Amanda Wilson, Hokies Abroad  marketing intern, recommends Antarctica  bound travelers to read Alfred Lansing’s Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage:

In 1912, Sir Ernest Shackleton  and his men set sail from Norway on the 1914 Imperial Trans-Antarctica Expedition, beginning one of the most infamous voyages in history. Set out to be the first to cross the continent, Shackleton and his men became trapped on the ice for months on end and repeatedly faced with obstacles. While the ill-fated voyage was one of struggle, loss and hardship, it soon became a universal tale of heroism, perseverance and leadership.

Many authors have chosen to write about Ernest Shackleton’s epic journey to Antarctica; however, I think the best version of the tale is by Alfred Lansing. Lansing tells the death-defying saga of the polar explorer’s fight for survival in Antarctica’s ice-laden seas. He masterfully narrates the fateful journey, capturing the emotions of Shackleton’s men.

Lansing interviewed numerous survivors of the expedition and researched countless diaries and documents in order to create an accurate narrative with the emotion of a firsthand account. You can order Lansing’s book here.

Lansing’s account is a must-read for anyone interested in polar history and exploration or any Antarctica  study abroad student.