Especially if getting them means making a winter journey across a pitchblack Antarctica in winter in temperatures of 70 below. "The Worst Journey In The World," Apsley Cherry-Garrard's memoir of the disastrous 1910 expedition led by Robert Falcon Scott, has been named by National Geographic as the greatest adventure tale of all time. It's available as an e-book for those who don't mind a long scroll.
Here's a video with the tale of the Emperor penguin eggs he and his comrades risked all to acquire, and how it all came to naught.
Thanks for the tip, D. Just ordered it from Amazon. I loved the Shackleton book "Endurance" [ his expedition set out in 1914] and hope this tale will be in that vein.
I don't know why I like Antartic books, stories and news items; maybe something to do with my reptile brain sensing the shadow of Global Warming....
Posted by: Carl in Atlanta at December 28, 2006 05:33 AM"Endurance" was so upsetting. I don't know why I love Antarctic stuff either, but I do. What a setting for awesome stories. Cold adventures really get me. I'm waiting for Nando Parrado's "Miracle in the Andes" to come in the mail. It got majorly fantastic reviews. Nando was the shy, quiet guy who became the lead expeditionary and got them rescued.
Even with Shackleton and Cherry, those guys were prepared and chose to go, the Andes survivors were literally dropped out of the sky into their frozen hell.
Posted by: Donnah at December 28, 2006 11:31 AM