Virtual Talk: “Madhouse at the End of the Earth” with Julian Sancton

The Belgica’s Journey into the Dark Antarctic Night
In 1897, the young Belgian commandant Adrien de Gerlache set sail on a three-year expedition to the icy continent of Antarctica, the unchartered end of the earth. After a series of costly setbacks, he had two options: turn back in defeat or sail deeper into the freezing waters toward glory—the first expedition to reach the magnetic South Pole.  De Gerlache chose glory. Soon, the ship was stuck fast in the icy hold of the Bellingshausen Sea. And when the sun set on the magnificent polar landscape one last time, its occupants were condemned to harsh, endless nights. For months, they were besieged by monotony and plagued by a mysterious illness.  Amid the darkness, they descended into madness. Two young officers are at the heart of this epic tale of survival. Dr. Frederick Cook,half genius/half con man and the lone American on the expedition. And Roald Amundsen, the ship’s first mate.  Together, they planned a last-ditch, nearly-certain-to-fail escape from the ice.

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