There is growing world wide interest in the epic attempts to reach the South Pole by Shackleton and Scott, the latter's ending in tragedy. At the time these men were uncritically accepted as Englishmen in the heroic mould, though in past decades their legendary exploits have been subjected to more severe examination. The book also includes over 150 photographs taken by the Antarctic photographer, Herbert Ponting. These are used with captions, together with side notes to the journals, to explain more clearly and comprehensively what happened on the fatal expedtion.