Erebus: The Story of a Ship

Beyond terrific. I didn’t want it to end. – Bill BrysonThoroughly absorbs the reader… Carefully researched and well-crafted, it brings the story of a ship vividly to life. * Sunday Times *[Palin’s] narrative is driven by a deep sympathy for explorers and adventurers, while also being illuminated by flashes of gentle wit … It’s a fascinating story that he brings full-bloodedly to life, stripping away the barnacles of the past to reveal the hidden history of a ship. – Robert Douglas-Fairhurst * Guardian *Everybody’s talking about it … A brilliant book. – Chris Evans, BBC Radio 2With this irresistible and often harrowing account, Michael Palin makes a convincing case that one heroic little ship embodied the golden ago of polar exploration better than any other: HMS Erebus. – John Geiger, co-author of Frozen in Time[Written] with a wry enthusiasm, bolstered by his own experiences as an eminent explorer and film-maker … His moving account of the discovery of abandoned items, taken on board as comforts of home by the officers – silver cutlery with their initials indented, scattered on a frozen shore – affected me the most. – Colin Greenwood, Radiohead bassist * Spectator *I absolutely loved it: I had to read it at one sitting … Fascinating. – Lorraine Kelly * ITV Lorraine *Magisterial … A natural storyteller, [Palin] captures beautifully the sense of awe experienced by Ross and his men as they encountered the wonders and terrors of Antarctica … He brings energy, wit and humanity to a story that has never ceased to tantalise people since the 1840s. * The Times *At this late date, and against all odds, Michael Palin has found an original way to enter and explore the Royal Navy narrative of polar exploration. Palin is a superb stylist, low-key and conversational, who skillfully incorporates personal experience. He turns up obscure facts, reanimates essential moments, and never shies away from taking controversial positions. This beautifully produced volume – colour plates, outstanding maps – is a landmark achievement. – Ken McGoogan, author of Fatal PassageThis is an incredible book. I couldn’t put it down. The Erebus story is the Arctic epic we’ve all been waiting for. – Nicholas Crane

Michael Palin has written and starred in numerous TV programmes and films, from Monty Python and Ripping Yarns to The Missionary and The Death of Stalin. He has also made several much-acclaimed travel documentaries, his journeys taking him to the North and South Poles, the Sahara Desert, the Himalayas, Eastern Europe and Brazil. His books include accounts of his journeys, novels (Hemingway’s Chair and The Truth) and several volumes of diaries. From 2009 to 2012 he was president of the Royal Geographical Society, and in 2013 he was made a BAFTA fellow. He lives in London.