Alfred Lansing

Endurance

1. IDEA 1

   Ice trapped Shackleton's ship

   Lansing tells the story of Ernest Shackleton's 1914 expedition, which aimed to cross Antarctica on foot. Before reaching land, their ship, the Endurance, became trapped in the frozen Weddell Sea and drifted helplessly for months.

2. IDEA 2

   The ship was crushed

   The pressure of the ice eventually crushed the Endurance, and it sank. The twenty-eight men were left stranded on the ice. Lansing shows that the crew had to give up their ship and begin a struggle just to live.

3. IDEA 3

   They camped on drifting ice

   The men camped on floating ice for months, surviving on seals and penguins. Shackleton kept spirits up with routines and leadership. Lansing shows that Shackleton's steady habits helped the men stay hopeful in a frightening place.

All 8 ideas from Endurance →