Icebergs", "The Aurora Borealis", and many other paintings of ships, ice, and wrecks by a variety of artists, as well as stories of exploration which have influenced me since my youth. Worsley's account of the Endurance has been a remarkable journey for me as well.
Skip the preface and foreward which give too much away --but read this book if you have any spirit of adventure within you! Prepare to be astounded at what we can do, at least what some of us can do when the need arises.
Jack Anglin
Note, the reader should have some prior background of the Endurance, since the book starts with the ships destruction.
There are many books written on the epic voyage of Edurance. This one written by F A Worsley, the captain of the ship, who was constantly by Shackelton's side is definitely a thorough description of the entire journey, their troubles, their struggle, their joys and hope thru the voyage.
A must read for everyone. especially those interested in adventure travel, exploration and expeditions.
Also a great book on leadership lessons.
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This is how Worsley ends his book that describes exactly how Shackleton was able to save them all. Though for this part of the journey, the amazing boat trip to South Georgia, perhaps it was not so much Shackleton as Worlsey who saved them all. Written by a down-to-earth practical man it is easy to get completely caught up in the story. Even after finishing the book, you will find it hard to stop thinking about this fantastic achievement of navigational skills.
Before reading this book, I strongly recommed the book "Endurance".
The book begins with the 3 boats making the dash towards Elephant Island. Most of the book naturally details the journey of the James Caird to South Georgia. Worsley, though very quirky in personality, was an incredibly resourceful, couargeouse man and a navigator without peer. Without him there would have a loss of all lives.
Though at times Worsley may confuse the non-sailing reader with his descriptions of their sailing technique(especially the venacular terms), he nevertheless manages to make you feel you are right in the boat with them. His descriptions of waves, icebergs, etc. are brilliant. He also has a wonderful sense of humor. He has an ability to coin a phrase in that Edwardian period style that is almost poetic. He came from an educated family in New Zealand and it shows.
He also brings great detail to the shorter but still dramatic crossing of South Georgia.
Overall, it is a wonderful book that is alive with details and personal perspectives from a man with a superb mind and great heart.
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The pictures are beautiful but the text is high-quality too. The authors start by reciting some statistics on the number of beetle species. Linnaeus, two hundred and fifty years ago, described 654 species; and Fabricius added another 4,112 species between 1775 and 1801. By 1876 Gemminger and von Harold's catalog contained nearly 77,000 species; and when Junk and Schenkling's catalogue was completed, in 1940, it listed nearly 221,500 species. It's now estimated that there are 350,000 described beetle species. However, recent work by Terry Erwin, extrapolating from detailed studies of a small area, suggests that there are more than eight *million* species of beetle just in the tropics!
The rest of the book is a fairly detailed survey of beetles in all their aspects. The authors are enthusiasts as well as experts, and it shows in their writing, which is crisp, clear and engaging. They cover beetle anatomy, fossilized beetles, habitats and niches, the beetle life cycle, and mimicry. There is also substantial coverage of beetles and humans: naming, appearance in mythology, use as jewels (really!), a discussion of pest control, and use in education. The book has more scientific depth than is usual for a coffee table book, without sacrificing interest value.
There is a website that appears to be maintained by one of the authors (Evans) that contains some material from the book; I recommend you take a look if you are hesitating about buying this. I found it by searching for the book title using a standard search engine; when I looked it was on the Lorquin Entomological Society's website, but it may have moved.
Recommended.