Perspective

The historical text is written from the perspective of some decades after the events described. It is presented in a typical journalistic third-person, limited, point of view. The infrequently presented interior thoughts or motivations of individuals are not created from whole cloth but instead derived from analysis of journal entries and personal interviews with survivors. Indeed, the source materials available to the author are incredibly complete and a list of acknowledgements and primary sources are offered at the end of the text.

The text explores the incredible journey of Shackleton and the men of his expedition from the early stages of preparation through the sailing and eventual destruction of Endurance, to their adventure on the pack ice until their ultimate rescue. There is little direct information provided about the expedition's larger historical significance or impact on polar exploration. Similarly, the text does not consider the sociological phenomenon of...