SHIPWRECK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Armstrong, Jennifer. 1998. SHIPWRECK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD: THE EXTRAORDINARY TRUE STORY OF SHACKLETON AND THE ENDURANCE. Frank Hurley, Photographer. New York, New York: Crown Publishers. ISBN 0517800136

PLOT SUMMARY
This is the amazing true story of Captain Ernest Shackleton and his crew of twenty-seven who set out in August 1914 to attempt to be the first explorers to cross Antarctica. It details the hardships they endured during the worst weather that part of the world had ever experienced. They spend the next several months toughing out on their ship the Endurance through relentless icestorms. When one of the worst of the worst icestorms hits causing big rips in the sides of the Endurance Shackleton realizes that in order for he and his men to survive he must make the tough and wise decision to abandon ship. Once this decision was made Shackleton then decided that he and his crew had no other options but to continue on across the ice and try and reach Antarctica on foot, which brought about a new set of challenges.


These challenges included such things as what to leave behind and what was necessary for survival, living out in the frigid weather 24/7 with few tents between them, pulling their two smaller boats across the ice (they knew that they would need these once they could sail again), and keeping everyone alive. They spent months on the ice floes until finally refuge on Elephant Island. Finally, in an attempt to find help and have them rescued Shackleton and five men he chose set out in one of their remaining boats. This was a daring and treacherous journey across eight hundred miles of ocean. Shackleton and all twenty seven of his crew were rescued with none of them dying after having spent all that time in such horrendous conditions.


CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Armstrong does a superb job of recreating for the reader the story of how twenty eight brave men accepted a mission and then through perserverance lived to tell about their experiences. She did many hours and months of research to make sure that she got her facts straight and that the whole story was told. She weaves conversations, diary entries, facts, and details into a cohesive easy-to-read story. Armstrong's qualifications make her an excellent choice for telling this story. She has written or co-authored over 100 books and many of them have been nonfiction and included historical events. For example, she wrote a book about Holocaust survivors (see reference below) which required as this book does that the facts are accurate and happened as presented in the book. This is a requirement of nonfiction books--that the facts are true just as the author states because every fact in the book can be proven or contradicted through reliable sources.

When it comes to the organization of the material presented in SHIPWRECK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD Armstrong again shows that she has done her homework because the story is sequential, she describes the position of each of the crew members and the developing relationships and trust that they developed for each other. The design of the front cover of the book gives a glimpse into what is in store for the reader eventhough the reader does not realize it at the time. The stark white dominates over the crew as they toil with the daunting task of pulling the ship across the ice. This image illustrates the power of the weather and how it can make the independent become the dependent.

Armstrong has a style of writing that immediately captures the reader's attention and makes one want to read the entire book to find out what becomes of the characters at the end of the story. She provides many new vocabulary words for the reader to add to his/her knowledge base. Some examples of this are when she is describing the scene at the whaling station and she states "the carcasses of blue and humpback whales putrefying in the midnight sun..."; in order for the reader to truly understand what a whaling station was and what it was like at this particular whaling station they would need to either have background knowledge or research the words "whaling station", "carcasses" and "putrefying." She also uses the word "cabin fever", a word that is not probably in most children's vocabulary. The word "floe" is used many times in the book, another word that the reader would need to understand in order to fully appreciate what the crew was up against. This is an impressive book that provides insight into what the true meaning of courage and perserverance really mean especially when it is realized that this was the time before more advanced technology had been developed.

REVIEW EXCERPT
Library School Journal:"The text moves from diary entries to explanations of how to read the sun, and the descriptions of the terrain and weather are superb."


CONNECTIONS
Armstrong has written or co-authored over 100 books for all ages so here are just a few of her award-winning nonfiction books:
PHOTO BY BRADY: A PICTURE OF THE CIVIL WAR. ISBN 0689857853
IN MY HANDS: MEMORIES OF A HOLOCAUST RESCUER. ISBN 0385720327
THE CENTURY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. ISBN 0385327080

Here are some alternatives to doing the traditional bookreport on the book that will still offer the teacher a way to determine if the student(s) did indeed read the book:
1. Write a professional looking resume for one of the crew and attach cover letters that would have been written by that person. Simulate an interview of this man applying for the job with Shackleton and convince Shackleton why he should hire him.
2. Using Shackleton or one of his crew members write an epitaph for his tombstone, a newspaper obituary, and present in front of the class present his eulogy.
3. Pretend that you are Shackleton and create two alternate scenarios concerning a decision that he made. These can either be written or dramatized in front of the class.