Publication
Random House Large Print
Collection
Call number
Large Print Fiction S
Physical description
468 p.; 23 inches
Status
Available
Call number
Description
Biography & Autobiography. History. Nonfiction. HTML:NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER �?� The �??exquisitely researched and deeply engrossing�?� (The New York Times) true survival story of an early polar expedition that went terribly awry�??with the ship frozen in ice and the crew trapped inside for the entire sunless, Antarctic winter �??The energy of the narrative never flags. . . . Sancton has produced a thriller.�?��??The Wall Street Journal In August 1897, the young Belgian commandant Adrien de Gerlache set sail for a three-year expedition aboard the good ship Belgica with dreams of glory. His destination was the uncharted end of the earth: the icy continent of Antarctica. But de Gerlache�??s plans to be first to the magnetic South Pole would swiftly go awry. After a series of costly setbacks, the commandant faced two bad options: turn back in defeat and spare his men the devastating Antarctic winter, or recklessly chase fame by sailing deeper into the freezing waters. De Gerlache sailed on, and soon the Belgica was stuck fast in the icy hold of the Bellingshausen Sea. When the sun set on the magnificent polar landscape one last time, the ship�??s occupants were condemned to months of endless night. In the darkness, plagued by a mysterious illness and besieged by monotony, they descended into madness. In Madhouse at the End of the Earth, Julian Sancton unfolds an epic story of adventure and horror for the ages. As the Belgica�??s men teetered on the brink, de Gerlache relied increasingly on two young officers whose friendship had blossomed in captivity: the expedition�??s lone American, Dr. Frederick Cook�??half genius, half con man�??whose later infamy would overshadow his brilliance on the Belgica; and the ship�??s first mate, soon-to-be legendary Roald Amundsen, even in his youth the storybook picture of a sailor. Together, they would plan a last-ditch, nearly certain-to-fail escape from the ice�??one that would either etch their names in history or doom them to a terrible fate at the ocean�??s bottom. Drawing on the diaries and journals of the Belgica�??s crew and with exclusive access to the ship�??s logbook, Sancton brings novelistic flair to a story of human extremes, one so remarkable that even today NASA studies it for research on isolation for future missions to Mars. Equal parts maritime thriller and gothic horror, Madhouse at the End of th… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member pivic
This is a story about how one commander roped together a motley band of people, some expert, some extremely incompetent, and set off on a journey to Antarctica on the ship *Belgica*. Visions of fame, broken world records, money, and adventure, a crew was collated and a journey from Belgium
There were failed and deadly travels made before in search of the poles. The ships *Terror* and *Erebus* left for their journeys a few decades before *Belgica*, and both were frozen stuck in ice. This was most definitely in the minds of arctic would-be explorers.
This book managed to not only send chills down my spine more times than I remember, but its author soberly and brilliantly wove together many tales that would seem unbelievable if told in a vivacious manner.
> But perhaps the most dreaded possibility was that the Belgica would be caught in the ice and either crushed by the pressure or kept captive indefinitely, leaving her men to starve to death. Several notorious expeditions to the northern polar regions had met such fates. De Gerlache presumed that a half ton of tonite would more than suffice to break the grip of the sea ice. It was the first time he underestimated the power of Antarctica, but it would not be the last.
The book paints a picture of different individuals from different cultures, some of which agreed to carry out a mission with very different motives. There's not much psychology at play other than what Sancton lets the reader puzzle together, nor is this a bone-dry recant of events. The closest comparison I can make from this book, is probably Arthur Conan Doyle's books about Sherlock Holmes. Not that this is a detective story! Most of that work is done for us by Sancton, who has pieced together a detailed picture from many different sources, not all of which are believable, which makes this story even more interesting.
Adrien de Gerlache, the commander of *Belgica*, was an interesting and frustrating man. He was good at raising funds for his journey but could not handle a crew.
> The Belgian crew members de Gerlache was able to wrangle over the course of a year were far from the cream of the crop. They included a navy mechanic, Joseph Duvivier, whose superior officer wrote a letter of recommendation that read much more like a warning: “In summation, it is possible that Mr. Duvivier might figure out how to work a very simple engine, like the Belgica’s, but I cannot guarantee it.” De Gerlache hired him.
There's a notable person in this book:
> In late July 1896, de Gerlache received a letter that caught his attention:
>
>> To Lieutenant A. de Gerlache, As I have just been informed that you don’t intend to launch your Antarctic expedition until next year, I would like to ask if there is still an open position among the personnel of your expedition. If so, I would be grateful for a spot as a sailor. I’m 24 years old and I served in 1894 on the “Magdalena” with Captain Stöcksen in the glacial sea and this year aboard the “Jason,” Captain Evensen. I have passed my middle school exams, the baccalaureate, and my navigation school exam. I have the best certificate as regards my health. Finally, I might add that I am used to skiing and that I have undertaken difficult ski trips in the high mountains. I would be grateful if you would kindly respond soon…. Roald Amundsen
When thinking of this book, I count several emotions: excitement, frustration, anger, fear, affection, and engagement. The story is told in great pace using old-school adventure style. I was truly gripped by this book and read it in a day.
> No human being had ever wintered south of the South Shetland Islands—let alone south of the antarctic circle—and the dangers of doing so in the sea ice were obvious. De Gerlache was well aware of the fate that could befall an icebound expedition. He had read enough polar history to know that it was far easier to enter the pack than to break out of it. Such was the case with the Franklin expedition of the 1840s: after the Terror and the Erebus succumbed to the pack in the Canadian Arctic, all of their men were left to die of cold, starvation, and disease.
Many things took place on the *Belgica*. I will not spoil surprises, but near-mutiny being thing is enough to note, but I assure you: you risk not believing me if I would list them, for they are many and often unrestrained. This is partly a classical tale of what happens when one does not analyse and plan what could happen during a journey.
I can only recommend this book extremely highly. It's a paragon of success where adventures go, and its appendix of what happened after the journey is also thoroughly engaging.
Show More
began.There were failed and deadly travels made before in search of the poles. The ships *Terror* and *Erebus* left for their journeys a few decades before *Belgica*, and both were frozen stuck in ice. This was most definitely in the minds of arctic would-be explorers.
This book managed to not only send chills down my spine more times than I remember, but its author soberly and brilliantly wove together many tales that would seem unbelievable if told in a vivacious manner.
> But perhaps the most dreaded possibility was that the Belgica would be caught in the ice and either crushed by the pressure or kept captive indefinitely, leaving her men to starve to death. Several notorious expeditions to the northern polar regions had met such fates. De Gerlache presumed that a half ton of tonite would more than suffice to break the grip of the sea ice. It was the first time he underestimated the power of Antarctica, but it would not be the last.
The book paints a picture of different individuals from different cultures, some of which agreed to carry out a mission with very different motives. There's not much psychology at play other than what Sancton lets the reader puzzle together, nor is this a bone-dry recant of events. The closest comparison I can make from this book, is probably Arthur Conan Doyle's books about Sherlock Holmes. Not that this is a detective story! Most of that work is done for us by Sancton, who has pieced together a detailed picture from many different sources, not all of which are believable, which makes this story even more interesting.
Adrien de Gerlache, the commander of *Belgica*, was an interesting and frustrating man. He was good at raising funds for his journey but could not handle a crew.
> The Belgian crew members de Gerlache was able to wrangle over the course of a year were far from the cream of the crop. They included a navy mechanic, Joseph Duvivier, whose superior officer wrote a letter of recommendation that read much more like a warning: “In summation, it is possible that Mr. Duvivier might figure out how to work a very simple engine, like the Belgica’s, but I cannot guarantee it.” De Gerlache hired him.
There's a notable person in this book:
> In late July 1896, de Gerlache received a letter that caught his attention:
>
>> To Lieutenant A. de Gerlache, As I have just been informed that you don’t intend to launch your Antarctic expedition until next year, I would like to ask if there is still an open position among the personnel of your expedition. If so, I would be grateful for a spot as a sailor. I’m 24 years old and I served in 1894 on the “Magdalena” with Captain Stöcksen in the glacial sea and this year aboard the “Jason,” Captain Evensen. I have passed my middle school exams, the baccalaureate, and my navigation school exam. I have the best certificate as regards my health. Finally, I might add that I am used to skiing and that I have undertaken difficult ski trips in the high mountains. I would be grateful if you would kindly respond soon…. Roald Amundsen
When thinking of this book, I count several emotions: excitement, frustration, anger, fear, affection, and engagement. The story is told in great pace using old-school adventure style. I was truly gripped by this book and read it in a day.
> No human being had ever wintered south of the South Shetland Islands—let alone south of the antarctic circle—and the dangers of doing so in the sea ice were obvious. De Gerlache was well aware of the fate that could befall an icebound expedition. He had read enough polar history to know that it was far easier to enter the pack than to break out of it. Such was the case with the Franklin expedition of the 1840s: after the Terror and the Erebus succumbed to the pack in the Canadian Arctic, all of their men were left to die of cold, starvation, and disease.
Many things took place on the *Belgica*. I will not spoil surprises, but near-mutiny being thing is enough to note, but I assure you: you risk not believing me if I would list them, for they are many and often unrestrained. This is partly a classical tale of what happens when one does not analyse and plan what could happen during a journey.
I can only recommend this book extremely highly. It's a paragon of success where adventures go, and its appendix of what happened after the journey is also thoroughly engaging.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Stbalbach
Badly written. Not comparable to "Alfred Lansing’s immortal classic Endurance" (Nathaniel Philbrick), in fact among the worst polar exploration books I have read. Et tu, Schiff, Sides and Isaacson? [disappointed]
LibraryThing member m_k_m
An interesting enough account of the Belgian Antarctic Expedition of 1897–99, albeit one that struggles to generate the claustrophobia, paranoia and dread its title promises. It might be that the two things are working against each other, for while the level of detail meant I learnt a lot about
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the expedition, the challenges it faced, and its place in both the history of antarctic exploration and indeed the world, it works against any deeper emotional feelings. A good history, but a less striking story. Show Less
LibraryThing member mnicol
Really good read. Marred only by the gratuitous description of the frequently-mentioned Sir John Franklin as a “bald and doughy naval officer” (p.56). A as resident of Franklin Road in Claremont Cape Town (close to Cook and Nansen Roads) I take exception to this casual characterisation. I first
We have no Amundsen Road – although artic explorers Nares, Parry, Lockwood, Thomson, Markham and Hall are all recognised – maybe this is because the naming of streets took place in 1904, when Amundsen himself was stuck in the Northwest Passage for 2 years!
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believed it might be a misprint for “doughty” – but there are no misprints in the book, so “doughy” is the word Julian Sancton meant to use. Franklin visited Cape Town in 1836 on his way to his posting as Governor of Tasmania. Other sources describe Franklin as “short and stocky”, but “bald, short and stocky” would also be unjust. Franklin was bald, resourceful and unlucky. New research casts doubt on Sancton’s view that Franklin refused to eat artic game when trapped in the Northwest Passage in 1845 and stuck to “Royal Navy Protocols”. Much of his expedition's tinned food was contaminated with lead and lead poisoning is now believed as important factor on the death of the last survivors of his party in the Arctic.We have no Amundsen Road – although artic explorers Nares, Parry, Lockwood, Thomson, Markham and Hall are all recognised – maybe this is because the naming of streets took place in 1904, when Amundsen himself was stuck in the Northwest Passage for 2 years!
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LibraryThing member yukon92
Very intense and at times very slow going!
LibraryThing member ibkennedy
This is a terrific story, beautifully told.
LibraryThing member addunn3
A decade and a half before Shackleton, A Belgian mission attempted to explore deep into the Antarctic. Well written and one of the best "exploration" novels I have read.
LibraryThing member Castlelass
Narrative non-fiction that tells the story of the Belgica, commanded by Adrien de Gerlache de Gomery, that set off for Antarctica in 1897 in an early attempt to reach the South Pole. Crew members included Norwegian Roald Amundsen, the First Mate, and American Dr. Frederick Cook, the ship’s
“Floes parted and leads opened up, inviting the Belgica in and presenting de Gerlache with a fleeting opportunity to pierce deep into the heart of the Antarctic sea ice. The commandant was forced to make a decision. The ship had just passed the 70th parallel, and the newly formed avenues offered him the chance to blaze a southern course and perhaps set a new record. But penetrating this far into the pack this late in the year meant almost certain entrapment, not for hours or days but for months or possibly years.”
They proceeded and became the first ship to over-winter in the Antarctic ice pack. It is a survival story of overcoming significant mental and physical obstacles. These men faced perilous conditions. The ship was at constant risk of getting crushed. Food became scarce. They were beset by a mysterious illness and suffered from a monotonous existence. Several developed alarming mental issues. Two never returned.
“Cook expected a downward turn in the general mood, but he was surprised by the depth to which it fell in the days following the last sunset. The men walked the Belgica’s decks seized by despair—when they could even be roused to walk at all. The primordial gloom that all humans feel in darkness…was here compounded by total isolation and the ever-present fear that the ice could crush the ship or open up beneath one’s feet.”
The author does a brilliant job of transporting the reader back in time, adding appropriate historical context. It offers an example of people pushed to the limits of endurance. It portrays the importance of optimism and creativity in survival situations. The manner in which they finally escaped the ice is amazing. An epilogue provides an account of what happened to these people afterward.
“The Belgica entered the strait under a fairy-tale light. The sun had dipped behind the mountains to the west but was still catching their peaks and illuminating the sparse clouds above, forming a golden canopy that stretched over the darkened valley and reflected against the blue-black water. Icebergs glided silently along, like apparitions.”
I have read many non-fiction books about Arctic and Antarctic explorations but had never before read anything about the Belgica. Sancton has employed primary sources to reconstruct the expedition from long-forgotten diaries and journals kept by the officers and crew. His documentation is thoroughly footnoted. The photos are a wonderful addition, showing the people and the images taken during their journey. Their challenges are described in vivid detail. It is an impressive accomplishment, especially for a first full-length book of non-fiction.
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doctor, whose future exploits would make them famous (or infamous). De Gerlache was seeking fame, adventure, and acclaim for his country, Belgium. He and Captain Lecointe had to decide, as winter closed in, whether to continue their quest or turn back. “Floes parted and leads opened up, inviting the Belgica in and presenting de Gerlache with a fleeting opportunity to pierce deep into the heart of the Antarctic sea ice. The commandant was forced to make a decision. The ship had just passed the 70th parallel, and the newly formed avenues offered him the chance to blaze a southern course and perhaps set a new record. But penetrating this far into the pack this late in the year meant almost certain entrapment, not for hours or days but for months or possibly years.”
They proceeded and became the first ship to over-winter in the Antarctic ice pack. It is a survival story of overcoming significant mental and physical obstacles. These men faced perilous conditions. The ship was at constant risk of getting crushed. Food became scarce. They were beset by a mysterious illness and suffered from a monotonous existence. Several developed alarming mental issues. Two never returned.
“Cook expected a downward turn in the general mood, but he was surprised by the depth to which it fell in the days following the last sunset. The men walked the Belgica’s decks seized by despair—when they could even be roused to walk at all. The primordial gloom that all humans feel in darkness…was here compounded by total isolation and the ever-present fear that the ice could crush the ship or open up beneath one’s feet.”
The author does a brilliant job of transporting the reader back in time, adding appropriate historical context. It offers an example of people pushed to the limits of endurance. It portrays the importance of optimism and creativity in survival situations. The manner in which they finally escaped the ice is amazing. An epilogue provides an account of what happened to these people afterward.
“The Belgica entered the strait under a fairy-tale light. The sun had dipped behind the mountains to the west but was still catching their peaks and illuminating the sparse clouds above, forming a golden canopy that stretched over the darkened valley and reflected against the blue-black water. Icebergs glided silently along, like apparitions.”
I have read many non-fiction books about Arctic and Antarctic explorations but had never before read anything about the Belgica. Sancton has employed primary sources to reconstruct the expedition from long-forgotten diaries and journals kept by the officers and crew. His documentation is thoroughly footnoted. The photos are a wonderful addition, showing the people and the images taken during their journey. Their challenges are described in vivid detail. It is an impressive accomplishment, especially for a first full-length book of non-fiction.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Maydacat
This is a nonfiction tale of a polar exploration that began in 1897. Adrien de Gerlache set out to be the first to reach the South Pole. Things go awry, but he decides to sail on rather than turning back, and so dooms his men to a winter stuck fast in the ice. This account brings to life the severe
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and many hardships suffered by the crew, and the astounding methods they used to survive. The author does a good job of relaying the effect that the severe cold, the lack of supplies, illnesses both physical and mental, and the lack of sunlight had on the crew. The book is quite well researched and detailed. The first couple of chapters are somewhat disjointed with time jumps, but then the book settles down into the voyage. The desperation the men experienced is quite evident throughout the book. Warning: There are a few passages relating to deliberate animal cruelty. Perhaps some acts were necessary for survival, but other acts were pure cruelty. Show Less
LibraryThing member sbenne3
A very well researched historical account -- that just tended to get a little too monotonous. I also struggled to keep track of all of the characters.
LibraryThing member kjuliff
Fireless Snow
Read by Vikas Adam
Length: 13 hrs and 28 mins
This book is a narrative account of the Belgian Antarctic Expedition of 1897–99, its “planning”, execution, and aftermath. The expedition was Led by Adrien de Gerlache de Gomery aboard the RV Belgica, and was the first Belgian Antarctic
Madhouse at the End of the Earth is a well-researched and competently-written book, but for me it failed to convey the claustrophobia and dread that is so often engendered in such sea tales.
There’s a lot of detail of the members of the crew and their quarrels that threatened the success of the expedition, but I just didn’t get the feel of the sea and the extreme conditions of Antarctica that I was expecting. There was no fire for me in this book, despite the catchy title.
But perhaps I had unrealistic expectations. One of my earliest memories is of listening to Douglas Stewarts’s play, Fire on the Snow on the radio in Australia. Australians are perhaps more aware than others of Antarctica. Especially those of us from the southern coast. We feel Antarctica’s cold winds in winter. And even travelling by boat from the mainland to Tasmania can be a rough experience. All things considered please take my 3.5 rating with a grain of sand.
Read by Vikas Adam
Length: 13 hrs and 28 mins
This book is a narrative account of the Belgian Antarctic Expedition of 1897–99, its “planning”, execution, and aftermath. The expedition was Led by Adrien de Gerlache de Gomery aboard the RV Belgica, and was the first Belgian Antarctic
Show More
expedition. It is considered to be the first expedition of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.Madhouse at the End of the Earth is a well-researched and competently-written book, but for me it failed to convey the claustrophobia and dread that is so often engendered in such sea tales.
There’s a lot of detail of the members of the crew and their quarrels that threatened the success of the expedition, but I just didn’t get the feel of the sea and the extreme conditions of Antarctica that I was expecting. There was no fire for me in this book, despite the catchy title.
But perhaps I had unrealistic expectations. One of my earliest memories is of listening to Douglas Stewarts’s play, Fire on the Snow on the radio in Australia. Australians are perhaps more aware than others of Antarctica. Especially those of us from the southern coast. We feel Antarctica’s cold winds in winter. And even travelling by boat from the mainland to Tasmania can be a rough experience. All things considered please take my 3.5 rating with a grain of sand.
Show Less
Awards
Indie Next List (May 2021)
Original publication date
2021
ISBN
9780593401408