Shackleton's Forgotten Expedition - Beau Riffenburgh

By

⭐ 8.0/10

(Originally written by Rebecca)

What can I say that I haven't already said about books about polar exploration? This one's about the Antarctic expedition Shackleton went on BEFORE Endurance, the Nimrod Expedition in 1907-1909. It wasn't nearly as exciting, but it WAS very cool to get a bunch of backstory. It was like unlocking a bunch of Shackleton lore. On this expedition, they were attempting to reach the South Pole (no one ever had at that point), and they didn't manage it, but they DID get closer than anyone else had before. There was a lot of running out of food and nearly dying in blizzards etc, but I felt a lot less sympathy, considering they were really just doing exactly what they signed up for and it was kinda their own fault. But I did keep having to go update Maggie on their progress and all the terrible things that were happening to them, so that says something. The first 1/4 of this book was a slog, though, mostly covering Shackleton's life up to that point, the expedition he went on with Scott, his and Scott's subsequent falling-out, etc. AND like two whole chapters about the political climate of the time. It was just too much lore. Give me boats! I want expeditions!

All that being said, the author did a great job, and the last quarter was pretty gripping. Happy to have learned more about Antarctic exploration history! But left me shaking my head at these men, knowing they went to the Antarctic AGAIN, SEVERAL MORE TIMES. Insanity.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

By
⭐ 6.5/10 (Originally written by Tim) Watched this for the first time because we wanted a comedy, and it was fine. I laughed a couple times, mostly at Paul Rudd, whose character was amazing. Otherwise its just a 2000s raunchy comedy. These Apatow movies are way too long for comedies, and the feel-good endings take too long to get to. I liked the idea of a fake NBC show that Kristen Bell stars in, and those clips made me laugh. Jason Segel is fine, and he fits the depressed guy thing they are going for here. I will never understand why the two women in this movie are so beautiful and the two guys are pudgy idiots. I guess I do understand, given the target audience for these movies. Another thing, they clearly were in Hawaii for filming a bunch of this, but then there are a couple scenes that are clearly using a green screen for the background. Pretty weird, since I assume they were in Hawaii, so maybe reshoots? Felt kinda cheap. Anyways, good for a couple laughs, don't ever nee...
Read more

July Reading Favourites

By
Image
Look at that cover! This is a YA horror book written by a trans Canadian author that knocked my socks off. A small town has secrets it's trying to hide, and after the death of a boy and a newcomer arriving, things start slipping out of control. It's a book about being trans or queer and living in a small town, and how a community creating a facade of a perfect town can backfire. Also maybe closing your eyes to anything that's "not your business" is not good actually! It's violent and full of rage, and I loved the way it played with time and perspective. Check the triggers, but if you're interested in reading it, I'd recommend going in blind without looking at reviews or a longer description! This is a short book of essays about ableism and disability justice, specifically relating to technological advances for disabled people. Most of the essays focus on a different type of technology for different disabilities (prosthetics, hearing aids, cures for aut...
Read more

Magdalene's Favourite Books of 2024

By
Image
In 2024 I read another ABSURD amount of books, and I will not be commenting on what that says about me, my decisions, or the state of my mental health. So I'm just going to go straight into my favourite books of the year! I've posted about a lot of these in my monthly faves, but now you get to see which ones made it to my favourites of the year list! They're in no particular order. A Pacific Islander-inspired fantasy with unique, refreshing vibes. Hanalei returns to her home island, Her childhood best friend is looking for a dragonfruit to heal his mother, and Hanalei will use her connection with the seadragons to help. Lucier has a pretty simple way of writing, but the story was fun and beautiful, and it really took me on an adventure. Sid is a Korean adoptee living in a very white town that is over a crack where magic can get through. One day a Guardian falls, releasing magic and zombies, and it becomes a fight to survive. This is such an interesting blend of fantasy and ...
Read more