Review of SHIPWRECK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD by Jennifer Armstrong

Biography
Armstrong, Jennifer. 1998. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World. New York, NY: Crown Publishers. ISBN 9780517800133


Plot Summary
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World chronicles the inconceivable true events of Captain Ernest Shackleton and his crew as they are trapped by the perilous glacial grasp of Antarctica’s frozen wasteland. Shackleton and his men set sail from England in the summer of 1914 on an urgent quest to become the first explorers to sail Antarctica from tip to tip. But, just as they neared the southern most continent, their ship Endurance, became entrapped by large masses of ice. Stranded with no means of outside communication, Shackleton and his 27 men hunkered down for a long winter aboard Endurance. Several months passed, and the warming air of spring blew hope for a yielding sea to carry them home. In unanticipated horror, the melting glaciers shifted and crushed the hardy ship “like a walnut.” What followed was to become history’s most remarkable feats of survival that have ever been recorded. In the end, Captain Shackleton and all of his men miraculously survived unrelenting blizzards, subzero temperatures, a monstrous hurricane, and dangerous treks across unmapped regions of the Southern Hemisphere.


Critical Analysis
Jennifer Armstrong takes the reader on an icy voyage with the captain and crew of the explorer ship Endurance. Written in form like a suspenseful novel, Armstrong presents a factual blow-by-blow account of Captain Ernest Shackleton and his team’s harrowing decent to the frozen Antarctic Ocean and the staggering events that followed. Miraculously salvaged photos of the Endurance crew are strategically placed throughout the book, adding depth and chilling reality to this extraordinary story. In one such photo, we see first officer Lionel Greenstreet donning a mustache of icicles while draped in remnants of soggy, waterlogged wool. What is most telling of this portrait is the warm smile that is peering from beneath its frosty frame. This is the pervading theme of this true tale—optimism in the face of mind-blowing peril.

Although written for adolescents, Armstrong uses graphic suspense that is strong enough to intrigue adults young and old. The narration reads smoothly as Armstrong utilizes descriptions that are vivid and beautifully effective: “Killer whales cruised the open leads, blowing sprouts of icy spray. The tricks of the Antarctic atmosphere brought mock suns and green sunsets, and showers of jewel-colored crystals.” The narration also has a feel of intimacy due to Armstrong’s ample use of quotes taken directly from Captain Shackleton and his crew’s diaries. Shackleton had ordered his men to keep diaries chronicling their expedition. Even through the most turbulent of situations, Shackleton managed to keep a maticulous account of his journey. Referring to the crushing of his beloved Endurance, Shackleton wrote, “Mighty blocks of ice, gripped between meeting floes, rose slowly until they jumped like cherry and stones squeezed between thumb and finger.”

With an uncanny eye for detail, Armstrong brilliantly captures the humor and passionate spirit of Shackleton and his team. She includes stories of the crew putting on plays and comical productions while confined to a frozen ship. Accompanied by photos of the men dressed in costumes and holding props, the reader is transported to a cozy little room within the heart of Endurance. There she tells of the team’s Christmas aboard as they jokingly toasted “To our sweethearts and wives—may they never meet!” Just as the reader is lulled into a sense of refuge, Armstrong ominously adds, “Outside in the darkness, the endless mass of pack ice was grinding against itself like a restless giant breaking mountains in its sleep.” Boldly honest, beautifully told, and elegantly designed, Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World is an exceptionally artful work of nonfiction.


Review Excerpts
School Library Journal: “This is a very effective presentation of not only how the disaster occurred, but of the toll it took on the crew and how they rose to the challenge.”
Boston Globe-Horn Honor Book
Kirkus Review: “This unbelievable story is enhanced by the vigorous prose; from the captivating introduction through the epilogue, it is the writing as much as the story that will rivet readers."
Starred Review in Publisher’s Weekly: "Armstrong's absorbing storytelling, illustrated with dramatic black-and-white photographs, makes this an enthralling adventure."

Connections
*Can be used within the context of a thematic unit in the classroom.
*Due to the books heavy use of scientific and mathematical references, it would provide a concrete example for math and science classes.
*Would make a perfect selection for assigned reading for junior high and high school students.
*Could be used as an opening to conversations about the human spirit and the fight for survival as well as the value of strong leadership.
*For additional reading:
Alexander, Caroline. Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition. ISBN 9780375404030