An Epic Struggle for Survival -- MICHAEL PALIN

“Classic grade-A” -- SUNDAY TIMES

“Absolutely gripping” -- GEOFF DYER, GUARDIAN

“Deeply committed” -- NEW YORK TIMES

LISTED AS BOOK OF THE YEAR IN TIMES, NEW STATESMAN, SUNDAY TIMES

The dramatic survival story of an early polar expedition that went horribly wrong, with the ship frozen in the ice and the crew trapped inside for the entirety of the Antarctic winter sun.

August 1897: The Belgica set sail, eager to become the first scientific expedition to reach the white desolation of the South Pole. But the ship soon became trapped in the ice of the Bellinghausen Sea, condemning the crew to spend the winter in Antarctica and months in endless polar night. In the darkness, with a mysterious illness plaguing them and their spirits ravaged by the sound of dozens of rats scurrying along the keel, they descended into madness.

In this epic tale, Julian Sancton reveals an adventure that went horribly wrong. As the crew hung by a thread, the Captain increasingly relied on two young officers, whose friendship had blossomed in captivity – Dr. Frederick Cook, the wild American, whose later infamy would overshadow his brilliance aboard the Belgica, and the ship’s first officer, the legendary Roald Amundsen, who would later race to reach Captain Scott at the South Pole. Together, Cook and Amundsen would plan one final, desperate escape from the ice – one that would enshrine their names in history or condemn them to a terrifying fate in the frozen ocean.

Drawing from diaries and logs of the crew, as well as exclusive access to the ship's log, the result is equal parts maritime thriller and gothic horror. This is an unforgettable journey into the depths.

Pages: 368, Dimensions: 12.7x12.7cm