The South Pole; an Account of the Norwegian Antarctic Expedition in the "fram," 1910-1912 — Volume 1
The South Pole; an Account of the Norwegian Antarctic Expedition in the "fram," 1910-1912 — Volume 1
Translated by Arthur G. (Arthur Grosvenor) Chater
This is Roald Amundsen's firsthand account of the expedition that made him the first human being to stand at the Geographic South Pole. Written in 1912, while the ice was still fresh in his memory, the narrative carries an immediacy that no biography can replicate. Amundsen details the years of meticulous planning: the construction of the ship Fram, the establishment of supply depots across the Antarctic ice, the careful selection and training of his dog teams, and the constant battle against temperatures that defied comprehension. He writes not with boastfulness but with the quiet precision of a man who trusts in his preparations and his team. The book follows the expedition from its departure in 1910 through the months of base camp waiting, the depot-laying journeys through the bitter Antarctic autumn of 1911, and the final push to 90° South in December. What emerges is a masterclass in expedition leadership and a document of human endurance at its absolute limit. For readers who want to hear the explorer himself tell the story of how humanity first touched the bottom of the world.
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“A hero, in his mind, was not someone who suffered disaster after disaster, heroically pulling through with great endurance, but rather one who focused his intelligence and skills to avoid disaster, thus succeeding by good planning and crafty decision making.””
— Roald Amundsen
“Although I have had offers of wireless installation for the Fram,” he said in one rambling interview, “that also I declined. I don’t care for it. It is very much better to be without news when you cannot be where the news comes from. We are always more contented if we get no news. A good book we like, we explorers. That is our best amusement and our best time killer.””
— Roald Amundsen
“Gjøa was later presented as a gift to the city of San Francisco, remaining on display in Golden Gate Park until 1972, when it was returned to Norway. It now resides in Oslo harbour, next to two other famous Norwegian ships, Fridtjof Nansen’s Fram and Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon-Tiki.””
— Roald Amundsen
“Amundsen slept with his window wide open at night even in the winter, claiming to his mother that he loved fresh air, but really “it was a part of my hardening process.” He organized small expeditions for himself and a few friends, such as overnight treks on skis under a star-studded sky, enlivened by the otherworldly swirling of the aurora borealis, into the winter wilds to improve his toughness.””
— Roald Amundsen
“It wasn’t Amundsen’s job to make his men happy, but to lead them to victory, alive.””
— Roald Amundsen
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Amundsen, Roald. The South Pole; an Account of the Norwegian Antarctic Expedition in the "fram," 1910-1912 — Volume 1. Lex, lex-books.com/book/the-south-pole-an-account-of-the-norwegian-antarctic-expedition-in-the-fram-1910-1f99064d-1911-467a-8a3b-50d36a04753d.Amundsen, R. (n.d.). The South Pole; an Account of the Norwegian Antarctic Expedition in the "fram," 1910-1912 — Volume 1. Lex. https://lex-books.com/book/the-south-pole-an-account-of-the-norwegian-antarctic-expedition-in-the-fram-1910-1f99064d-1911-467a-8a3b-50d36a04753dAmundsen, Roald. The South Pole; an Account of the Norwegian Antarctic Expedition in the "fram," 1910-1912 — Volume 1. Lex. https://lex-books.com/book/the-south-pole-an-account-of-the-norwegian-antarctic-expedition-in-the-fram-1910-1f99064d-1911-467a-8a3b-50d36a04753d.
