"[2 Volumes] The Heart of the Antarctic Being the Story of the British Antarctic Expedition 1907-1909",

This is the first edition of Ernest Shackleton's incredible narrative of the British Antarctic Expedition (1907-09) published by William Heinemann in London. While the Expedition's primary goal of reaching the South Pole fell short by about 100 miles, Shackleton had ventured closer to the Pole than ever before. The team faced incredible hardships along the way and nearly starved to death on the return trip. Due in part to Shackleton's incredible will, they made it back to the Nimrod just before winter ice would block the ship.

The two volumes (372 pages, 419 pages) are filled with illustrations that bring this remarkable journey to life including 12 tissue-guarded color plates based on paintings by George Marston, 255 black & white plates, 1 folding panorama, and 3 folding maps documenting the team's travels at the rear of volume two. Uncut text with the top edge in gilt. Quarto, hardbound in blue cloth with illustrations in silver on the front cover of both volumes.

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Condition: B+

Condition code is for the contents, which are very good with some light scattered foxing. Binding is a little loose but the text block is still intact. The hinges are starting, covers are moderately worn and bumped, and the spines are sunned. Half of the spine backstrip is chipped off of volume 2, and the backstrip to volume 1 is detached on one side.