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An Unsung Hero: Tom Crean - Antarctic Survivor
This is the story of the remarkable Tom Crean who ran away to sea aged fifteen and played a memorable role in Antarctic exploration. He spent more time in the unexplored Antarctic than Scott or Shackleton, and was one of the few to serve and outlive both. An unforgettable story of triumph over unparalleled hardship and deprivation
357 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2000
About the author
Michael Smith
23 books30 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads' database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Michael Smith gave up a 30 year career as a leading business and political journalist to write the bestselling biography, An Unsung Hero - Tom Crean. He was formerly Political Correspondent and Industrial Editor of the Guardian, City Editor of the London Evening Standard and Business Editor of the Observer. He has a long-standing interest in Polar expedition. He lives in East Sussex.
Michael Smith gave up a 30 year career as a leading business and political journalist to write the bestselling biography, An Unsung Hero - Tom Crean. He was formerly Political Correspondent and Industrial Editor of the Guardian, City Editor of the London Evening Standard and Business Editor of the Observer. He has a long-standing interest in Polar expedition. He lives in East Sussex.
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February 27, 2022
To strive; to seek,
To find,
And not to yield.
– Words on the cross honoring the five explorers lost in the Scott expedition to the South Pole
An Unsung Hero: Tom Crean - Antarctic Survivor by Michael Smith
As I sit in the comfort of my home in Rochester, Minnesota, USA, my thermostat is set at 66°F. Outside, the temperature is a sunny, balmy 24°F, which isn’t a bad start for a late February day. However, I cannot imagine living outdoors 24/7 in that temperature for months on end. Even more difficult to fathom is the fact that men in the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration dealt with temperatures that sank to -40°F or below with gales, sometimes up to hurricane strength, amidst ice floes, open water, darkness, and all sorts of hazardous conditions for up to two years before reaching civilization again.
Irishman Tom Crean was one of these men. He was born into a large farm family in County Kerry. At the age of 15, he ran off to join the British navy. He happened to be at the right place at the right time when he was chosen for Robert Falcon Scott’s expedition to the South Pole. Thus, at the age of 24, he began his life as a polar adventurer, which would include three expeditions over the course of 15 years. Because Crean was poorly educated and not much of a writer, much of the information for this book was obtained from the diaries of his mates and of Shackleton, whom he knew quite well from all three journeys.
Smith is almost gushing in his praise of Crean. At times, it may seem like hero worship, but when I read of his achievements, I believe the accolades are richly deserved. It is mind-boggling to think that after hundreds of days and hundreds of miles of man-hauling heavy sledges across the ice and through waist-deep snow, living in the same wet, frozen clothing, scarcely consuming enough food to fuel the body to keep warm, much less provide energy for the work that must be done – after all that, Crean was able to make a solo trip 35 miles with only a couple biscuits and a piece of chocolate to eat in order to return to the other camp to save one of his comrades from certain death.
This is but one of several heroic deeds. There were many everyday deeds as well. Given his six-foot stature, he was one of the strongest men on any of the ships (Discovery, Terra Nova, Endurance). He also had a strong work ethic and was good-natured. He never complained; in fact, he often cracked jokes or broke out in song. His presence was good for morale, and he was a model team member. Both Scott and Shackleton spoke highly of him.
Interestingly, the author does not portray Scott in a favorable light, at least not as favorably as I’d have expected. I found myself questioning his leadership and decisions, but in the end, one does have to consider that he did not have the benefit of modern technology or much previous exploration of the southern regions. Shackleton’s personality and leadership style, however, is portrayed as more lenient and easy-going, which seemed to get better results in terms of maintaining morale.
Having read Alfred Lansing’s Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage, I was familiar with the fate of that expedition, and Smith retells that tale in less detail. The trek across South Georgia is well worth reading, however. Ernest Shackleton, Frank Worsely, and Tom Crean made an amazing journey on foot across the island in a desperate attempt to save their cohorts on Elephant Island. Once again, Crean was in the thick of the action.
Thankfully, Crean was able to retire from life as an explorer, only to return to naval life and see action in the final days of WWI. After that, he was able marry and raise a family. Sadly, after all the near-misses he experienced on the ice, this brave man was afflicted with an ailment that is readily treated today; he died at the age of 61.
When I think of the terribly hard life these men endured, I also think of the families they left behind. Some men had wives and children; most had parents and siblings. Some never heard nor saw their loved ones again. Yet, the world owes these men a lot for their bravery, their curiosity, their know-how, and even their egos. Certainly, others would have come along to do what they did, but due to their perseverance, the world knows more about the frigid continent in the south.
5 stars
To find,
And not to yield.
– Words on the cross honoring the five explorers lost in the Scott expedition to the South Pole
An Unsung Hero: Tom Crean - Antarctic Survivor by Michael Smith
As I sit in the comfort of my home in Rochester, Minnesota, USA, my thermostat is set at 66°F. Outside, the temperature is a sunny, balmy 24°F, which isn’t a bad start for a late February day. However, I cannot imagine living outdoors 24/7 in that temperature for months on end. Even more difficult to fathom is the fact that men in the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration dealt with temperatures that sank to -40°F or below with gales, sometimes up to hurricane strength, amidst ice floes, open water, darkness, and all sorts of hazardous conditions for up to two years before reaching civilization again.
Irishman Tom Crean was one of these men. He was born into a large farm family in County Kerry. At the age of 15, he ran off to join the British navy. He happened to be at the right place at the right time when he was chosen for Robert Falcon Scott’s expedition to the South Pole. Thus, at the age of 24, he began his life as a polar adventurer, which would include three expeditions over the course of 15 years. Because Crean was poorly educated and not much of a writer, much of the information for this book was obtained from the diaries of his mates and of Shackleton, whom he knew quite well from all three journeys.
Smith is almost gushing in his praise of Crean. At times, it may seem like hero worship, but when I read of his achievements, I believe the accolades are richly deserved. It is mind-boggling to think that after hundreds of days and hundreds of miles of man-hauling heavy sledges across the ice and through waist-deep snow, living in the same wet, frozen clothing, scarcely consuming enough food to fuel the body to keep warm, much less provide energy for the work that must be done – after all that, Crean was able to make a solo trip 35 miles with only a couple biscuits and a piece of chocolate to eat in order to return to the other camp to save one of his comrades from certain death.
This is but one of several heroic deeds. There were many everyday deeds as well. Given his six-foot stature, he was one of the strongest men on any of the ships (Discovery, Terra Nova, Endurance). He also had a strong work ethic and was good-natured. He never complained; in fact, he often cracked jokes or broke out in song. His presence was good for morale, and he was a model team member. Both Scott and Shackleton spoke highly of him.
Interestingly, the author does not portray Scott in a favorable light, at least not as favorably as I’d have expected. I found myself questioning his leadership and decisions, but in the end, one does have to consider that he did not have the benefit of modern technology or much previous exploration of the southern regions. Shackleton’s personality and leadership style, however, is portrayed as more lenient and easy-going, which seemed to get better results in terms of maintaining morale.
Having read Alfred Lansing’s Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage, I was familiar with the fate of that expedition, and Smith retells that tale in less detail. The trek across South Georgia is well worth reading, however. Ernest Shackleton, Frank Worsely, and Tom Crean made an amazing journey on foot across the island in a desperate attempt to save their cohorts on Elephant Island. Once again, Crean was in the thick of the action.
Thankfully, Crean was able to retire from life as an explorer, only to return to naval life and see action in the final days of WWI. After that, he was able marry and raise a family. Sadly, after all the near-misses he experienced on the ice, this brave man was afflicted with an ailment that is readily treated today; he died at the age of 61.
When I think of the terribly hard life these men endured, I also think of the families they left behind. Some men had wives and children; most had parents and siblings. Some never heard nor saw their loved ones again. Yet, the world owes these men a lot for their bravery, their curiosity, their know-how, and even their egos. Certainly, others would have come along to do what they did, but due to their perseverance, the world knows more about the frigid continent in the south.
5 stars
January 3, 2008
I had already read about Crean in books on Scott and Shackleton's expeditions, so I was looking forward to reading an entire biography focused on him. There was very little new material though (which is probably the reason why there haven't been Crean biographies before - there just isn't enough information about him). I would probably give the content of the book 3 stars.
However, the writing style is annoying. The author seems much too partial to be a good historian, and the book reads more like a fan magazine than a record of facts. For instance, there's a chapter where the author rhapsodizes on Crean's many virtues, claiming that if Scott had chosen HIM for the march to the pole, their party might have survived. Much of the writing is based on enthusiasm and speculation. I am quite fond of Crean myself, but the facts of his life speak plainly for themselves. I don't need to read an author's fanboy-gushing to persuade me of Crean's virtues. But the raw material is so scarce that it's probably not possible to write a whole book about the man without bulking it extensively with sentiment.
However, the writing style is annoying. The author seems much too partial to be a good historian, and the book reads more like a fan magazine than a record of facts. For instance, there's a chapter where the author rhapsodizes on Crean's many virtues, claiming that if Scott had chosen HIM for the march to the pole, their party might have survived. Much of the writing is based on enthusiasm and speculation. I am quite fond of Crean myself, but the facts of his life speak plainly for themselves. I don't need to read an author's fanboy-gushing to persuade me of Crean's virtues. But the raw material is so scarce that it's probably not possible to write a whole book about the man without bulking it extensively with sentiment.
August 9, 2022
The heroic age of Antarctic exploration fascinates me. I don't think I'll ever tire of reading about the scarcely believable exploits of the likes of the Terra Nova and Endurance expeditions, with a strange mix of horror and admiration. Part of it is the awful, unforgiving immensity of the Antarctic continent itself, and part is the men who saw in that harshest of environments the opportunity for discovery and achievement. Although Scott and Shackleton, with all their complexities and flaws, loom large in any consideration of the era, they were surrounded by a cast of characters that is equally fascinating. One of those is Tom Crean.
Crean strikes me as a man who was fitted for the Antarctic by his hard upbringing in the West of Ireland. One of ten children, raised in the shadow of the Great Famine, he knew hardship and struggle through his whole life. Combined with how he was moulded by Naval life and discipline, his background forged a man who was courageous, reliable, tough, resilient, self-confident, and who believed absolutely in his own abilities. He repeatedly demonstrated his personal valour and fortitude while in Antarctica, most notably on his return march from Scott's polar journey on the Terra Nova expedition. His 35 mile solo march to get help for the incapacitated Teddy Evans, coming as it did at the end of an 800 mile journey across the harshest environment on earth, was certainly worthy of the Albert Medal he was awarded (a decoration later superseded by the George Cross). It was also something that Evans, later famous as Lord Mountevans, never forgot.
If anything, his time with Shackleton on the Endurance expedition is even more extraordinary than his earlier service under Scott. We often dwell on the excitement and adventure of the Endurance becoming trapped in the ice and finally being abandoned, the trek over ice and sea to Elephant Island, and the unbelievable journey of a small relief party across the Southern Ocean and then overland across South Georgia to get help. However, what came across in reading Smith's book was the (much more realistic) horrendous suffering and unrelenting, grinding misery that the men faced over their almost two year ordeal. That Tom Crean was central in keeping the expedition from disintegration, and in the unprecedented effort to ensure the safe return home of all hands, is further testament to his remarkable qualities.
There are other aspects of Creans character that are striking. One is his irrepressible positivity and good humour. Whether marching across the Antarctic barrier, sailing a tiny boat across the Southern Ocean, or travelling across the uncharted mountains of South Georgia, he was always ready to contribute a dry comment or witty observation that kept morale up in often desperate circumstances. My favourite actually comes from his retirement, years after he had left behind the depredations of the far south. While cooking up bacon, eggs and sausages for his friends one Friday, his wife berated him for being a bad Catholic. His response: "If you had been where I had been on some Fridays, I'd have eaten a slice off your arse!" For me, that epitomises the rough humour and robust bluntness that enabled him to survive his experiences in the Antarctic. Nell Crean was a hugely important figure in Tom's life, and theirs seems to have been a loving and happy marriage. Tom comes across as a devoted husband and father, and significantly his marriage and family appear to have been the reason he didn't join Shackleton's final expedition south. He also strikes me as an incredibly modest man, self-deprecating during his Antarctic career and reluctant through the rest of his life to speak much about his incredible achievements and experiences.
Tom Crean's undoubted modesty leads me to consider another aspect of his life. He was a proud Irishman, and publicly so, which is remarkable given the career he pursued in faithfully serving the Royal Navy for almost 30 years. After he retired, Crean returned to a very different Ireland to the one he left three decades earlier. Newly independent, and embroiled in a bitter civil war, Ireland was not ready to consider the complexities involved in our history. In the circumstances, it was probably prudent for Crean to avoid dwelling publicly on his past. Nevertheless, it strikes me as sad that in the process an opportunity was missed to celebrate a true Irish hero. The title of the book is wholly appropriate, and thankfully Ireland has changed enough that Tom Crean is no longer an unsung hero.
Crean strikes me as a man who was fitted for the Antarctic by his hard upbringing in the West of Ireland. One of ten children, raised in the shadow of the Great Famine, he knew hardship and struggle through his whole life. Combined with how he was moulded by Naval life and discipline, his background forged a man who was courageous, reliable, tough, resilient, self-confident, and who believed absolutely in his own abilities. He repeatedly demonstrated his personal valour and fortitude while in Antarctica, most notably on his return march from Scott's polar journey on the Terra Nova expedition. His 35 mile solo march to get help for the incapacitated Teddy Evans, coming as it did at the end of an 800 mile journey across the harshest environment on earth, was certainly worthy of the Albert Medal he was awarded (a decoration later superseded by the George Cross). It was also something that Evans, later famous as Lord Mountevans, never forgot.
If anything, his time with Shackleton on the Endurance expedition is even more extraordinary than his earlier service under Scott. We often dwell on the excitement and adventure of the Endurance becoming trapped in the ice and finally being abandoned, the trek over ice and sea to Elephant Island, and the unbelievable journey of a small relief party across the Southern Ocean and then overland across South Georgia to get help. However, what came across in reading Smith's book was the (much more realistic) horrendous suffering and unrelenting, grinding misery that the men faced over their almost two year ordeal. That Tom Crean was central in keeping the expedition from disintegration, and in the unprecedented effort to ensure the safe return home of all hands, is further testament to his remarkable qualities.
There are other aspects of Creans character that are striking. One is his irrepressible positivity and good humour. Whether marching across the Antarctic barrier, sailing a tiny boat across the Southern Ocean, or travelling across the uncharted mountains of South Georgia, he was always ready to contribute a dry comment or witty observation that kept morale up in often desperate circumstances. My favourite actually comes from his retirement, years after he had left behind the depredations of the far south. While cooking up bacon, eggs and sausages for his friends one Friday, his wife berated him for being a bad Catholic. His response: "If you had been where I had been on some Fridays, I'd have eaten a slice off your arse!" For me, that epitomises the rough humour and robust bluntness that enabled him to survive his experiences in the Antarctic. Nell Crean was a hugely important figure in Tom's life, and theirs seems to have been a loving and happy marriage. Tom comes across as a devoted husband and father, and significantly his marriage and family appear to have been the reason he didn't join Shackleton's final expedition south. He also strikes me as an incredibly modest man, self-deprecating during his Antarctic career and reluctant through the rest of his life to speak much about his incredible achievements and experiences.
Tom Crean's undoubted modesty leads me to consider another aspect of his life. He was a proud Irishman, and publicly so, which is remarkable given the career he pursued in faithfully serving the Royal Navy for almost 30 years. After he retired, Crean returned to a very different Ireland to the one he left three decades earlier. Newly independent, and embroiled in a bitter civil war, Ireland was not ready to consider the complexities involved in our history. In the circumstances, it was probably prudent for Crean to avoid dwelling publicly on his past. Nevertheless, it strikes me as sad that in the process an opportunity was missed to celebrate a true Irish hero. The title of the book is wholly appropriate, and thankfully Ireland has changed enough that Tom Crean is no longer an unsung hero.
November 22, 2012
Perhaps my favorite book - true story of an Irishman, Tom Crean, who is part of the British expedition to be the first to reach the South Pole. The British lost the race to the North Pole but thought they could save face by focusing on the South Pole. All three attempts fail, and each time Tom almost single-handedly saves them all from dying; often by trekking solo without food through blizzard conditions for days to get help. No one on the team can fathom how he survives (he loses many of his digits to frost bite). Each event is worse than the last.
In one expedition the ship gets stuck in ice before they reach their destination and they run out of food and leave on foot. It takes about six months to finally get rescued and over half the group dies by starvation and freezing.
During the third attempt (en route the Norwegians beat them but they didn't know it yet), they leave Tom out of the final leg to reach the pole because they don't want to share the success with the Irish.
As the only Irish person on the teams, he changes the way the British view the Irish (not all of them obviously). He goes on to become an officer in the Royal Navy and opens a bar in the Irish town of Dingle, which is still there today; aptly named the "South Pole."
What is striking about Tom is how humble and loyal he was - many of the British explorers would repeatedly visit him at his bar after he retired from the Navy. Many of the British explorers who survived the first and second attempts were so scared from the near-death experience they wouldn't go back, making Tom one of the few that went on all three expeditions.
In one expedition the ship gets stuck in ice before they reach their destination and they run out of food and leave on foot. It takes about six months to finally get rescued and over half the group dies by starvation and freezing.
During the third attempt (en route the Norwegians beat them but they didn't know it yet), they leave Tom out of the final leg to reach the pole because they don't want to share the success with the Irish.
As the only Irish person on the teams, he changes the way the British view the Irish (not all of them obviously). He goes on to become an officer in the Royal Navy and opens a bar in the Irish town of Dingle, which is still there today; aptly named the "South Pole."
What is striking about Tom is how humble and loyal he was - many of the British explorers would repeatedly visit him at his bar after he retired from the Navy. Many of the British explorers who survived the first and second attempts were so scared from the near-death experience they wouldn't go back, making Tom one of the few that went on all three expeditions.
August 1, 2021
A hero. One of my heroes. Reading this book in winter shows you that most modern people will have no real complaints. Smiths detailed account of Creans journey is a harrowing and eye - opening experience, something of which show the raw physical strength of this man. It show us how exactly this man should be memorised more as he is a true hero and the title of the book is an apt title for him. Beatifiul and powerful a raw treat to read.
April 6, 2024
One tough fucker.
Read
February 6, 2019‘An Unsung Hero’ tells the truly remarkable tale of Irish native, Tom Crean, and his gruelling yet heroic travails throughout three Antarctic expeditions to the South Pole, a period which has since been hailed as, ‘The Heroic Age of Exploration’. While the book focuses mainly on these expeditions, it also features an account of Crean’s life before and after, including his time spent in the navy. Smith’s writing is matter-of-fact, lacking any stylistic flourishes. However this is almost definitely intentional, allowing the awe-inspiring adventures of Crean and his crew to remain at the forefront, where they belong. It is clear that Smith has collated an extensive amount of sources and the reader has a felt sense of Smith’s meticulous research, particularly his insistence on presenting us with conflicting accounts of especially incredulous instances of heroism and drama allowing the reader themselves to decide the truth.
Of the story itself, there is little one can say. The heroism, physical and mental fortitude displayed by Crean (and of course the crews as well) is bound to leave an indelible impression on the reader. Crean himself appeared to have had a particular habit of downplaying and understating much of the brutal freezing hardship he endured, and in later life would barely speak of his adventures at all. Regardless, the Journey is still wrought with emotion, the truly boundless capacity of the human spirit and the carnal urge to survive.
Of the story itself, there is little one can say. The heroism, physical and mental fortitude displayed by Crean (and of course the crews as well) is bound to leave an indelible impression on the reader. Crean himself appeared to have had a particular habit of downplaying and understating much of the brutal freezing hardship he endured, and in later life would barely speak of his adventures at all. Regardless, the Journey is still wrought with emotion, the truly boundless capacity of the human spirit and the carnal urge to survive.
September 19, 2023
Toll geschrieben für Einsteiger in die Geschichte der Antarktisforschung.
informativ - packend - hintergründig
informativ - packend - hintergründig
December 19, 2019
While the polar explorations of this book, 3 of them, were very interesting, the subject of the book, Tom Crean, is a quiet, humble character with little to draw from. It feels like a lot of the info and interactions about him were a bit forced, as there just isn't much for the author to build around. I really enjoyed the adventures that were told in great detail due to reports from other crew members. However, Crean didn't write much and never gave an interview, so the portions of the book with him as the only character held less interest for me.
January 30, 2016
I get the impression the author wanted an excuse to write about Antarctica and picked Crean almost at random. There are only cursory details about his life away from exploration. The few sources available about him aren't explored properly. What connection did Captain Dodds have with Crean that Tom would write to him? Who was James Kennedy that Crean also wrote to?
Elsewhere facts are confused or repeated. The maps reproduced are not the clearest available for the trips Crean made. A lot more detail is given to events with which Crean was not personally involved. The fatal last trek of Scott and the Cape Crozier expedition are examples. However we are given only a brief reminder of events he was central to. The dispatch of the ponies lost on the ice floes is glanced over, for example. More information about his rabbit is available in a childrens picture book!
Throughout this book, the authors personal prejudices are all too apparent. His left-wing objections to the Navy's segregation of men and officers and his dislike for Scott is prevalent. This book needed to check it's facts and get a good proof reader before being published. And the author needed to consider if he really wanted to write about Crean at all. Sadly the heroic explorer remains as unsung at the end as he was at the beginning. I shall be reading other sources mentioned here for more information about Tom Crean.
Elsewhere facts are confused or repeated. The maps reproduced are not the clearest available for the trips Crean made. A lot more detail is given to events with which Crean was not personally involved. The fatal last trek of Scott and the Cape Crozier expedition are examples. However we are given only a brief reminder of events he was central to. The dispatch of the ponies lost on the ice floes is glanced over, for example. More information about his rabbit is available in a childrens picture book!
Throughout this book, the authors personal prejudices are all too apparent. His left-wing objections to the Navy's segregation of men and officers and his dislike for Scott is prevalent. This book needed to check it's facts and get a good proof reader before being published. And the author needed to consider if he really wanted to write about Crean at all. Sadly the heroic explorer remains as unsung at the end as he was at the beginning. I shall be reading other sources mentioned here for more information about Tom Crean.
April 13, 2022
Keine Empfehlung! Ich bin mehr als enttäuscht von dem Buch!
Zunächst wird weniger über Crean, mehr über Scott und all die anderen geschrieben. Dann bezieht sich Smith vor allem auf die Biographie von Robert Huntford über Scott und Amundsen. Und die ist einfach nur journalistischer Blödsinn. Kaum ein Drama aus dem Buch stimmt mit der Realität überein. Huntford hat regelrecht Rufmord gegen Scott begangen, nicht umsonst hatte er später keinen Zugang mehr zu den Universitäten und den Originalunterlagen. Andere Angehörige von weiteren Polarforschern und Persönlichkeiten haben ihm nicht ohne Grund verweigert weitere Biographien zu schreiben.
Aber was will man erwarten: Smith ist selbst Journalist und steigt damit in die Fußstapfen von Huntford. Umso dramatischer und reißerischer, umso besser.
Für alle, die wirklich was fundiertes über die Zeit und zB Scott lesen wollen, kann ich die Bücher von Ranulph Fiennes empfehlen. Selbst Polarforscher, ebenjene Extreme erlebt und die Bücher vor allem auf Tatsachen basierend geschrieben.
Schade, dass ich dafür Geld ausgegeben habe.
Zunächst wird weniger über Crean, mehr über Scott und all die anderen geschrieben. Dann bezieht sich Smith vor allem auf die Biographie von Robert Huntford über Scott und Amundsen. Und die ist einfach nur journalistischer Blödsinn. Kaum ein Drama aus dem Buch stimmt mit der Realität überein. Huntford hat regelrecht Rufmord gegen Scott begangen, nicht umsonst hatte er später keinen Zugang mehr zu den Universitäten und den Originalunterlagen. Andere Angehörige von weiteren Polarforschern und Persönlichkeiten haben ihm nicht ohne Grund verweigert weitere Biographien zu schreiben.
Aber was will man erwarten: Smith ist selbst Journalist und steigt damit in die Fußstapfen von Huntford. Umso dramatischer und reißerischer, umso besser.
Für alle, die wirklich was fundiertes über die Zeit und zB Scott lesen wollen, kann ich die Bücher von Ranulph Fiennes empfehlen. Selbst Polarforscher, ebenjene Extreme erlebt und die Bücher vor allem auf Tatsachen basierend geschrieben.
Schade, dass ich dafür Geld ausgegeben habe.
December 14, 2008
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - it's an amazing accomplishment by the author, and you are continually reminded of what an effort it was to complete the research required to write it. Tom Crean is certainly an unsung hero of Scott and Shackleton's Antarctic adventures. It is absolutely incredible to read what they went through during those times. They had a completely different threshold for endurance (pain, patience, cold) than we can come close to today. It gives one confidence in human ability, that's for sure.
A nice touch to the book is the discussion of Crean's later days. After twenty years of unbelievable adventures, he retires to a life as a quiet family man in the Kerry countryside. It was almost like he lived two lives in one lifetime.
A nice touch to the book is the discussion of Crean's later days. After twenty years of unbelievable adventures, he retires to a life as a quiet family man in the Kerry countryside. It was almost like he lived two lives in one lifetime.
March 21, 2020
This book supersedes Endurance as my new favorite book. Tom Crean’s life exemplifies the triumph of the human spirit. All’s well!
June 19, 2022
"We went along the crossbar to the 'H' of 'Hell.'" - Tom Crean
Well I have a new favourite person. And I've even been to his pub! Tom Crean is a now-famous Antarctic explorer from Ireland (Anascaul on the Dingle Peninsula to be exact), but before Michael Smith's iconic book came out 20 years ago, Tom Crean had been forgotten to the annals of history.
Crean went to Antarctica 3 times, twice with Scott and once with Shackleton during the Heroic Age of Polar Exploration, the last great unknown wild space on Earth. There are glaciers and mountains named after the man, and dozens of people lived long lives directly or indirectly because of him and his heroic efforts.
He wrote nothing down, and was curiously reticent to talk about his experiences upon return - largely because he went South with the British Navy when Ireland was under the Union Jack, and returned to an Ireland in turmoil during the early Troubles. So in many ways, An Unsung Hero is less a memoir about Tom, and more a detailed analysis of the explorations and actions that the man was part of.
Tom Crean was a pretty cool guy and he put up with a lot. Scurvy, frostbite, months-long isolation, freezing temperatures, death of friends and colleagues, 18 hour-long-days man-hauling sledges, classism and poor leadership (ahem Scott ahem), cut off from civilisation for years on end, stranded on an ice flow for months, crossing the Antarctic seas in 20-foot lifeboat... this was his life for years and years. And he remained cheerful, steady, reliable, and generally unperturbed.
This is the guy that climbed a huge ice wall using a ski as an icepick to alert the others of his 2 colleagues' plight, the guy that walked 35 miles in 18 hours without food or skies to save his friends' life, the man who crossed the Ross Sea in an open-topped toy boat in the dead of winter to search for elusive whalers to rescue 20 stranded men, the guy who made the first traverse of South Georgia Island and his huge mountains and glaciers to find help - not to mention all of the normal stuff he did, all of the awful conditions he put up with. In the name of glory, exploration and adventure.
He didn't win any of the fame, and only received a few thousand pounds for his trouble. It took 100 years for anyone to know his name and his heroics while men like Scott and Shackleton get all the fame - despite the fact that these men made terrible, preventable mistakes in the name of their own ambition and pride (mostly Scott though, let's be honest).
This book was really interesting and anyone interested in exploration, survival, extreme conditions and learning about the so-called lackeys who did all the work for little reward should read this book. Plus - go Ireland!
Also, did you know they finally found Shackleton's boat, Endurance? Yep, it was found in early 2022 (what inspired me to finally read the book), and it's in perfect shape at the bottom of the freezing Ross Sea.
Well I have a new favourite person. And I've even been to his pub! Tom Crean is a now-famous Antarctic explorer from Ireland (Anascaul on the Dingle Peninsula to be exact), but before Michael Smith's iconic book came out 20 years ago, Tom Crean had been forgotten to the annals of history.
Crean went to Antarctica 3 times, twice with Scott and once with Shackleton during the Heroic Age of Polar Exploration, the last great unknown wild space on Earth. There are glaciers and mountains named after the man, and dozens of people lived long lives directly or indirectly because of him and his heroic efforts.
He wrote nothing down, and was curiously reticent to talk about his experiences upon return - largely because he went South with the British Navy when Ireland was under the Union Jack, and returned to an Ireland in turmoil during the early Troubles. So in many ways, An Unsung Hero is less a memoir about Tom, and more a detailed analysis of the explorations and actions that the man was part of.
Tom Crean was a pretty cool guy and he put up with a lot. Scurvy, frostbite, months-long isolation, freezing temperatures, death of friends and colleagues, 18 hour-long-days man-hauling sledges, classism and poor leadership (ahem Scott ahem), cut off from civilisation for years on end, stranded on an ice flow for months, crossing the Antarctic seas in 20-foot lifeboat... this was his life for years and years. And he remained cheerful, steady, reliable, and generally unperturbed.
This is the guy that climbed a huge ice wall using a ski as an icepick to alert the others of his 2 colleagues' plight, the guy that walked 35 miles in 18 hours without food or skies to save his friends' life, the man who crossed the Ross Sea in an open-topped toy boat in the dead of winter to search for elusive whalers to rescue 20 stranded men, the guy who made the first traverse of South Georgia Island and his huge mountains and glaciers to find help - not to mention all of the normal stuff he did, all of the awful conditions he put up with. In the name of glory, exploration and adventure.
He didn't win any of the fame, and only received a few thousand pounds for his trouble. It took 100 years for anyone to know his name and his heroics while men like Scott and Shackleton get all the fame - despite the fact that these men made terrible, preventable mistakes in the name of their own ambition and pride (mostly Scott though, let's be honest).
This book was really interesting and anyone interested in exploration, survival, extreme conditions and learning about the so-called lackeys who did all the work for little reward should read this book. Plus - go Ireland!
Also, did you know they finally found Shackleton's boat, Endurance? Yep, it was found in early 2022 (what inspired me to finally read the book), and it's in perfect shape at the bottom of the freezing Ross Sea.
August 1, 2023
A genuinely fascinating account of the great Tom Crean and the three Arctic expeditions he played such a crucial part in.
The detail in Smith's book is incredible and gives the reader a really moving tribute to Crean the man, his unwavering loyalty, extreme bravery and mental fortitude in some of the toughest conditions on earth.
The detail in Smith's book is incredible and gives the reader a really moving tribute to Crean the man, his unwavering loyalty, extreme bravery and mental fortitude in some of the toughest conditions on earth.
June 6, 2024
Given three stars for the content of the book as Creans exploits in the Antarctic are impressive and exciting to read about.
However the writing style is biased and slightly juvenile. Smith makes it clear who he likes and dislikes, for example, he seems to hold little regard for Scott but adores Amundsen (hailing the former as the greatest polar explorer multiple times within as many paragraphs).
I read Smith’s children’s book about Crean (Ice Man) as a child and I can’t say reading his adult writing adds a great deal apart from more detailed descriptions of the expeditions.
However the writing style is biased and slightly juvenile. Smith makes it clear who he likes and dislikes, for example, he seems to hold little regard for Scott but adores Amundsen (hailing the former as the greatest polar explorer multiple times within as many paragraphs).
I read Smith’s children’s book about Crean (Ice Man) as a child and I can’t say reading his adult writing adds a great deal apart from more detailed descriptions of the expeditions.
January 10, 2021
Brilliant
March 3, 2022
What an incredible story, well told.
June 3, 2024
I'm a real sucker for these action adventure stories. Loved Shackleton's 'South' and I've read it a couple of times. I'd heard of Tom Crean before in my reading and that's what made me read this biography. It's a great book and a great story. The early polar explorers were made of titanium with a Kevlar coating (only Kevlar hadn't been invented then!). Maybe a bit niche, but I recommend it.
July 18, 2018
I've read other books about the Antarctic in which Tom Crean figured prominently, but I'd never thought to look for a book specifically about this "unsung hero" of three expeditions with the famous polar explorers Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton. However, I recently visited Crean's home town of Anascaul on Ireland's Dingle Peninsula and had lunch at the South Pole Inn, the pub he owned after retiring from the adventurous life. The many mementos on display at the pub, along with the stories told about Crean by the pub staff and our tour guide, piqued my interest, and I purchased this book before leaving Ireland.
The story did not disappoint, and Tom Crean himself deserves five stars (and more) for his courage, strength, loyalty, determination, and ability to keep going - and keep his sense of humor - in incredibly difficult and dangerous circumstances. The book itself was more of a mixed bag, with grammatical issues and awkward sentences that marred my enjoyment of the writing. In addition, the author, Michael Smith, has a tendency not to introduce characters properly, often referring to them by last name only the first time they are mentioned, and only providing more information later on. This made it hard to keep track of minor characters, since they might appear once early in the book and then reappear a hundred pages later without any reminder of who they were. I often had to flip to the index at the back of the book to look for previous references to someone whose identity I couldn't recall.
Similarly, during the first part of the book, which deals with Scott's Terra Nova Expedition, there are two major characters named Evans, and it's not always readily apparent which one Smith means, especially when both are in the same place at the same time. I found myself having to read certain paragraphs more than once for clarification.
Smith also has a tendency to mention certain details and then include a quotation that essentially reiterates the same information, often in similar words. Smoothing out the writing and eliminating unnecessary repetition would have made for a better book overall.
It would also have been helpful to have a list of page numbers of map locations for easy reference. I had to flip through the pages looking for the maps any time I wanted to refer to them. Additional maps and more detailed ones would also have been useful, as Smith often referred to locations that were not noted on the exisiting maps. I did enjoy the inclusion of so many photos from Crean's life and the expeditions in which he participated.
Overall, I enjoyed this book despite its flaws. Tom Crean may have been a simple man from rural County Kerry with only a basic education, but his role in the "heroic age" of Antarctic exploration was great, and he seems to have thoroughly deserved the respect, admiration, and affection he earned from fellow expedition members and leaders. His story deserves to be better known, and that alone is reason enough to recommend this book.
The story did not disappoint, and Tom Crean himself deserves five stars (and more) for his courage, strength, loyalty, determination, and ability to keep going - and keep his sense of humor - in incredibly difficult and dangerous circumstances. The book itself was more of a mixed bag, with grammatical issues and awkward sentences that marred my enjoyment of the writing. In addition, the author, Michael Smith, has a tendency not to introduce characters properly, often referring to them by last name only the first time they are mentioned, and only providing more information later on. This made it hard to keep track of minor characters, since they might appear once early in the book and then reappear a hundred pages later without any reminder of who they were. I often had to flip to the index at the back of the book to look for previous references to someone whose identity I couldn't recall.
Similarly, during the first part of the book, which deals with Scott's Terra Nova Expedition, there are two major characters named Evans, and it's not always readily apparent which one Smith means, especially when both are in the same place at the same time. I found myself having to read certain paragraphs more than once for clarification.
Smith also has a tendency to mention certain details and then include a quotation that essentially reiterates the same information, often in similar words. Smoothing out the writing and eliminating unnecessary repetition would have made for a better book overall.
It would also have been helpful to have a list of page numbers of map locations for easy reference. I had to flip through the pages looking for the maps any time I wanted to refer to them. Additional maps and more detailed ones would also have been useful, as Smith often referred to locations that were not noted on the exisiting maps. I did enjoy the inclusion of so many photos from Crean's life and the expeditions in which he participated.
Overall, I enjoyed this book despite its flaws. Tom Crean may have been a simple man from rural County Kerry with only a basic education, but his role in the "heroic age" of Antarctic exploration was great, and he seems to have thoroughly deserved the respect, admiration, and affection he earned from fellow expedition members and leaders. His story deserves to be better known, and that alone is reason enough to recommend this book.
May 3, 2012
I did enjoy this, but, as a couple of other reviewers have said, there's not really a whole lot of new information on Crean here. The vast majority of the book covers his participation in three expeditions to the Antarctic with Scott and Shackelton, which is fine, but all of that is available from a vast many other sources; I was really just hoping to learn more about his life before and after Antarctica, I guess, and this book only contains a couple of fairly skimpy chapters about those times in Crean's life. In addition, I found Smith to be pretty repetitious--it kind of got on my nerves when he said something about Amundsen being the greatest polar explorer EVER three times in about ten pages. The style definitely seemed more casual, and maybe a little too fanboyish at times, than I was comfortable with. Still, Crean certainly was an intriguing and admirable character, and I appreciate the fact that Smith singled him out for a biography. I just wish he'd been able to find a little more of interest on Crean outside of what his fellow expedition members had written about him.
August 30, 2011
Tom Crean joined Scott's first Polar expedition almost by chance, but went on to become a stalwart of three Antarctic expiditions, two with Scott and one with Shackleton.
An Able Seaman on his first expedition, Tom Crean won the admiration of his messmates, officers and scientists on all three trips. By almost super-human effort he twice rescued companions, earning the undying gratitude of Scott's second in command Teddy Evans. He went on to be a leading member of the crew of Shackleton's epic rescue mission sailing from Antarctica to South Georgia in an open boat and then crossing the interior of South Georgia, a never-before attempted feat.
Tom Crean called himself "the wild man of Borneo" apparently an accurate description, however this loyal, dedicated and unflappable seaman impressed all his comrades and was acknowledged as one of the great men of Antarctic exploration.
Michael Smith has written a great story about a truly great man
An Able Seaman on his first expedition, Tom Crean won the admiration of his messmates, officers and scientists on all three trips. By almost super-human effort he twice rescued companions, earning the undying gratitude of Scott's second in command Teddy Evans. He went on to be a leading member of the crew of Shackleton's epic rescue mission sailing from Antarctica to South Georgia in an open boat and then crossing the interior of South Georgia, a never-before attempted feat.
Tom Crean called himself "the wild man of Borneo" apparently an accurate description, however this loyal, dedicated and unflappable seaman impressed all his comrades and was acknowledged as one of the great men of Antarctic exploration.
Michael Smith has written a great story about a truly great man
April 23, 2024
Arguably the most incredible survival story of all time, Shackleton's infamous Endurance disaster, centered around the criminally overlooked Tom Crean, a true hero of the polar age. Although building up to the harrowing tale of their doomed ship crushed by the unforgiving Weddell Sea ice, and subsequent fraught journey across the South Atlantic Ocean, this account details Crean's three polar expeditions, and his three increasingly remarkable feats of bravery, rescue and perseverance against immeasurable odds. It is almost unthinkable the conditions men of early polar exploration endured for months and years on end and Smith's book paints the forgotten Irishman as a rock, unmoveable and steadfast in his loyalty, reliability and strength. We talk of our Shackletons and Amundsens, Scotts and Franklins, but Tom Crean is a name that deserves too to be remembered among giants.
August 28, 2013
This book documents the adventures of the Irishman Tom Crean across the Antarctic. The author details Tom's childhood in Kerry and his role during World War I before getting into the main part of the book which is his expeditions to the Antarctic. Tom Crean may not be a household name when compared to the likes of Shackelton and Scott. But Tom is a great example of the many men who risked their lives to go to places no men had ever dared to go before. This book is very well researched and written.
May 28, 2012
This paean to an Irish polar explorer who was on Scott's final expedition and Shackleton's ill-fated one is best appreciated for its photographs and maps. The text is brief, though informative, about a man little recognized for his contribution to the success in the rescue of the crew of the Endurance. Having read other books about polar exploration, the illustrations of this book conveyed a fuller appreciation of the the Scott and Shackleton ventures.
September 24, 2013
One of our Irish relatives loaned us this book after our daughter spent her first season in Antarctica. Tom Crean was right there with Shackleton through some of the most amazing adventures. If you were fascinated by Endurance you'll like this. Next time you are in Ireland go to the Dingle Peninsula (a stunning place) and be sure to stop at the South Pole Inn in Annascaul and don't miss the statue of Tom Crean in the village park.
March 25, 2019
What a remarkable life! Hard to believe a country boy from Kerry not only went to Antarctica once, but several times! Interesting accounts of the various expeditions through the eyes of an Irishman. I look forward to visiting the South Pole Pub in Dingle.
December 16, 2007
really interesting story about endurance and adventure.
November 19, 2009
amazing book- or more correctly an amazing adventure- really enthralling real life story of Tom Crean- fantastic!
January 3, 2011
A wonderful book about a little know hero of extraordinary fortitude and courage. Tom Crean's story should not be forgotten!
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