Scott and the Antarctic : An Annotated Bibliography

This comprehensive annotated bibliography marks the centenary of Robert Falcon Scott's 1910-13 "Terra Nova" Antarctic expedition, and brings together updated records for over 2,100 published items. The Scott Polar Research Institute at the University of Cambridge was founded in 1920 as a lasting memorial to Captain Robert Falcon Scott, who perished with his four companions on their return from the South Pole in 1912. The Institute's Library is now home to the world's largest collection of polar material. This bibliography lists all items in the Library's holdings which relate to Scott and the two Antarctic expeditions which he led. The entries cover the physical and biological sciences; social sciences and the humanities; arts and literature; and the history of the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration. They include reports from the 1890s on initial plans for Scott's 1901-04 "Discovery" expedition; hundreds of scientific papers published between 1902 and 1964; eulogies in the popular press following news of Scott's death; and obituaries of surviving expedition members. The number of books and articles recounting and discussing Scott's Antarctic expeditions reflects their major presence in the British psyche for over a century. Later comparison of Scott's abilities as leader and organiser with those of the Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen, first to reach the South Pole in December 1911, produced a spate of publications which greatly diminished Scott's heroic reputation, though subsequent reassessment is resulting in a more balanced view. With subject and author indexes, this unique bibliography will be of great interest to scholars, historians, collectors, the wider polar research community and also those interested in British cultural history of the early 20th century.