Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World
by Jennifer L. Armstrong
★ Top 25 book of 1998 · #18 on Best Books of 1998
This thorough account follows the 28 men of the 1914 Antarctic expedition as blizzards, crushing ice and near-starvation tested them. It shows each crew member's strengths and flaws, and credits Ernest Shackleton's calm, fair leadership for their survival.
Best for: Readers who enjoy true survival stories and portraits of leadership under pressure
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World is #18 on BookWard's Best Books of 1998, out of 36 1998 books that cleared our data bar.
What Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World is about
In 1914, a 28-man crew set out on the third exploration of Antarctica aboard a ship called the Endurance. Ice floes closed around the vessel and eventually crushed it, leaving the men to face blizzards with winds of 80 to 100 miles an hour, frostbite, near-starvation and hostile animals, including a snow leopard. They even had to shoot and eat their sled dogs.
Jennifer L. Armstrong gives a thorough account of the journey, paying attention to the men as individuals, with their strengths, weaknesses, trials and conflicts. At its center is Ernest Shackleton, whose leadership, built on respect for everyone, peacemaking and calm under stress, is credited with helping the crew endure. It will suit readers who enjoy true survival stories and anyone curious about what good leadership looks like when everything goes wrong.
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World on the Best Books of 1998
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World came out in 1998. Of the 36 books first published in 1998 that met BookWard's data bar, it ranks #18 on our Best Books of 1998 list.
Why it made the list: 222 readers have shelved it on Open Library. The list ranks each year’s books on how many readers have picked them up, how highly readers rate them, and how many are reading them right now.
Nearby on the 1998 list
- Change Your Brain, Change Your Life Daniel G. Amen, #16
- Cows Matthew Stokoe, #17
- The Price of a Bride Michelle Reid, #19
- Hitler (Profiles in Power) Ian Kershaw, #20
See all Best Books of 1998 Best books by year
More years: Best Books of 1997 Best Books of 1999.
The numbers behind it
- Readers: 196 want to read it, 19 are reading it now and 7 have read it, according to Open Library.
| Signal | This book (0 to 100) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 47 | 55% |
| Reader love | 6 | 25% |
| Being read right now | 67 | 20% |
Questions about Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World
When was Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World published?
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World by Jennifer L. Armstrong was first published in 1998.
Was Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World one of the best books of 1998?
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World is #18 on BookWard's Best Books of 1998, out of 36 1998 books that cleared our data bar. 222 readers have shelved it on Open Library.
Why is Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World on the Best Books of 1998 list?
222 readers have shelved it on Open Library.
More of the best books of 1998
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets J. K. Rowling, #1
- Holes Louis Sachar, #2
- A Clash of Kings George R. R. Martin, #3
- Bag of Bones Stephen King, #4
- Among the Hidden Margaret Peterson Haddix, #5
- Who Moved My Cheese? Spencer Johnson, #6
See the full Best Books of 1998, the Top 100, or new books on Rising.
How we know
This page uses public data: Open Library reader counts and ratings, and Wikipedia page views for recent years. The description is paraphrased from real source text. Rankings reflect reading interest, not quality or sales, and can be affected by data gaps. Lists update monthly.
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