Synopses & Reviews
Many have told the story of Sir Robert Scott's dramatic and, ultimately, tragic race to the South Pole. But in
The Last Great Quest, Max Jones adds a new dimension to the story by probing the nature of heroism in modern Britain as reflected in the strengths and weaknesses of Scott himself. In particular, he charts the cultural reverberations of Scott's death and sacrifice on the eve of the greatest slaughter in British history--the First World War.
A dramatic opening leads to a compelling examination of the British traditions of exploration, the scientific ambitions of the expedition, the "race to the South Pole," and the disaster itself. Jones argues that Scott's death was a pivotal moment in British history, and central to this is his extraordinary journal--the ultimate expression of self-control and heroism in the face of death--which was immensely popular in the years before the war. This important and challenging interpretation of Scott's life and death re-evaluates the man and his sacrifice. Indeed, Jones shows that the story of Scott of the Antarctic is a key to understanding modern British history, connecting Scott with Dr. Livingstone, the Titanic disaster, and the ascent of Everest. In particular, Scott's story helps us to fathom the generation who fought and died in the Great War.
The most important new contribution to our knowledge of this compelling story in nearly 25 years, and the first account that sets the story in a wider historical context, The Last Great Quest brims with original conclusions that are based on previously unavailable evidence.
Review
"Excellent: the first serious historical account of Scott's ill-fated expedition"--David Cannadine
"Through a meticulous examination of the origins and outcomes of the Scott Antarctic expedition, and their place in the context of British society at the turn of the century, Mr. Jones, weaving record, anecdote and example with great skill, comes to some remarkable conclusions: chief among them is his belief that the Scott story continued to shine in the popular mind for generations because of its unique place in time."--The Washington Times
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references (p. [299]-333) and index.
About the Author
Max Jones is Lecturer in Modern British History at the University of Manchester . He has published various articles on Scott, and was the "talking head" for A&E's documentary on Shackelton.
Table of Contents
1: The Last Great Quest
The Explorer as Hero
The Race to the South Pole
The Antarctic Disaster
Remembering the Dead
2: The Meanings of Sacrifice
Martyrs of Science
For the Honour of our Country
To Play the Man
Sacrifice and Slaughter - The Great War and Beyond
Sacrificing Captain Scott