- Hardcover: 368 pages
- Publisher: Oxford University Press; 1st edition (9 Oct 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0192804839
- ISBN-13: 978-0192804839
- Product Dimensions: 24.6 x 16.1 x 3.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
861,093 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #75 in Books > History > World History > 1901-1913
- See Complete Table of Contents
The Last Great Quest:Captain Scott's Antarctic Sacrifice
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Product Description
Review
a mesmerising and superbly researched book Beryl Bainbridge, The Spectator a fascinating and wide-ranging study Anthony Sattin, The Sunday Times A meticulous examination...weaving record, anecdote and example with great skill, with some remarkable conclusions Duncan Spencer, Washington Times Jones sets out to disentangle the various strands of the Scott adventure. He is illuminating, too, on the evolution of exploration Justin Marozzi, Sunday Telegraph well written...likely to appeal to a wide audience Publishing News Excellent: the first serious historical account of Scott's ill-fated expedition David Cannadine The Last Great Quest throws a fascinating light on the Scott myth Andrew Taylor, Literary Review valuable and fascinating... Robert Carver, Times Literary Supplement
Anthony Sattin, Sunday Times, October 26, 2003
A fascinating and wide-ranging study.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
The council of the Royal Geographical Society receives a telephone message informing them that Captain Scott and the southern party have been lost on their way back from the Pole. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
The council of the Royal Geographical Society receives a telephone message informing them that Captain Scott and the southern party have been lost on their way back from the Pole. Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
For anyone who wishes to know more about Captain Robert Falcon Scott's expedition to the South Atlantic, Max Jones' 'The Last Great Quest' is just about the best book there is.
On the one hand, the book is very effective as a straightforward account of Captain Scott's quest to reach the South Pole, the reasons why it took place and why it failed. On the other hand, the book also works extremely well as an account of how Scott's heroic reputation was created and sustained. It is an account, therefore, not merely of the expedition itself, but also an account that takes in wider themes about Edwardian society and culture, and how these forces came to exert an influence on the Scott expedition and its reputation.
Jones is equally adept handling both elements. A range of primary evidence has been used, and it is all marshalled in an effective way to illuminate both the tale of the expedition and the wider themes of society and culture. In doing this, Jones thankfully avoids falling into the trap of writing in a dull and over-complicated style - a trap which sometimes sadly befalls academics. It is comprehensive and detailed without ever being dry, and Jones' writing is fluid.
On the one hand, the book is very effective as a straightforward account of Captain Scott's quest to reach the South Pole, the reasons why it took place and why it failed. On the other hand, the book also works extremely well as an account of how Scott's heroic reputation was created and sustained. It is an account, therefore, not merely of the expedition itself, but also an account that takes in wider themes about Edwardian society and culture, and how these forces came to exert an influence on the Scott expedition and its reputation.
Jones is equally adept handling both elements. A range of primary evidence has been used, and it is all marshalled in an effective way to illuminate both the tale of the expedition and the wider themes of society and culture. In doing this, Jones thankfully avoids falling into the trap of writing in a dull and over-complicated style - a trap which sometimes sadly befalls academics. It is comprehensive and detailed without ever being dry, and Jones' writing is fluid.
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This clearly written and balanced account by Max Jones gives full details the Scott expedition and explores its Edwardian context "the straightjacket of tradition, class prejudice, and the glorification of sacrifice over achievement" where "failure was redeemed by the exhibition of heroism in the face of death". Was Scott such a hero? Was he simply incompetent? The facts are there for you to make a judgement.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
Heroism examined
25 Feb 2012
Format:Hardcover
Portions of this book are quite interesting and the author does a commendable job of placing the epic tragedy of Scott's final expedition in the context of the early twentieth century world. Most specifically the British world. This is not the best book for a recounting of the events of the expedition. The author assumes familiarity with those events. The bulk of the book examines the immediate and the lasting impact upon the public at large, the Royal Geographic Society and government institutions.
Repetitious and tedious.......
9 Aug 2009
Format:Paperback
Sadly, this book is a disappointment. It starts interestingly enough, but becomes increasingly tedious as one reads further. The author continually repeats statements, quotations, and his own phrases - sometimes in the same paragraph! Chapters end with quick summations of what one has just read - entirely unnecessary, unless the author expected his readers to have attention deficit issues.
The writing style deteriorates at times into mere lists - how many photographs were taken of what subject, how many pounds went to which recipient, which plaques were erected where......
There are other flaws, for example, a statement that the "whiteness" of Scott's expedition must have fostered racial prejudice in Edwardian society - this, from the Programme Director for the MA in Modern British History at Manchester University, who should know that events, like works of art should be viewed in the context of their times - purportedly the (failed) purpose of this book - and that current "political correctness" is irrelevant. To back up this ludicrous statement, the author needed to present evidence that black applicants to the Antarctic Expedition were rejected in favor of white (not, as far as I know, the case).
A far better choice for those interested in Scott's last expedition would be Susan Solomon's "the Coldest March', a fascinating and well-written account.
The cover photograph of "The Last Great Quest" is great. Keep the jacket, discard the book.
The writing style deteriorates at times into mere lists - how many photographs were taken of what subject, how many pounds went to which recipient, which plaques were erected where......
There are other flaws, for example, a statement that the "whiteness" of Scott's expedition must have fostered racial prejudice in Edwardian society - this, from the Programme Director for the MA in Modern British History at Manchester University, who should know that events, like works of art should be viewed in the context of their times - purportedly the (failed) purpose of this book - and that current "political correctness" is irrelevant. To back up this ludicrous statement, the author needed to present evidence that black applicants to the Antarctic Expedition were rejected in favor of white (not, as far as I know, the case).
A far better choice for those interested in Scott's last expedition would be Susan Solomon's "the Coldest March', a fascinating and well-written account.
The cover photograph of "The Last Great Quest" is great. Keep the jacket, discard the book.
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful
An investiagtion of Scotts south pole expedition
16 Nov 2003
Format:Hardcover
Scott reached the South Pole....and found a Norwegian flag planted on it. He had arrived just weeks late. The mechanical `beasts' he had brought with him, tread driven sledges, have broken down. Soon Scotts party is starving and unable to walk, and eventually they die, having reached the South Pole but not been able to return to their homeland. This book chronicles the disaster of Scotts expedition, the success and dramatic failures it encountered. The author then explores the hitherto unknown part of Scotts accomplishment: the aftermath. Such interesting aspects are looked at as the memorial designs for Scott and the many memorials in London's Newspapers. Also the author looks at the `imperialism' of Scotts enterprise and the way in which Scott and his `martyrdom' have been remembered. An interesting book, with much to offer.
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