The last book read at the Blackheath Reading Group was Captain Scott by Ranulph Fiennes.
What they say
Sir Ranulph Fiennes is uniquely qualified to write a new biography of Captain Scott. This is the first biography of Scott by someone who has experienced the deprivations, the stress and the sheer physical pain that Scott lived through; he has suffered all but the final tragedy endured by the much maligned Scott. He is determined to put the record straight.
As well as being the definitive biography of Scott, written with the full and exclusive cooperation of the Scott Estate, this book traces the way that Scott’s reputation has been attacked and his achievements distorted.
What I say
I think it fair to say that we all enjoyed this book, even those who were reluctant to start it. Fiennes has a good style of writing, making it all seem very exciting. He has certainly done his homework as his bibliography and notes are extensive and he has gone back to original sources of information for the truth.
The fact that he has been to the Antarctic helps a lot, but he does not concentrate on his own experiences. He only uses them when absolutely necessary to make a point. I also liked the small, incidental pieces of information like the fact that his son Peter was named after Peter Pan as Scott was friends with J.M.Barrie. We recommend it highly.
Liz Radford
Available at Lewisham Libraries
As well as being the definitive biography of Scott, written with the full and exclusive cooperation of the Scott Estate, this book traces the way that Scott’s reputation has been attacked and his achievements distorted.
Filed under: Biography, Blackheath reading group, Book review Tagged: | Ranulph Fiennes
