Race for the South Pole - by Roland Huntford (Paperback)

About the Book

"In 1910 Robert Falcon Scott and Roald Amundsen set sail for Antarctica, each from his own starting point, and the epic race for the South Pole was on. December 2011 marks the centenary of the conclusion to [this] last great race of terrestrial discovery. For the first time Scott's unedited diaries run alongside those of both Amundsen and Olav Bjaaland, never before translated into English. Cutting through the welter of controversy to the events at the heart of the story, Huntford weaves the narrative from the protagonists' accounts of their own fate. What emerges is a whole new understanding of what really happened on the ice and [a] definitive account of the race for the South Pole"--From publisher description.

Book Synopsis

In 1910 Robert Falcon Scott and Roald Amundsen set sail for Antarctica, each from his own starting point, and the epic race for the South Pole was on.

For the first time Scott's unedited diaries run alongside those of both Amundsen and Olav Bjaaland, never before translated into English. Cutting through the welter of controversy to the events at the heart of the story, Huntford weaves the narrative from the protagonists' accounts of their own fate. What emerges is a whole new understanding of what really happened on the ice and the definitive account of the Race for the South Pole.

Review Quotes

"There is gratitude for the translations he had provided which have enabled non-Norwegian speakers to read two previously unavailable texts. [Huntford] has given factual insights into subjects as varied as skiing, marine engines and the relationship of Amundsen's expedition to the International Date Line... [he] makes some fascinating points." --The Journal of Polar Record, Volume 47

"Race for the South Pole, while allowing the reader to savour the contrasts between the expedition diaries of Scott, Amundsen and Bjaaland, also shows Huntford in continued argument with his sources." --The Spectator

"Crucially, [Huntford] reads Norwegian, and the translations are his own. Decades of experience allow him to dilate on the idiosyncrasies of fur in the polar environment; on the workings of the anemometers and on the 'meridian sight method of finding latitude' ... This work is brilliant, and well executed." --The Times

"Breaks new ground by letting both men live and die side by side in their own words ... The Race for the South Pole represents Huntford's final attempt to get Scott and Amundsen's legacies restored to what he believes should be their proper balance. There is simply no more evidence left to find." --Guardian G2

"BBC History Magazine's Pick of the Month, November 2010 'Reading the journals of Scott and Amundsen together has the advantage of highlighting the relative pace and position of the two expeditions on a daily basis. It also draws attention to the contrasting literary styles of their authors. Of interest here are not simply the celebrated set-pieces, most notably Scott's powerful final 'message to the public', but also more routine matters of format and function.'" --BBC History Magazine

"The knowledge and research of this 83-year-old author is magnetic and forces the reader to reassess one's understanding of Amundsen's organisation and the amateurish approach of Scott... This is more than just a good book - you make the journey." --guardian.co.uk (Readers Recommendations)

"This is a valuable book, and Huntford enriches the fascinating diary entries with his own expert analysis and insight into polar history." --The Geographical magazine

About the Author

Roland Huntford is the world's foremost authority on the polar expeditions and their protagonists. He is the author of the award-winning Two Planks and a Passion: the Dramatic History of Skiing and Scott and Amundsen: Last Place on Earth and he is the biographer of Shackleton and Nansen. He was the Scandinavian correspondent on The Observer for many years.