Historian and biographer of polar explorers whose book on Scott and Amundsen sparked controversy
When Roland Huntford, who has died aged 98, published his book Scott and Amundsen: The Race to the South Pole (1979), it ignited a firestorm of controversy. In Huntford’s words: “Scott had brought disaster on himself by his own incompetence, and thrown away the lives of his companions.”
While reviewers were impressed by his groundbreaking research, his conclusions collided with Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s image as a national hero. The explorer’s naturalist son, Peter, who had allowed Huntford access to his family papers, rejected the iconoclastic portrayal of his father and initiated legal action. Continue reading…
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