An amazing story of hardship, perseverance and final triumph.  ( )

Great story. Spoiler alert: they kill the sled dogs. So don't give this book to your husband if his beloved husky/malamute dog died recently because he'll have a hard time forgiving you. ( )

I would say that the writing is not terrible, but in the hands of a better writer, this story would be gripping. The sources are diaries and interviews with some of the members of the expedition. I rate this highly because it is the amazing but true story of incredible hardship and struggle for survival over the course of many months in the most hostile environment on the planet. The fact that these incredibly brave men weren't scared out of their wits and performed at such a high level, though malnourished and dehydrated for long stretches of time, just boggles my mind. Just when you think things will get better, there is even greater hardships to overcome. The fact that not one of these guys perished is astounding. ( )

Didn't like it as much as I thought I would. Well written but sometimes tedious. ( )

Lansing's mastery lies in letting the story present itself through the characters and their awesome spirit of determination. Any single stage of their journey would be in itself the adventure of a lifetime; for most people, a traumatic, if not terminable one. They spent nearly two years on frozen ice and arctic waves. They lived on aging rations, seals, and penguins. They performed feats of survival, navigation, and mountaineering. Read this and experience writing strong because of its simplicity, an adventure strong because of the fortitude it demanded, and leadership lessons proven strong by their result - survival. ( )