Plan: After the South Pole already was reached by other parties, cross the Antarctic continent. Problem: The expedition's ship Endurance is caught in the pack ice before it reaches the operational area and is crushed slowly.

All of the crew can rescue themself to the pack ice, and manage also to bring lots of equipment including 3 small rescue boats with them. But now they are far from any land or parties who could help ...

Surviving on that pack ice, traveling by small boat via the cold antarctic sea to a bleak ice-covered island is not a good long term solution to stay alive. So expediton leader Shakeleton with a small group takes one of the rescue boats and does a risky long sea journey to fetch help.

It is a nonfiction expedition report from one of the last "traditional" antarctic missions before maritime radio, aerial rescue or electronic navigation was a thing.

For the time it was written I regard it as a very good readable specimen of expedition report.

It is a very nice read. I recommend it either in broiling summer heat (to cool down) or in cold winter (since some slight cold weather appears probably less extreme).

Bechdel Test: Sorry, no women on board ...

Gutenberg.org has different formats with and without images - the images are originals from the expedition photographer, but all black and white.