Scott’s Last Expedition is the harrowing and heroic account of Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition (1910–1913), compiled from his personal journals and published posthumously in 1913. This definitive edition, often reproduced in facsimile by publishers like the Folio Society or Oxford University Press, chronicles Scott’s quest to reach the South Pole—a triumph overshadowed by the crushing discovery that Roald Amundsen’s Norwegian team had beaten him by 34 days. The journals document the crew’s grueling march back, their stoicism in the face of blizzards, starvation, and frostbite, and Scott’s final words as he and his last companions perished just 11 miles from salvation.
More than a tale of exploration, the book is a poignant meditation on courage, camaraderie, and the limits of human endurance. Scott’s eloquent prose—alternately vivid, introspective, and heartbreaking—transforms the expedition into a timeless saga of ambition and tragedy. Modern editions often include supplementary material like photographs, maps, and critical essays, but the raw power of Scott’s own words remains the enduring legacy.
A cornerstone of polar literature, Scott’s Last Expedition is both a cautionary tale and a monument to the indomitable spirit of adventure.
