The Birthday Boys

Beryl Bainbridge

Another book about the Antarctic, this being about the ill-fated Scott expedition. The book is in 5 sections, each from the point of view of the non-survivors of the party and describes how appalling and badly organised the whole trip was, blaming Scott himself, at least in part for this. In a rather English way, the 5 narrators gloss over the fact that Amundsen beat them to it. The section describing Captain Oates' famous self-sacrifice is particularly moving. Doreen feels that Bainbridge is an author going from strength to strength.
Doreen 21/3/99

By the same author

Master Georgie

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