Roald Amundsen’s South Pole Book (1912)

Abstract

The Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen publisheda book after each of his five expeditions: about the Northwest Passage, 1903-1907 (1907), the Northeast Passage,1918-1920 (1921), the South Pole expedition, 1910-1912 (1912) and about the two attempts of reaching the North Pole(1925, 1926). In addition he published an autobiography in 1927, the year before he disappeared while flying on arescue mission in the Arctic. Amundsen´s most famous expedition is the South Pole expedition, the race to reach theSouth Pole before the British party led by Robert F. Scott. The book Sydpolen (The South Pole) is however not regardedto be very engaging; and Amundsen is certainly a much weaker stylist than his fellow Fridtjof Nansen. Amundsen'sexpedition report Sydpolen certainly has its weaknesses, but also some strengths. The article will discuss some aspectsof the text.