Shackleton's Guide to Overcoming the Impossible.

TL;DR

Ernest Shackleton’s 1914 expedition to cross Antarctica failed when his ship Endurance was trapped and crushed by pack ice in the Weddell Sea. The 28-man crew survived over a year on drifting ice floes, then made two lifeboat voyages — first to Elephant Island and then Shackleton with five others sailed 800 miles to South Georgia, crossed the island’s unmapped mountains without sleeping, and reach

Key insights

• Shackleton hired his entire 27-man crew in interviews lasting under five minutes, selecting purely on instinct and personal compatibility (e.g., asking about teeth, varicose veins, and ability to sing
• The fake “Men wanted for hazardous journey” ad never existed; in reality, over 5,000 volunteers applied because they were drawn to an exciting vision.
• Shackleton insisted on receiving exactly the same food, clothing, and treatment as the men, and became furious when the cook gave him preferential treatment.