Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
Madhouse at the End of the Earth
Madhouse at the End of the Earth: The Belgica's Journey into the Dark Antarctic Night | Julian Sancton
The harrowing true survival story of an early polar expedition that went terribly awrywith the ship frozen in ice and the crew trapped inside for the entire sunless, Antarctic winter Deserves a place beside Alfred Lansings immortal classic Endurance.Nathaniel Philbrick A riveting tale, splendidly told . . . Madhouse at the End of the Earth has it all.Stacy Schiff Julian Sancton has deftly rescued this forgotten saga from the deep freeze.Hampton Sides In August 1897, the young Belgian commandant Adrien de Gerlache set sail for a three-year expedition aboard the good ship Belgica with dreams of glory. His destination was the uncharted end of the earth: the icy continent of Antarctica. But de Gerlaches plans to be first to the magnetic South Pole would swiftly go awry. After a series of costly setbacks, the commandant faced two bad options: turn back in defeat and spare his men the devastating Antarctic winter, or recklessly chase fame by sailing deeper into the freezing waters. De Gerlache sailed on, and soon the Belgica was stuck fast in the icy hold of the Bellingshausen Sea. When the sun set on the magnificent polar landscape one last time, the ships occupants were condemned to months of endless night. In the darkness, plagued by a mysterious illness and besieged by monotony, they descended into madness. In this epic tale, Julian Sancton unfolds a story of adventure and horror for the ages. As the Belgicas men teetered on the brink, de Gerlache relied increasingly on two young officers whose friendship had blossomed in captivity: the expeditions lone American, Dr. Frederick Cookhalf genius, half con manwhose later infamy would overshadow his brilliance on the Belgica; and the ships first mate, soon-to-be legendary Roald Amundsen, even in his youth the storybook picture of a sailor. Together, they would plan a last-ditch, nearly certain-to-fail escape from the iceone that would either etch their names in history or doom them to a terrible fate at the oceans bottom. Drawing on the diaries and journals of the Belgicas crew and with exclusive access to the ships logbook, Sancton brings novelistic flair to a story of human extremes, one so remarkable that even today NASA studies it for research on isolation for future missions to Mars. Equal parts maritime thriller and gothic horror, Madhouse at the End of the Earth is an unforgettable journey into the deep.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
blurb
Jari-chan
post image

And the other book I adored (even though evil cat killings happen). What a fantastic book this is!

Texreader Yes the evil cat killing was awful. 2mo
Jari-chan @Texreader It was. It's still haunting me 😢 2mo
28 likes2 comments
review
Jari-chan
post image
Pickpick

Finished my first book for #BookishMonopoly and what a great book it was! Another 5 star rating in one month!

Sancton did a whole lot of research for that book and it shows. I was captivated by it and sunk deep into the tales of the Belgica's travels. I heard the penguins, I felt the ice, the fear and isolation. Because I've already read quite a few books about the pole journeys I met a bunch of familiar names. What a journey!

@AkashaVampie

AkashaVampie Awesome. Glad u enjoyed ur first book for ur #BookishMonopoly journey. 2mo
Jari-chan @AkashaVampie Thank you, it really was a great surprise 🤭 2mo
38 likes2 comments
review
Texreader
post image
Pickpick

In 1897, Belgium tried to make history by being the first ship to find the South Magnetic Pole. The author focused on 3 important men on the trek: Commandant Adrien de Gerlache, Norwegian Roald Amundsen, and American Dr Frederick Cook—all heroes in their own right. But the Commandant purposefully took the ship too far onto the continent in the year, causing it to get locked in ice for a long long winter. He thought it‘d put him that much closer ⬇️

Texreader to his goal once the ice thawed. What he didn‘t take into account that it could stay iced in for years. And he told his men they were heading north when in fact they were heading south (the readings were all messed up thanks to their location and the lack of GPS in 1897). Then it became a matter of life and death and sanity. The Commandant became so ill from scurvy he rarely made an appearance. Thanks to Amundsen‘s leadership and Cook‘s ⬇️ 3mo
Texreader ingenuity, very few died or became insane and they were able to escape the ice at the beginning of the next winter—but a harsh existence otherwise. It was the excellent training though for Amundsen to eventually be the first man to reach the South Pole. A few years back I toured the Fram Museum in Oslo, and to see the ship he took to #Antarctica, an extraordinary experience. This was an excellent book backed by exhaustive research. #readingOceania 3mo
Librarybelle Great review! 3mo
RamsFan1963 Stacked! I love a good endurance story. 3mo
Texreader @RamsFan1963 Definitely a good one! 2mo
60 likes2 stack adds5 comments
blurb
Texreader
post image
DieAReader Enjoy! 3mo
BarbaraBB Totally up your alley! 3mo
Librarybelle On my to read list - interested to hear your thought on the book! 3mo
Texreader @BarbaraBB You know me so well!! 😊 3mo
Andrew65 Excellent 👏👏👏 3mo
51 likes3 stack adds5 comments
blurb
Jari-chan
post image

I made my first move at the #BookishMonopoly and landed on “Buy a Book“ 😄 So I obeyed and got myself a nice book. The plan is to start it in December but who knows how it goes... The next move will only be made after finishing this one.

@AkashaVampie

Itchyfeetreader This looks fun 3mo
Jari-chan @Itchyfeetreader It really is 😊 3mo
AkashaVampie It looks wonderful. I like how u are only doing 1 move at a time. I didn't think of that. 3mo
Jari-chan @AkashaVampie Thank you 😊 And I am Swiss - we're taking things slow😉😁 3mo
26 likes4 comments
quote
julesG
post image

Dr Frederick Albert Cook, son of German immigrants (family name used to be Koch).

" 'Dr. Cook, [...] has a lucky gift of being able to make good and useful things out of strange materials.' "

As a German citizen, born and bred in East Germany, I am reminded of the phrase that someone from East Germany can turn ? into ??. Meaning, the people are resourceful and handy.

Extended #20in4 #readathon @Andrew65

review
Bookboss
post image
Pickpick

I love polar exploration stories, and I had not heard of this one. This book recounts the Belgian mission to find the magnetic South Pole. Sancton‘s descriptions had me reaching for my blankets and hot coffee. The ship is stuck in the ice for a year, and men have to survive the dark and cold. This is a fascinating tale of the men who take on years-long journeys at great risk to health and life. Absolutely absorbing.

review
RobES
post image
Pickpick

This was fantastic!!!! Honestly, I cannot recommend highly enough! ⭐️🌟🌟🌟🌟

38 likes2 stack adds
blurb
RobES
post image

This weeks reading goal- listen to more of 'When He Was Wicked' by Juila Quinn on my drive to work and (possibly) finish 'Madhouse at the End of the World' by Julian Sancton 👍❤️🧭⚓️⛵️❄️

blurb
RobES
post image

Saturday morning at my daughter's riding lesson is my fave time of the week- I get to read in peace with a coffee ...and this week I've even got Revels #winning 😉

blurb
RobES
post image

Currently reading non-fiction- 'Madhouse at the End of the Earth' ... bit different for me but enjoying it. Currently listening to 'When He was Wicked' by Julia Quinn (Francesca's story) on Audible .... good for the commute as not too taxing ❤️

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you for playing!! 2y
RobES @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks love this ❤️ 2y
21 likes2 comments
review
EmilieGR
post image
Pickpick

What a fascinating group of people in extraordinary circumstances! Sancton is able to bring the beauty and isolation of the Antarctic to the reader through his vivid descriptions. I truly enjoyed this journey with these explorers!

blurb
britt_reads
post image

School has been keeping me very busy, but I had a great time doing some shopping with the gift cards that I received over the holidays. #bookhaul

jlhammar Ooooh, fun! I've been tempted to get Madhouse. I'm hoping to read This Must Be The Place and Sorrow and Bliss soon. 2y
wanderinglynn The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog is a difficult read. Be prepared. I read it when I worked in child dependency court. Excellent information, especially on brain development, but oh so heartbreaking. 2y
britt_reads @jlhammar I‘m very intrigued by Madhouse, and currently trying to decide between those 3 choices for my next read! 2y
britt_reads @wanderinglynn thank you for the warning! I‘m currently in school for social work and planning on doing my internship next year at a youth emergency shelter, so I thought this would be a good one to pick up. Definitely heartbreaking though. 2y
21 likes4 comments
review
Sophronisba
post image
Pickpick

This book is filled with interesting characters; Roald Amundsen, the famed explorer; Frederick Cook, proactive and energetic and a little bit full of himself; and the captain Adrien de Gerlache, hubristic, unwise, and far too young to be in charge of the Belgica. The best adventure books keep you tense and attentive even when you know how they end, and I certainly was holding my breath as the crew attempted to break their ship out of the sea ice.

Suet624 Ooohhh, I love this type of book. Stacked! 2y
9 likes1 comment
blurb
Sophronisba
post image

I guess I just want to travel, because earlier this week I was dying to go to Kenilworth and after finishing Madhouse at the End of the Earth this morning I starting googling “Antarctic cruises“ #morningreads #FridayReads

blurb
Sophronisba
post image

Were I to contemplate a sea voyage to Antarctica, I would not hire a mechanic whose letter of recommendation reads “In summation, it is possible that Mr. Duvivier might figure out how to work a very simple engine, like the Belgica's, but I cannot guarantee it.“

blurb
CloakNQuill
post image

🖋 Luc Sante, Stephen King, Sarah J Maas
🖋 Any from Daughter of Smoke & Bone: Karou, Akiva, Zuzana, Hazael.
🖋 Tagged.

@Eggs #wondrouswednesday

Eggs Wonderful names❣️ 2y
20 likes1 comment
blurb
Mskt6891
post image

Birthday book haul 🎉🎉🎉

review
Kelliannee
Pickpick

5/5
This book tells the story of the polar expedition in 1897 that lead to insanity. I really enjoyed how the author told this story in a way where you‘re not just being told a old story but as if you are there.

review
OutsmartYourShelf
post image
Pickpick

After a slow start, things pick up when they arrive in Antarctica, & there is a lot of information about the main individuals involved & the horrors they endured. I thought it was very well researched & there are several maps to help. It did drag a little in places though. Overall I rated this one 3.5🌟

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, Random House UK/Ebury Publishing/W H Allen, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

23 likes1 stack add
review
DGRachel
post image
Pickpick

Ever since reading Dan Simmons‘s novel The Terror, I‘ve been fascinated by polar expeditions. This book details the Antarctic expedition led by Adrien de Gerlache in 1897. I‘m always amazed at the poor decision making that often accompanies these adventures-people so focused on glory that they ignore all sense and end up trapped for months while crew members die. I didn‘t care for the audiobook narrator, but the tale itself was gripping.

AlaMich This sounds like it‘s right up my alley! 3y
60 likes2 stack adds1 comment
review
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled
post image
Pickpick

Daaaaamn!!!!! All the stars for this book.
1897 - the Belgica leaves for a jaunt to Antarctica and ends up unexpectedly overwintering in the pack ice. Scurvy, insanity, and despair plagues the crew (except maybe for Amundsen, since he was such a bad ass).

The usual review cliches: jaw-dropping, compelling, riveting. Well-researched, never tedious.
Can‘t recommend it highly enough.

LeahBergen Well, you‘ve certainly got MY attention. Stacked! 3y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @LeahBergen YEEESSSS!! 👍😆 3y
48 likes7 stack adds2 comments