1910: Two men are racing one another to be the first to reach the South Pole.
Captain Robert Falcon Scott heads a well-financed, technologically-advanced expedition – aiming to reach the pole in the “proper” and heroic way… on foot. Roald Amundsen’s effort is more modest, relying on cheap sled dogs to carry him to victory.
Scott – for all his money, for all his fancy equipment, for all his institutional-backing – is doomed to failure in the ice wastes of Antarctica. Why?
Cautionary Tales is written by me, Tim Harford, with Andrew Wright. It is produced by Ryan Dilley, with support from Courtney Guarino and Emily Vaughn.
The sound design and original music is the work of Pascal Wyse. Julia Barton edited the scripts.
Thanks to the team at Pushkin Industries, including Mia Lobel, Jacob Weisberg, Heather Fain, Jon Schnaars, Carly Migliori, Eric Sandler, Emily Rostek, Royston Beserve, Maggie Taylor, Nicole Morano, Daniella Lakhan and Maya Koenig.
Further reading and listening
Stephen Bown The Last Viking
David Crane Scott of the Antarctic
Apsley Cherry-Garrard The Worst Journey in the World
Malcolm Gladwell David and Goliath
Ranulph Fiennes Captain Scott
Roland Huntford The Last Place on Earth
Edward Larson An Empire of Ice
Diana Preston A First Rate Tragedy
Robert Scott The Voyage of the Discovery
—
Jonathan Karpoff “Public versus Private Initiative in Arctic Exploration” Journal of Political Economy 2001 vol 109
