“An important missing story from the heroic age of Antarctic exploration.”—Laurence Gonzales, author of Deep SurvivalOn January 17, 1913, alone and near starvation, Douglas Mawson, leader of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, was hauling a sledge to get back to base camp. The dogs were gone. Now Mawson himself plunged through a snow bridge, dangling over an abyss by the sledge harness. A line … the sledge harness. A line of poetry gave him the will to haul himself back to the surface.
Mawson was sometimes reduced to crawling, and one night he discovered that the soles of his feet had completely detached from the flesh beneath. On February 8, when he staggered back to base, his features unrecognizably skeletal, the first teammate to reach him blurted out, “Which one are you?”
This thrilling and almost unbelievable account establishes Mawson in his rightful place as one of the greatest polar explorers and expedition leaders. It is illustrated by a trove of Frank Hurley’s famous Antarctic photographs, many never before published in the United States.more
A memorable adventure/survival story that recounts the discovery and exploration of several parts of Antarctica.
Roberts himself acknowledges that the narrative around this story is a difficult one to organize, but I still had a hard time keeping track of names, timelines, and relationships.
If you’re looking for a similarly-veined true story, …
This is an absolutely incredible adventure book. It’s about a 20th century Australian explorer, who tries to cross Antarctica.. The ingenuity, guts, determination, knowledge of mountaineering and his undaunted spirit left me in awe. This is a must read for any modern day adventurer and those just wanting a fantastic story. I can’t stop …
Needed to wear a coat while reading this book. Detailed observations made it possible to truly imagine the hardships, freezing conditions, challenges faced by these explorers in the early 1900’s. They were all beyond courageous, explored the Antarctic before any other humans.
If you like books about epic expeditions, along the lines of Shackleton’s Endurance, when the grand explorers of the early twentieth century had yet to reach the most remote regions of the world—books filled with more danger than fiction authors could imagine for a plot—tales of endless grit and survival—then you’ll love Alone on the …
Alone on the Ice: The Greatest Survival Story in the History of Exploration by David Roberts– Yes, it’s inevitable. Expect the loss of important toenails, blackened chunks of flesh, and to be cold the entire time you read this. But also expect to be moved by the riveting story and rich details of this under-told adventure.
I might also suggest …
This amazing record of Antarctic adventure and exploration gave me an enormous appreciation for the explorers’ accomplishments in an ice bound landscape.
Wondefhil tribute to spirit of man
Great read! I’m glad I wasn’t on these early Antarctic expeditions! They survived some incredible hardships.
Taken from diaries and journals, the author tells the story of Mawson and his expedition to map out Antartica. Descriptions of the weather, the dangerous and unknown conditions that they faced, and ultimately sad and tragic to read of the struggles and losses the men endured.
Very interesting account of an Antartic journey that I knew nothing about. Very harrowing ordeal. The author really spins a good yarn!!
I love adventure and overcoming hardship. I could not imagine being stranded in the Antarctic for 2 years.
This book documents times/places/events that are difficult to repeat and, that, in itself, is what makes this book well worth reading. This is about the will of one man, who overcomes all odds, to survive, after a tragic plane crash, in the South American Andes Mountain range. A gripping story of the “will to survive!”
Great book about an interesting exploration event in Antártica. Perhaps a little long but worth it.
Just when you thought Shackleton was the ultimate survivor of the Antarctic expeditions along comes Mawson and he raises the bar to an entirely new height. Absolutely unbelievable tale of the will to survive.
Interesting saga very detailed almost too many details could have been shorter
I like books that deal with places like the Antarctic where men have to use every ounce of their wits, knowledge, experience and courage to survive in such a hostile place. It reminds one that nature cares not one whit about man or what he wants or needs. She doesn’t work for him and she doesn’t work against him. She just is. And if he is not …
This book deals with an early Australian explorer of Antarctica and his companions.
The things they have to live through, traveling over a landscape with dangerous and often hidden crevasses, with winds at times reaching 100 mph and almost always 50 to 60 mph winds traveling is extremely difficult. Not only that, unlike today, they are completely …
amazing survival story , great read, you will never consider a hike hard again
Pretty boring
It was a little long in the tooth at times.