Saturday, January 28, 2012

Mawson And the Ice Men of The Heroic Age; Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen.

I seem to have spent the hot summer reading about the snow. So some thoughts on “Mawson and the Ice Men of the Heroic Age; Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen” by Peter Fitzsomons.

From the outset I’ll say I knew a bit, not much, about the explorers. Now I know quite a lot. The one thing I really enjoyed is that the structure interweaves the preparation and expeditions of the four explorers, giving background and context to each of them.  I liked that.  It is not intended to be about one person, nor full biography.  Here is a book that looks at all these men together, not just honouring only one person or expedition.

The lay out is small sections, a page or so in length,  each with a pithy heading so you know when and who and what:  i.e:  “23 November 1911, Tasmania, SS Paloona Sails up the Derwent river – Hobart Ahoy!”  Then the next will be about Amundsen, or Shackleton back in London, or a family member in Melbourne.

Mawsons Davis Base 1912
This short, choppy, comparative- sectioned-structure gives much clarity about who was where when and helped hold my interest.  Which is good, since its a brick the size of a blue stone. The fact that Scott, Amundsen and Mawson were all at the pole simultaneously is very clear and allows the reader to compare and track each expedition. Cross-referencing who was where when and what stage they were each at, is very easy. The one person not mentioned is the Japanese explorer Nobu Shirase, who came across Amundsens ship Fram, as it arrived to pick up Amundsens party.

Yes, they really all were there. In terms of Antarctic traffic, it was peak hour.



The pithiness of the writing I enjoyed tremendously.  Fitzsimons rhyming couplets, lots of wordplay, shakespeare - “Once more unto the breach dear friends, once more..." - and stretches as far as high melodrama “It was a Dark and Stormy Night.”.  A very aussie tone, refers to Amundsen’s collective as the “norskies” and switches to some imposed stiff upper tongue in cheek of the British about the “Orrstralians”.  I thought it was hilarious and makes it a rollicking easy read. Without belittling his subjects Fitzsimons colourful and humorous writing allows the reader to be thoroughly entertained whilst absorbing all the facts, figures, dates, confusing meetings, combinations, background, who went on whose expedition when.  ie Mawson was on Shackletons first expedition (Nimrod) after being recommended by his teacher at Sydney University, Prof Edgeworth David who also ended up going on Nimrod (on which Mawson and David were both of the party to reach the Magnetic South Pole).


Sinking of the Endurance 1915 - Frank Hurley
I think it would be a great audio book. It begs to be read out loud. So I did.  Often.  (In fact  I added A.A. Milne style “In Which”  to the headings, which suited very well…  ie: 23 November 1911, Tasmania, In Which SS Paloona Sails up the Derwent River – Hobart Ahoy!”  Tacky. Cute. But it suits very well.  This would make a great audio book with  the right reader).

I found myself slowing down toward the end of Scott's story in particular, as the dire situations developed and the dreaded deaths drew nearer. I knew what was going to happen but it was in heart wringing detail that the sadness of the poor judgements and bad luck combined to seal their fate.

The deaths of Ninnis and Mertz are equally devastating and Mawsons trek back, alone is just draw dropping. I knew the outline of the story, but here it is brought to life with solid research and a very accessible story telling style.  Have a read. Its a great intro to an addictive subject.



Links:

100 Years of Australian Antarctic Expedition
Australian Antarctic Division
Peter Fitzsimons
The anniversary

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