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  • Mawson and the Ice Men of the Heroic Age

  • Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen
  • By: Peter FitzSimons
  • Narrated by: Paul English
  • Length: 23 hrs and 54 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (181 ratings)

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Mawson and the Ice Men of the Heroic Age

By: Peter FitzSimons
Narrated by: Paul English
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Publisher's Summary

Australia's best-selling nonfiction author of all time. Douglas Mawson, born in 1882 and knighted in 1914, was Australia's greatest Antarctic explorer. On 2 December 1911, he led an expedition from Hobart to explore the virgin frozen coastline below, 2000 miles of which had never felt the tread of a human foot. After setting up Main Base at Cape Denision and Western Base on Queen Mary Land, he headed east on an extraordinary sledging trek with his companions, Belgrave Ninnis and Dr Xavier Mertz. After five weeks, tragedy struck. Ninnis was swallowed whole by a snow-covered crevasse, and Mawson and Mertz realised it was too dangerous to go on. With the scant food and provisions they had left, turning back was almost equally perilous. Their dwindling supplies forced them to kill their dogs to feed the other dogs, at first, and then themselves. Hunger, sickness and despair eventually got the better of Mertz, and he succumbed to madness and then to death. Mawson found himself all alone, 160 miles from safety, with next to no food. Peter FitzSimons tells the staggering tale of Mawson's survival, despite all the odds, arriving back just in time to see his rescue ship disappearing over the horizon. He also masterfully interweaves the stories of the other giants from the Heroic Age of Polar Exploration - Scott of the Antarctic, Sir Ernest Shackleton and Roald Amundsen - to bring the jaw-dropping events of this bygone era dazzlingly back to life.

©2011 Peter FitzSimons (P)2011 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

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The Ice Men

I loved this book- it brought so many stories together and really helped to explain the motivation of these men. The stories are full of extraordinary feats!! It is a great book!


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excillerating and frightening!

couldn't stop listening and highly intensive drama . courageous and brave men. dog's and ponies. history of the human strength and mind !

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Fantastically interesting listening. . An amazing

Fantastically interesting listening. An amazing recount of the struggles and hardships of exploration in the early 1900's. Very well written.

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Loved it!

I very much enjoyed this account of the history of Antarctic exploration. Very informative as well as entertaining.

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Nearly Forgotten greatly remembered

A superb epic history written in a page turning style. Better than some many fantasy or rpg books and as real as can be

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Great listen and so very interesting and inspiring

I have listened to quite a few books by peter fitzsimons and narrated by the same person who is perfect for the role. The background, story and narration grabs you and takes you along for the ride, setting the scenes , the harsh environment and the skill / resolution of these men is a testament to the age of adventure. I sometimes wish i was back there with them and discovering parts of the unknown world. I thoroughly enjoyed the listen and will continue to the next. Reading about Hubert Wilkins, Mawson, Shakelton and Scott has inspired me to plan a trip to the Antarctic.. though restricted to how and where we can get these days ... it still would be a experience worth while.
Highly recommend this book and others by the author

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Throughly entertaining.

What an amazing story. Our own history of Australia’s part in the discovery and exploration of Antarctica. Men with Such toughness in mind and body, and the emotional support of the just as tough women standing aside their husbands This book gave great insight into the many factors that made exploration of Antarctica possible.

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Mawson

I have been to Antarctica and am preparing to return in a few months time and this book feels right. The author does a good job encapsulating the stories of Mawson, Scott, and Amundsen but falls woefully short in its discussions of Shackleton. The story of Endurance is relegated to the epilog and is all of a few sentences. that journey is one of the most impressive demonstrations of leadership that I know, it wouldnhave been good to include it. With that said I recognize this book is primarily about Mawson but the detail given to Scott and Amundsen should have been given to Shackleton's greatest crisis.

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Masterpiece

What can I say? Absolutely captivated from start to finish. A must read for anyone, especially if you have a love for adventure. I felt like I was there on the journey myself. What an incredible experience this book has been. Will forever stand among my all time favourite books.

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Can’t read can listen

Another excellent listen great vocals.
A story everyone should know about thanks to Peter Fitzsimons for educating myself again.
Through all the lockdowns and the continued COVID dramas audiobooks are a great escape.

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