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Title details for Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World by Jennifer Armstrong - Available

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World

The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance

by Jennifer Armstrong
Taylor Mali
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available

In 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton and a crew of twenty-seven men sailed from England in an attempt to cross Antarctica from one side to the other. Their ship, Endurance, became icebound and sank, still one hundred miles from land. What follows is one of the most amazing stories of survival ever recorded.

Over the next nineteen months, Shackleton led his men through brutal perils of every kind on ice, land, and sea with one goal—that they all survive. Whether it was a treacherous journey over ice, a storm-racked eight-hundred-mile open-boat journey, or a death-defying trek across a mountain range, Shackleton's mission never wavered: "But if you're a leader, a fellow that other fellows look to, you've got to keep going."

The story is enhanced with diary excerpts, explanations of the terrain, wildlife, and navigation techniques, and the Antarctic weather that so affected the outcome of the fateful voyage. And narrator Taylor Mali's dynamic performance transports the listener into the heart of this riveting saga.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Awards

  • Release date

    June 2, 2011

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781935430612
      • File size: 109147 KB
      • Duration: 03:47:23

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • ATOS Level: 7.3
    • Lexile® Measure: 1090
    • Interest Level: 4-8(MG)
    • Text Difficulty: 7-9

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from November 2, 1998
      Endurance is the fitting name British explorer Ernest Shackleton gave to the ship that left England in 1914 with a crew of 27, transporting what he anticipated to be the first expedition to cross the entire continent of Antarctica. It is also a fitting characterization for the struggle of the men described in this tale, a true story of survival against incredible odds. The crew of the ship (which sank a year and three months into their journey) went on to spend an Antarctic winter camping on ice floes, battling sub-zero temperatures and frostbite, dehydration and diarrhea, insomnia, boredom and--perhaps most dangerous of all--despair. Even while describing the months of inactivity, as the explorers drift along on ice floes, waiting to reach open water, Armstrong (The Dreams of Mairhe Mehan) keeps her narrative moving at a brisk pace. A generous supply of colorful anecdotes (e.g., Hussey, the meteorologist, "serenades the passing wildlife with his banjo") and excerpts from journals (one crewman described the ice-locked Endurance as being stuck "like an almond in the middle of a chocolate bar") shed light on the men's personalities and reveal Shackleton's remarkable skill for keeping his crew agreeable and hopeful, despite life-threatening conditions. Other passages--as when a floe on which the crew is camping suddenly cracks in two and one mate, still asleep, falls into the icy water--possess heart-pounding immediacy. Armstrong's absorbing storytelling, illustrated with dramatic black-and-white photographs, make this an enthralling adventure. Ages 10-13.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      If you think it's cold this winter, imagine being trapped from 1914 to 1916 on ice floes in Antarctica with barely enough food and too few tents and sleeping bags. Armstong's vivid biography of Shackleton and his crew is brought to life by Taylor Mali. Excerpts from diaries and newspaper accounts, which flesh out this incredible adventure of survival in the harshest environment on the planet, are read in distinct accents by Mali. Maps showing the travels of ship and crew on the audiobook cover help illustrate the extent of this trip. Mali's intense narration drives listeners of all ages to experience the severe weather, lack of food and incredible demands of exploration and survival. M.B.K. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • ATOS Level:7.3
  • Lexile® Measure:1090
  • Interest Level:4-8(MG)
  • Text Difficulty:7-9

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