The last great quest : Captain Scott's Antarctic sacrifice

A study of Robert Falcon Scott's Terra Nova expedition to the South Pole in 1912 which resulted in the deaths of Scott, Lawrence Oates, Henry Bowers, Edgar Evans and Edward Wilson. The author concentrates on the lasting impact of their deaths and in so doing reassesses several claims about the story, for example Scott's decision not to take additional dogs to Antarctica. The author also examines the pivotal role of the Royal Geographical Society, the scientific aspirations of the expedition, the response to the news of the deaths of the polar party and also challenges the view of Scott as a hero of a nation in decline. Comparisons are drawn between the treatment of Scott and Shackleton whose reputation as a modern hero has eclipsed that of Scott.