Will I love Endurance?

This book appealed to our spirit as travelers and explorers.

We read it after a trip to Ushuaia, Argentina—close to where the story of Endurance unfolded. We found in this story the essence of what it means to be human—to take on big, hairy problems, to expect the unexpected, and to survive against impossible odds.

What stayed with us is how human character is revealed in the most adverse situations, and how, when we are faced with life and death, nothing is truly right or wrong, only choices that must be made to survive.

As a former Boy Scout, I was drawn to the adventure story of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew because of their sheer determination.

In 1914, Shackleton wanted to be the first to reach the South Pole, and his determination was evident in his unwavering focus on the goal. I appreciated the example of someone who had the determination and courage of Washington, Lincoln, and Churchill and consider the book a must-read for those looking for inspiration in their own lives.

I loved this book as it tells an incredible story of the fight against the environment. Even though I knew how the adventure ended, I was still gripped, wondering what happened and how the people involved fought for their survival.

Understanding the “land” on which they found themselves and watching some of the animal behavior was key to their perseverance, even after they lost their ship. Although this is a true story, I still found it hard to believe that it really happened, and Lansing’s writing really brings the hardship they suffered and their bravery alive. 

This book made me want to visit Antarctica, and when I finally did, I read it again.

There are a few things going on here:  an insane adventure with a daring mission that defies the odds through incredible hardships; an introduction to that sparse, frozen continent that has long captivated the imagination; and a cosmic dissonance knowing modern travellers can visit such a harsh, unforgiving place today with the comfort of hot tubs, cocktail bars, and gourmet buffets.

Learning about the history of polar exploration makes your own journey that much more meaningful. 

I loved this book because it told a gripping story of courage, mistakes, and survival against huge odds. It tells the story of a failed mission that most often would have led to disaster—but instead, it led to the awakening of strengths that Shackleton and his team harbored deep inside each of them.

Through this book, I saw and felt the need to reach deep inside to find the will to survive. It helped me understand just what it takes to be successful and how to overcome failure (failed mission).

Plain and simple, this book provided me with incredible insight… show more.

I believe that Endurance is among the most dramatic true tales of survival ever told.

The book has everything I love in adventurous history: heroism, deprivation, courageous characters, life or death decisions. For me, it is the gold standard of adventure narratives.

I bought Endurance after watching the show Atypical, in which the main character, Sam, is obsessed with the Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton.

At the time, I had barely heard of Shackleton, but I was quickly captivated by this tale of his doomed Antarctic expedition. I don’t think I have ever read a more gripping story of perseverance and survival. After the Endurance was destroyed by ice, the crew spent two years alone in Antarctica and amazingly, not a single man died.

Despite setback after setback and seemingly through sheer force of will, Shackleton saved his entire crew. In describing… show more.

Another book about seafarers with deep business lessons.

Lansing’s riveting account of Ernest Shackleton and his wayward crew teaches much about when and how to “pivot.”

W. Brian Arthur wrote, “Entrepreneurship in advanced technology, is not merely a matter of decision-making; it is a matter of imposing cognitive order on situations that are repeatedly ill-defined.”

Few situations in history were as “ill-defined” as the one the Endurance and its crew encountered, and the story highlights how Shackleton maintained discipline, loyalty, motivation, and perseverance among his crew as they “pivoted” to a radically different strategy and planned under intense pressure and… show more.

This is one of the best survival guides ever, and one of the most compelling looks into how human beings do or don’t accept a disastrous situation and (literally) flow with it. It’s the story of the explorer Ernest Shackleton and his crew, after their ship, the aptly named Endurance, got stuck in the Antarctic ice and then crushed by it. They were stranded, through the permanent darkness of the polar winter, on floating ice floes—with only blubber to eat, and no fiber at all (you work out the consequences). No shelter. No light. Water and waves underneath you.… show more.

It’s the name of the book, it’s the name of the ship, and there isn’t a more accurate descriptor imageable for this horrific, and amazing story of survival. Time after time after time, just when you think something is finally going to go right for the crew of the Endurance, everything gets worse. Yet they continue on, against all conceivable odds. Lansing’s masterpiece recounts Ernest Shackleton’s well-known and ill-fated journey to Antarctica, and the multi-year survival of him and his crew. A true nonfiction thriller, you really cannot imagine what is in store for these poor men. How they… show more.