• Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World

  • The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance
  • By: Jennifer Armstrong
  • Narrated by: Taylor Mali
  • Length: 3 hrs and 46 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (232 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World  By  cover art

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World

By: Jennifer Armstrong
Narrated by: Taylor Mali
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $11.66

Buy for $11.66

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

It's a survival story almost too incredible to believe, but it's the extraordinary true tale of endurance in the harshest environment on earth. Sir Ernest Shackleton and a crew of 27 men set off from England aboard the ship Endurance, intending to cross Antarctica from one side to the other. Instead, Endurance becomes icebound and sinks 100 miles from land, leaving Shackleton and his men to fight brutal perils on ice, land, and sea...or die trying. Through it all, Shackleton's mission never wavers: "But if you're a leader, a fellow that other fellows look to, you've got to keep going." Narrator Taylor Mali transports the listener into the heart of this death-defying adventure.
©1998 by Jennifer Armstrong (P)1996 Brent Thompson; 16 9; 2000 Audio Bookshelf

Critic reviews

2000 Winner of Publishers Weekly Listen Up Award: Children's Spoken Word
"Mali's intense narration drives listeners of all ages to experience the severe weather, lack of food, and incredible demands of exploration and survival." ( AudioFile)

What listeners say about Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    165
  • 4 Stars
    48
  • 3 Stars
    9
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    8
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    119
  • 4 Stars
    40
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    5
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    131
  • 4 Stars
    28
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    5

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Shorter account with some colorful voices

This book is not as exhaustive as the other one on Audible (Endurence), but is still well done and includes some details and insight that the other doesn't. The narrator also tries to immatate the accents of various crew members, so there's Scottish accents, Australian, Cockney, Welsh, Canadian, and so forth. This definitely livens things up quite a bit, although the story is so riveting it doesn't need it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

NOT ALL THE CHAPTERS

THERES MORE THEN 8 FUCKING CHAPTERS ITS A SCAM DONT BUY IT BECAUSE I WANTED TO READ CHAPTER FUCKING NINE THATS WHYYYY UGHHHH FUCK AUDIBLE I SPENT FIVE FUCKING BUCKS FOR NOTHINGGGGGG

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Disappointing End for Audible

Shackleton may have survived, but my version on Audible did not include the last few chapters! I tried to download again, but would have to pay again. Loved the previous chapters, but really disappointed not to know how the men were finally rescued! Also, difficult to follow along with a book because did not begin and end with chapters.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Required reading for 7th grader

Would you consider the audio edition of Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World to be better than the print version?

I listened with my son and was completely engaged with the story and the narration.

What did you like best about this story?

Historically accurate story,

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

YES, IT HAS ALL THE CHAPTERS

multiple book chapters are read within one audible chapter, so don't worry. It has the epilogue as well.
The narrator is perfect for this story. He adds accents to some of the characters too, which is a nice touch.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Gripping and relentless

I loved this book. I finished it in one sitting. I could not stop until the end.

While this is hardly a comprehensive account of the expedition ("Endurance" by Alfred Lansing is excellent in this regard, with much more detail and depth), I really prefer this telling -- very epic and cinematic.

My only criticism is the narration paled a bit in comparison to the narrative itself, but with material this inspiring that is a tall order -- and, frankly, I was so enrapt that I didn't even notice most of the time.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

adventure at its best

What made the experience of listening to Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World the most enjoyable?

knowing it is a true story

What did you like best about this story?

the spirit and intefrity of the men on the ship

Have you listened to any of Taylor Mali’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't listened to and of Taylor's before but I will look for them now.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Obcession

Any additional comments?

I particulary liked the part about the navigator being able to define their whereabouts in respect to longitude and latitude coordinates, using just the sun and a watch.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

My 12 yo recommended it to me

The first required reading in school that he really enjoyed. I can see why. Wow what an incredible story!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic

This is one of the best biographies of factual history I have ever listened to. Well worth listening to over and over again!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Not as engaging as expected

It's an exhilarating & inspiring story, but I did not find it written with enough language to get the visuals and found the narration did not keep me as engaged as I'd expect.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!