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Endurance
- Shackleton's Incredible Voyage
- Narrated by: Simon Prebble
- Length: 10 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: History, Americas
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Publisher's Summary
In August of 1914, the British ship Endurance set sail for the South Atlantic. In October 1915, still half a continent away from its intended base, the ship was trapped, then crushed in the ice. For five months, Sir Ernest Shackleton and his men, drifting on ice packs, were castaways in one of the most savage regions of the world.
Lansing describes how the men survived a 1,000-mile voyage in an open boat across the stormiest ocean on the globe and an overland trek through forbidding glaciers and mountains. The book recounts a harrowing adventure, but ultimately it is the nobility of these men and their indefatigable will that shines through.
Critic Reviews
Nominee, 2008 Audie Award, Nonfiction, Unabridged
"[O]ne of the most extraordinary tales of heroism and determination in the history of exploration.... Prebble's narration will bring to life the despair, elation, and sheer will of these men to survive, and to triumph, together." (AudioFile)
What listeners say about Endurance
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Justin
- 11-02-2017
The perfect audiobook
I hesitated to give a 5 star, because I very rarely deal out 5/5's, but honestly when you have a story this powerful and a narrator this equipped for the job, I think it's justified. The book itself does have moments of monotony, but that is only because the story is so gruelling. This is one of those must-listen audiobooks, one of the great 20th century stories and presented flawlessly.
9 people found this helpful
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- Michael Rafferty
- 22-10-2017
Amazing adventure
This is the most exhilarating non-fiction book I have ever listened to. Simply amazing story. This audio production brings the adventure to life in a visceral and dramatic way - it feels like you were there. Highly recommended.
7 people found this helpful
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- A. V. James
- 08-09-2017
amazing
just brilliantly done. the story is incredible and the performance was top notch. Can't recommend the book highly enough. must be read.
4 people found this helpful
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- Luke
- 08-03-2019
Amazing story. Exceptional performance
This is one of the best audiobooks I’ve heard. A great performance by Simon Prebble who brings the efforts and hardships faced by the men in this adventure to life. Hard to believe it’s non-fiction
2 people found this helpful
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- Samira
- 14-08-2019
You will never forget this story
This is a beautifully written and narrated book which captures an almost unbelievable story of survival. I have always wanted to know more about 'the Shackleton story' and this was a gift, an incredibly moving and humbling experience. I have struggled to find the words to describe how worthwhile it was. I laughed and cried, and even though I knew the outcome it was still emotional and suspenseful. it's the best money I have ever spent on an audiobook and I will definitely listen to it again.
Just one warning - for people who are very sensitive about animals being killed, there is quite a bit of that which happens in this story and though it is out of necessity you may want to fast forward some parts.
1 person found this helpful
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- samB
- 05-03-2019
Gripping!
The narration was excellent. story was gripping...I really enjoyed this book. highly recommend. finished in record time!
1 person found this helpful
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- Liam
- 04-03-2019
Great story
This is the best read I have done on aubible so far.
And unbelievably gripping story and told very well.
1 person found this helpful
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- Tony
- 15-01-2019
Amazing story
What an incredible story of survival against the odds. It truly shows the depths of human endurance. Also wonderfully written, many scenes so eloquently described you can close your eyes and visualise them. I winced many times listening to the stories of hardship it made for riveting storytelling. Highly recommended.
1 person found this helpful
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- Ben Kelly
- 29-12-2018
Fantastic book of survival
I loved this book. Such an amazing story of survival teamwork and leadership. It amazes me how they managed to survive in such conditions. The story is well written and the narration is great.
1 person found this helpful
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- gallluke
- 28-12-2018
What a story
What a story of suffering, endurance and grit. Super human effort. What these guys went through. Listened on a long drive with my climate control maintaining comfort in my leather seated car, the story reminded me of how much of a pussy modern day man has become.
1 person found this helpful
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- David
- 19-01-2014
Superb in so many ways
This is unquestionably the most amazing tale of men against the elements that I have ever read or heard, and it is told remarkably well by Lansing who draws artfully from the actual diary entries of the participants without ever reducing the narrative to a dry progression of quotes. His ability to bring the harrowing conditions and landscape, the fascinating array of characters, and the grueling sequence of challenges and hairsbreadth escapes into sharp and riveting focus is quite extraordinary. Simon Prebble is a perfect match for the fine writing. He audibly sorts out the personalities involved and presents the whole with an understated but charged clarity which keeps the narrative moving even through what could seem like a never ending and tedious progression of disasters in the voice of a lesser reader.
Of course the real stars here are Shackleton and the men under his command who prove themselves capable of feats of courage, endurance and simple, stubborn determination which almost surpass belief. Ordinary and flawed in so many ways, they come together to become much more than the sum of their individual qualities.
In the end, the most fascinating part of this story is the long and torturous series of life and death choices involved. Time after time Shackleton's decisions are crucial to the party's survival, whether the question is when to abandon the pack ice for the boats, when to kill the dogs, when to allow the party to split, or how to get to the bottom of a nearly vertical snowbound precipice in order to avoid freezing at high altitude (think Butch Cassidy and Sundance). Nature is an implacable adversary for these men, marshaling countless terrifying storms, thirst, cold, hunger, completely unpredictable ice and long weeks of winter darkness against them and time after time crushing hope just as it seems most justified. Perhaps the most extraordinary decision of all, under the circumstances, was the choice each of them made to simply keep on keeping on when it seemed to make no sense
Finally, while this tale is exhausting in some ways, it is also deeply inspiring and satisfying. And Lansing and Prebble have given us the wonderful opportunity to "experience" it all while sitting in comfort and safety. Almost doesn't seem fair, but I strongly urge you to take advantage of the offer.
172 people found this helpful
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- Thomas Allen
- 17-09-2008
The best book I've had
I just walked into the house after sitting in my Jeep in the driveway to finish off the last half-hour or so of this incredible book. Strangely enough, I couldn't wait for the book to be over, not because the book wasn't outstanding, but because I just wanted the trials and ordeals of these unfortunate but heroic men to be over. And as the story came into the last chapter and epilogue, I found myself almost brought to tears several times. At the risk of sounding ridiculously sentimental, this book brought into sharp contrast many of my own shortcomings and made me want to work to become a stronger and better person. I wonder if I would have survived.
267 people found this helpful
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- Juniper
- 08-08-2018
Am I hearing the same book as these people?
Slow, dry, monotonous and repetitive. Endurance begins somewhat interesting when it's engaged in talking about the preparations required to consider an undertaking of adventure and danger. Once danger hits, though, most of these preparations go out the window. What we're left with is a very tedious record of food stocks, weather, and ice conditions day after day after day. Very little changes. A few interpersonal conflicts spice things up, but the reader's delivery is so matter of fact it completely fails to raise any interest in the proceedings. I only managed to get halfway through because it felt like torture to sit there listening to which dogs would die this time along with the innumerable seals and penguins that were slaughtered. The realities of survival in adverse conditions can be harsh, sure, but this book kills any of the sense of adventure one might have had.
15 people found this helpful
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- Jane
- 27-01-2010
Inspiration
A magnificent book and well read. An extraordinary adventure which reveals the range of human capacities for endurance, teamwork, innovation, care for others, compassion and bravery. Bravery, bravery, bravery. It is almost impossible to comprehend the level of persistence shown by these stranded Antarctic explorers as they sought to escape from their immensely dangerous, if not impossible, predicament.
By way of tragic contrast, on the other side of the world, World War I raged where thousands upon thousands of humans killed each other for reasons they were not sure of.
Endurance is an accessible glimpse into a side of human nature that might inspire people who are feeling directionless and lost.
53 people found this helpful
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- russell
- 09-12-2008
Endurance
I usually never write a review but because this book was so good I had to say something about it. From the beginning to the end the story was very interesting and more because it was true. I think Hollywood should read this book and make a movie out of it instead of the garbage that they make today in Hollywood. You cannot imagine the hardships that these men suffered and the courage that they had don't miss this one you won't be sorry
102 people found this helpful
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- Jennie
- 12-12-2008
Unbelievably riveting!
I could not stop listening to this absolutely amazing story- I listened to the whole 13 hours and 59 minutes in the course of 2 days! It is intense, well written, and Simon Prebble is, in my opinion, the best narrator on earth. I highly recommend this audiobook!!
69 people found this helpful
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- Don Lance
- 11-09-2008
Great comprehensive narrative
While there are other books that cover this famous expedition, this one seems to be very comprehensive and doesn't skip over a lot of details. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Kept my attention throughout the narrative, and I kept wondering how everyone in the expedition would survive such adversity.
I would give it 5 stars except I think the ending left me "hanging" a bit. I expected an epilogue or some type of follow-up with how the expedition members integrated back into society. (Or how society responded to their harrowing tale in the months/years that followed.) But it was not there.
I recommend it anyway for anyone who loves a great adventure story!
52 people found this helpful
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- Gillian
- 27-01-2014
Now THIS is Edge-Of-Your-Seat Storytelling!
Where does Endurance rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Endurance is, quite possibly, the best of all my audiobooks. You know how the story's going to turn out, but it's still a breathless journey through a nightmare of a situation. I kept finding myself shouting, "Shackleton!" throughout my day, much to my husband's dismay. But you're so immersed, you can't help but drag it through your current existence. Recently on PBS, they've shown "Chasing Shackleton," but the journey of those men is as nothing to Shackleton and his men's situation. And the show has swelling background music that the audiobook doesn't need to convey drama or severity. Extraordinary. And Simon Prebble's narration is flawless in his delivery. Who else could deliver subtle variations in voice, tone, pacing that the story hinges on, like he can here?
What did you like best about this story?
I liked that, though I knew about the history of their quest and their plight, I certainly didn't know the specifics of their ordeal. This audiobook flows like only the best literature can. It's an edge-of-your-seat read/listen and you will find yourself blown away by the tenacity of the men, and by their resourcefulness.
Which scene was your favorite?
I particularly enjoyed the way the men kept a semblance of "normalcy" in horrific circumstances. Who else, but Shackleton, would encourage cheer and playfulness on Christmas. And there's one part, during the daring voyage to St. George, where, after brutal, bitter conditions, the men are so relieved by the minor, minor lifting of terrifying weather, that they're joyful, and they seem like they're out for a jaunt, picnickers on a spring day. I stopped all my sniveling about cold weather after I got through that scene.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Oh, I had extreme reactions all over the place. THIS is what a five-star audiobook is! Utter transportation to somewhere I had no idea ever existed. You feel the joy of the men, their resignation. You feel their fear, and you come to love some of them so much, you feel fear for them. Exhilarating, I tell you!
Any additional comments?
Spend your credit on this book, buy it outright, whatever! Just give yourself the gift to this wonderful journey and enjoy! You'll be thinking of it long after you're finished listening.
30 people found this helpful
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- Carpe Diem
- 09-12-2009
Enthralling
A thrill ride to hell and back. Excitingly written and narrated. I almost felt like I was there. Just when you think their situation can't get any more desperate, it does.
31 people found this helpful
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- Angela
- 16-01-2010
Amazing Adventure!
I read this book several years ago and was looking for a good book to listen to.
(The Help was so excellent it has raised my standards for audiobooks. I am finding it very difficult to listen to other books.)
Although I know the beginning, end and middle of the story, I am still anxious to finish it. I'm not sure how a book that has been already read can be suspenseful but it is.
The hardships that the men had to endure and how they faced it are amazing. The detail that the author included in the book is perfect - enough to understand the hardships and the backgrounds but not so much that it is boring and slow.
The narrator does an excellent job with pacing and with the different voices.
Excellent book!
33 people found this helpful
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- penobscott
- 10-07-2017
Enthralling
One of the best Audio books I have listened to. The story is gripping and the narrator imparts just the right amount of tension at key moments.
The mental and physical challenges encountered by Shackleton and his team was, and remains, the finest example of leadership and human endurance unsurpassed in modern day history.
14 people found this helpful
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- Matt
- 15-11-2016
Astonishing, inspirational, unforgettable
Simply the most incredible and inspirational story I have ever heard. Have listened twice and it loses nothing second time around. Awe inspiring to hear what those amazing men endured.
10 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 25-06-2017
Harrowing and inspiring
They were made of sterner stuff back then. Scarcely believable tale of endurance and hardship.
9 people found this helpful
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- G M F
- 21-06-2020
If only I could give it 6 stars
Simply the best audiobook I've ever listened to. Brilliant on every level. They don't make men like this anymore. As soon as I finished it I started again from the beginning as I'll never find another book this good.
5 people found this helpful
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- emma spencer
- 18-04-2020
Incredible.
I've now listened to this more times than I can remember and enjoy it every single time like the first time. Hands down my favourite book.
5 people found this helpful
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- c
- 15-02-2016
How Did They Endure This -and Survive?
Would you consider the audio edition of Endurance to be better than the print version?
I can't directly compare the two as I haven't read the novel, but the narrator, Simon Prebble, does a truly wonderful job and he complements the novel perfectly.
What other book might you compare Endurance to, and why?
This is the first novel of its' kind that I've ever listened to and because I was so totally immersed in it, and captivated by it, I will be searching for more. The question is, will I find anything this good again? What a truly fantastic story of human courage and perseverance by every single member of this expedition. Not least of whom was Ernest H. Shackelton.
What about Simon Prebble’s performance did you like?
A great example of how to perfectly balance the re-telling of such an epic journey. No need for over-emphasis or over dramatisation because it seems that was just not the way of any of the members of this expedition. Heroes really,to a man but I daresay they would never have seem themselves that way.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes but mentally I could not have 'endured' it! I was exhausted just listening to it. How DID they live through this? I felt so humbled by their bravery. Endurance is the perfect title.
Any additional comments?
A novel full of heroes, each in their own way. Why anyone would risk putting themselves through this is a mystery to me still, but that fact did not detract in any way from my absolute admiration for Shackelton and his stoic men. What a great,great pity that this wasn't acknowledged at the time for being the pinnacle of achievement we all see it for today.We do indeed live in better and more enlightened times now.
16 people found this helpful
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- Wras
- 14-01-2018
Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration
An incredible tale of survival and impossible achievement for most human beings, these men showed a brotherhood and a strength that is motivational and inspiring, it makes most daily complaints seem petty and absurd.
A story that is true but is hard to conceive, a truly amazing tale, in a time when modern technology was just awakening and death was a close companion.
5 people found this helpful
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- M
- 27-05-2017
True Heroics
Set against our present age of hyped-up sporting "triumphs", celebrity vloggers and x-factor instant successes, this is a story of truly heroic behaviour. After setting the last great goal of antarctic exploration (walking from one side to the other), Sir Ernest Shackleton and his team of twenty seven assorted seamen, scientists, artists and adventurers face one set-back after another. They accept appalling suffering, and an endlessly diminishing sense of security as the expedition is first icebound, then cast adrift on a frozen sea with little but the clothes they are wearing. Although the leadership of Shackleton looms large in every episode, his eventual accomplishment is only really possible because of the extraordinary crew he had formed, and their ability to "grunt and go" never fails to amaze. Even the most flawed of them appears almost superhuman in modern terms.
This account was published in the 50s, and offers exceptional practical detail, even if it does brush too lightly over some of the interpersonal antagonisms that coloured the men's experiences. A near mutiny by the ship's carpenter McNish, is a particularly sad story that is not followed to its conclusion, and the somewhat selfish Thomas Orde-Lees is let off surprisingly gently, being treated largely as the camp clown.
8 people found this helpful
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- crispd
- 29-09-2013
An amazing story, wonderfully told
I thought that this audio book may be a little bit dry , maybe a bit too detailed without much emotion or human interest. I was wrong !
To me , there was a perfect balance between stark facts and personal stories to draw you into the narrative. I could never wait for the next opportunity to find out what had become of that party of men, stranded in the Antarctic.
Though I knew a very little about Shackleton himself, I was almost completely unfamiliar with the details of this episode previously. However, the situation, the environment and the individuals involved were all brought rapidly to life .
I feel that anyone with the slightest interest in this type of story will be delighted with this purchase. Personally, I enjoyed it so much, I will be listening to it again very soon. . .
13 people found this helpful
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- William
- 31-01-2010
Staggering
This is a great account of a journey that would not be able to find a place in fiction because it would stretch credulity too far. The story of Shackleton's ill fated expedition is well known but even knowing the ending did not make this account any less gripping - it is rather like a pre-space age Apollo 13!
The reading is first rate and the reader draws out the personalities and underplays the performance to good effect. The events are dramatic enough on their own.
Highly recommended
15 people found this helpful
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