The Worst Journey in the World
by Apsley Cherry-Garrard · first published 1922
81% recommend19% neutral
Why HN recommends it
First-hand memoir of Scott's last Antarctic expedition by its youngest member, with extreme winter-journey detail and the human cost of failure. Suits readers of polar exploration and survival adventure.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
The Worst Journey in the World is a 1922 memoir by Apsley Cherry-Garrard of Robert Falcon Scott's Terra Nova expedition to the South Pole in 1910–1913. It has earned wide praise for its frank treatment of the difficulties of the expedition, the causes of its disastrous outcome, and the meaning of human suffering under extreme conditions.
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For anyone interested in Arctic Exploration, I highly recommend the book "The Worst Journey in the World" by Apsley Cherry-Garrard [1] It tells the story of Scott's 1910-1913 attempt to become the first to the South Pole. I can honestly say this is the most extreme expedition I've ever read about. Simply…
on “Stark images of Shackleton's struggle” ↗Not the book the guy told you about, but one of the finest memoirs ever written about exploring Antarctica - The Worst Journey In The World. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Worst_Journey_in_the_World It's a fantastic read, written by Apsley Cherry-Garrard who was part of Scott's expedition. Such an amazing story, and to think they were…
on “Colin O’Brady Completes Crossing of Antarctica with Final 32-Hour Push” ↗…recommend that you read other people's stories. You can read Founders at Work or something by Bill Gates but first I'd recommend reading Cherry-Garrard's account of Scott's attempt on the South Pole "The Worst Journey in the World". It changed my whole perception of life. Scott's team knew there was a good chance they would die. They knew they didn't know HOW to get to the pole. They knew they didn't know how to survive at -60c.…
on “Ask HN: How do I become smarter?” ↗Folks - off topic but if we're talking about incredible (really unbelievable in today's context) adventure books I'll nominate Aspley Cherry-Garrard's The Worst Journey in the World [0]. A. C-G was the youngest member of Robert Falcon Scott's ill-fated second journey to the Antarctic. And no, the worst journey was not the southern journey in which all five members died on return.…
on “Ship found in Arctic 168 years after doomed Northwest Passage attempt” ↗…still have to read "Le Pourquoi pas dans l'Antarctique" that I bought some years ago. I've always been quite fascinated by Antarctic exploration, and one of my all times favourite books still is The Worst journey in the world by Cherry-Garrard, that relates Scott's last expedition and lost race to the Pole (highly recommended if you're keen on adventure books).
on “Pourquoi-Pas (1908)” ↗…amazing period. In summary, Shackleton and Nansen are admirable for courage an endurance. But Amundsen is far ahead of them all in competence, and that is what counts. And then you can also try "The worst journey in the world" by Ansley Cherry-Garrard. An expedition in darkness...
on “A brief history of people losing their minds in Antarctica” ↗…does not promise him a financial return within a year. And so you will sledge nearly alone, but those with whom you sledge will not be shopkeepers: that is worth a good deal. — Apsley Cherry-Garrard, The Worst Journey in the World: Antarctica 1910-1913 What a quote!
on “From McMurdo Sound to Flanders Fields” ↗A top recommendation along these lines is The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garard; a member of the Scott expedition to the south pole, which goes into detail of his winter journey (which the title refers to). One of the best historical adventure books I've read
on “Ask HN: Books about people who did hard things” ↗"The Survivor" by Thomas Keneally is a fictionalised account of an incident of this nature. Entirely unrelated, but a great read. "The worst journey in the world" by Apsley Cherry Garrard and "Home of the Blizzard" by sir Douglas Mawson are great reads about the privations of antactica.
on “British man who perished in Antarctic glacier found 65 years later” ↗Make yourself a favor and buy the book. It's full of wonderful photos, and the story is unbelievable. For a complete tour, also read "The worst journey in the world" about 1911 Scott's expedition (available on gutenberg.org for free).
on “Shackleton’s Antarctica in colour, 1915” ↗not too off topic: I've been reading "The Worst Journey in the World" - fascinating! also, to help with the general mood I bought a bottle of this whisky: https://www.whiskyshop.com/shackleton cheers!
on “Things no one tells you before an Antarctic expedition (2015)” ↗Try "The Worst Journey in the World" [1], there are eBook links from the wiki page. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Worst_Journey_in_the_World
on “Endurance: Shackleton's lost ship is found in Antarctic” ↗The Worst Journey in the World - Story of Scott's famous expedition to the South Pole written by an unlikely team mate. This book literally changed the way I see men and heroes. Mein Kampf - never has fascism looked so reasonable…
on “Books That Changed My Life” ↗I'm very fond of "The Worst Journey In the World", about Scott's last expedition.
on “Lost Franklin expedition ship found in the Arctic” ↗I hope Mr. Worsley has read "The Worst Journey in the World" to familiarize himself with the dangers he will face.
on “Attempting the first unsupported, unassisted solo crossing of Antarctic landmass” ↗