I haven't seen this documentary, but I am interested in Shackleton's expedition. I have a couple of books on the topic (The Worst Journey in the World, written by one of the crew, and Alfred Lansing's book Endurance). I meant to read them last winter when it was really cold, but I didn't manage it. I am renewing my resolve for this winter. Perhaps I will sit in the backyard in a snow drift while I read.

I think Kenneth Branagh made a TV movie about the expedition a few years ago, but I've not seen it.

I believe Endurance is the book on which this documentary is based.

Sitting in a snowdrift would certainly create the proper atmosphere for reading those books, Craig.

Reading to cool off is reasonable, I suppose, especially considering how hot you have it down there, but for me it's just too incongruous. It is cold in the Antarctic, and one really should be cold when reading about it.

The same idea generalizes: one should read Heart of Darkness only when travelling in a hot climate; likewise On the Road is suitable while travelling through the central US; Bradbury's Mars Trilogy -- well, I haven't read it, have you? And so on.

A couple of years ago I bought a beautiful coffee table book for my sister that consisted of photographs from the Shackleton expedition. It was an amazing book, and I have often lamented that I didn't also buy one for myself. I've since been unable to find it (at least at a price that I can afford).

It was great reading Martian Chronicles while looking out of the dome at those red sands.

As far as this documentary is concerned, it's more effective if you don't know how the expedition turned out. So if you don't know and think you might want to see this, avoid reading anything about it in the meantime. Those who do know should refrain from giving it away. I admit asking people not to give spoilers about a famous event that happened almost a hundred years ago is pretty funny. And I'm glad there's someone else who doesn't know.

Clearly another indication of encroaching Socialism.

Do you get these out of a machine? Surely if you bought them at the store you could examine the package to prevent such a tragedy.

AMDG

Lord Franklin is a great song. Pentangle has a version that I really love. Basically like this but harmonized differently somehow...at any rate a little more mysterious sounding.

I'm not sure I could do that accurately, Janet--the paper is only half-transparent. And I'd be afraid of being accosted by a store employee.

I think the lyrics given there are off here and there. I thought it was "Through cruel hardship they made a stroke/ The ship on mountains of ice was broke".

Shackleton's book South makes for compelling reading. Among much, much else it reveals a particular advantage to dogsleds, one which modern machinery cannot match. Hint: as the expedition proceeds, and the supplies are consumed, fewer dogs are needed. This provides a new source of, ahem, food.

There is a beautiful essay about Polar explorers in Anne Fadiman's book Ex Libris. Also one about reading books "on location," as it were.