This book is the collected, authentic testimony of the officers and crew of the USS Jeannette, edited together to tell one harrowing story. Originally published in French, it gives us the expedition in the words of the men who were there.

The Story

In 1879, the steamer Jeannette, funded by a newspaper tycoon and carrying the hopes of American exploration, set sail from San Francisco. Led by Lieutenant Commander George Washington De Long, their goal was to be the first to reach the North Pole. Confidence was high. But by September, the ship was locked in the pack ice off Siberia. For nearly two years, the Jeannette drifted, a prisoner of the frozen ocean. The men waited, repaired, and hoped. Then, the ice won. The ship was crushed and sank, forcing 33 men to haul their supplies across the shifting ice floes towards the distant coast of Siberia.

The journey that follows is almost beyond belief. They reach land, but their ordeal is far from over. They split into parties to find help. One group vanishes forever. De Long's group struggles through the Lena River Delta, facing starvation, frostbite, and despair. The narrative doesn't shy away from the brutal details—the gnawing hunger, the frozen bodies, the impossible choices.

Why You Should Read It

What makes this book so powerful is its lack of a single, polished narrator. You get the collective voice of the survivors. It feels immediate and real. You're not reading a historian's summary; you're in the cramped quarters of the sinking ship, feeling the ice groan. The book strips away the romantic myth of exploration and shows the gritty, terrifying reality. It's about the slow erosion of order and the fragile bonds that keep men going. Commander De Long emerges as a complex figure—determined, sometimes rigid, but fiercely dedicated to keeping a record and saving his men almost to the last.

Final Verdict

This is a perfect pick for anyone who devours true survival stories like Endurance or Into the Wild. It's for readers who love history but want to feel the human pulse behind the dates and facts. Be warned: it's a tough, somber read at times. But if you want an unforgettable account of human courage, failure, and resilience against impossible odds, told by the people who lived it, you need to find a copy of this book. It's a hidden gem of exploration literature.