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Dr. Max Jones
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Last Great Quest: Captain Scott's Antartctic Sacrifice Paperback – Illustrated, 1 Jun. 2004

by Max Jones (Author)
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Scott's last Antarctic expedition is one of the great adventure stories of the twentieth century. On 1 November 1911, a British team set out on the gruelling 800-mile journey across the coldest and highest continent on Earth to travel to the South Pole. Five men battled through unimaginably harsh conditions only to find the Norwegian flag had been planted at the Pole just weeks before. Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Lieutenant Henry Bowers, Petty Officer Edgar Evans, Captain Lawrence Oates, and Dr. Edward Wilson all died on the return trek, starved and frozen to death, only eleven miles from a supply camp. In November 1912, a rescue party discovered their last letters and diaries, which told a story of bravery, hardship, and self-sacrifice that shocked the world. Recent decades have seen controversy rage over whether Scott was the last of a line of great Victorian explorers, intent on discovering uncharted lands, or a hopeless incompetent driven by personal ambition. Rejecting the stereotypes, Max Jones reveals a complex figure, a product of the passions and preoccupations of an imperial age. He also shows how heroes are made and manipulated, through a close examination of the unprecedented outpouring of public grief at the news of the death of Scott and his companions. Max Jones uses fascinating new evidence and prevously unseen illustrations to take us back to this remarkable moment in modern history, and tells for the first time the full story of The Last Great Quest.
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  1. ISBN-10
    0192805703
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0192805706
  3. Edition
    UK ed.
  4. Publisher
    Oxford University Press M.D.
  5. Publication date
    1 Jun. 2004
  6. Language
    English
  7. Dimensions
    19.8 x 12.9 x 2.1 cm
  8. Print length
    400 pages
  9. See all details
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Product description

Review

well-researched -- Sunday Times, January 16, 2005

Review

Excellent book ― The Independent on Sunday

Review from previous edition a mesmerising and superbly researched book ― Beryl Bainbridge, The Spectator

Antarctic scholars and the general reader can enjoy a well-produced and beautifully illustrated account... ― Klaus Dodds THES

A meticulous examination...weaving record, anecdote and example with great skill, with some remarkable conclusions ― Washington Times

A well-researched account ― Sunday Times

Max Jones...is much more sensitive than previous writers to the full range of meanings which were invested in the Scott story. ― Historical Journal

a fascinating and wide-ranging study ― Sunday Times

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press M.D.; UK ed. edition (1 Jun. 2004)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0192805703
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0192805706
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 19.8 x 12.9 x 2.1 cm
  • Customer reviews:

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Dr. Max Jones

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
13 global ratings

Top reviews from United Kingdom

John Bennett
5.0 out of 5 stars The Last Great Quest
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 April 2012
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A good read. Clear and well-balanced. Gives full details of Scott's last expedition and in particular explores its Edwardian context: "the straightjacket of tradition, class prejudice, and the glorification of sacrifice over achievement" where "failure was redeemed by the exhibition of heroism in the face of death".

Was Scott such a hero? To what extent was he incompetent? Or was he swamped by Edwardian traditions? The facts are presented clearly, allowing you make up your own mind.
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John Brain
4.0 out of 5 stars New twist on an old story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 August 2012
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A plethora of books have been written on the heroic age of exploration and in particular, the exploits of Captain Robert Falcon Scott. But this book has a rather unusual angle. Its major focus is not the stories of Scott's two major expeditions to the Antarctic, (though these are covered), but rather it seeks to describe and account for the extraordinary public response to Scott and his death with four companions on his 'Last Expedition'. Through extensive research of contemporary newspaper articles and editorials, diaries, letters, films, books etc. Max Jones describes an Edwardian England which is beginning to come to terms with the loss of Empire yet which still craves for heroes to inspire a new generation. Hence the public adulation.

A rich seam within the book is the 50 plus photographs and illustrations, many of which have been little seen before. Though I found the thread of the book fascinating, I felt its writing style, and certainly its use of language, more like an academic thesis than some of the other excellent books on Scott, and, for me, this detracted from its overall impact. More judicious editing of some of the detail might have made it more palatable. And like many other books based on original research, the convention adopted for notes was irritating, requiring the reader to turn to the back of the book every time he or she wished to know the source of a particular quotation (which for me was frequently).

But these are minor issues. Overall, I found this relatively original slant on Scott very refreshing and very well worth the read.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 May 2018
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Good read
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Hk
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 January 2016
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Requested Christmas present which was received with excitement.
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M. Broadbent
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 November 2006
For anyone who wishes to know more about Captain Robert Falcon Scott's expedition to the South Atlantic, Max Jones' 'The Last Great Quest' is just about the best book there is.

On the one hand, the book is very effective as a straightforward account of Captain Scott's quest to reach the South Pole, the reasons why it took place and why it failed. On the other hand, the book also works extremely well as an account of how Scott's heroic reputation was created and sustained. It is an account, therefore, not merely of the expedition itself, but also an account that takes in wider themes about Edwardian society and culture, and how these forces came to exert an influence on the Scott expedition and its reputation.

Jones is equally adept handling both elements. A range of primary evidence has been used, and it is all marshalled in an effective way to illuminate both the tale of the expedition and the wider themes of society and culture. In doing this, Jones thankfully avoids falling into the trap of writing in a dull and over-complicated style - a trap which sometimes sadly befalls academics. It is comprehensive and detailed without ever being dry, and Jones' writing is fluid.
11 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

christine king
5.0 out of 5 stars EXCITING
Reviewed in the United States on 14 June 2018
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Loved the story. Keeps you on the edge of your seat, or bed, or wherever!
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Brian Jefferson
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on 23 February 2016
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Outstanding book that brought a different perspective to my understanding of this time. Well worth 5 stars.
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