Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton CVO OBE, was one of the principal figures of
the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. His first
experience of the polar regions was as third officer on Captain Scott's
Discovery Expedition, 1901-04, from which he was sent home early on
health grounds. Determined to make amends for this perceived personal
failure, he returned to Antarctica in 1907 as leader of the Nimrod
Expedition. In January 1909 he and three companions made a southern
march which established a record Farthest South latitude at 88°23'S, 97
geographical miles (114 statute miles, 190 km) from the South Pole, by
far the closest convergence in exploration history up to that time. For
this achievement, Shackleton was knighted by King Edward VII on his
return home. This edition covers Shackleton's final, and most dramatic
Antarctic expedition, and contains 95 original black and white
illustrations. (FULLY ILLUSTRATED)