The world's subantarctic islands circle the lower part of the globe below New Zealand, Australia, Africa and South America in the 'Roaring Forties' and 'Furious Fifties' latitudes. They are filled with unique plants and wildlife, constantly buffeted by lashing rain and furious gales, and surrounded by a vast, powerful ocean. New Zealand and Australian subantarctic islands in particular have a rich and fascinating human history, from the early 19th-century explorers and sealers through to modern-day conservation and adventure tourism. And yet, the subantarctic islands are often called our 'forgotten islands' because so few people know of their existence, despite their status since 1998 as World Heritage sites.
Trial of Strength is a history book filled with compelling photos for a modern audience, and one that, for the first time, includes women's stories as more than just a footnote. Balanced and engaging, it features classic tales of infamous shipwrecks, lesser-known stories of intrepid pioneers, as well as more recent stories of adventure tourism, conservation wins, and dramatic helicopter rescues. Written by the descendant of two 19th-century British colonial settlers who attempted to create a home for their young family in this bleak environment, Trial of Strength will leave you with an appreciation for the tenacity of the human race and the forbidding forces of nature.
By:
Shona Riddell
Illustrated by:
Cara King
Imprint: Exisle
Country of Publication: New Zealand
Dimensions:
Height: 268mm,
Width: 194mm,
Spine: 20mm
Weight: 990g
ISBN: 9781775593560
ISBN 10: 1775593568
Pages: 264
Publication Date: 01 October 2018
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Professional and scholarly
,
Primary
,
Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Introduction 1. Discovery: The sealing captain, the 'ship's wife', and the lonely ghost (1780-1830) 2. Exploration: The polar explorers, the captain's wife, and the botanist with a secret (1760-1840) 3. Maungahuka: The warriors and the slaves (1842-56) 4. Hardwicke: The small town at the end of the world (1849-52) 5. Shipwrecks: 'The Grafton', the 'Invercauld' and the 'General Grant' (1864-67) 6. Transit of Venus: The astronomers, the photographers, and the epic poem (1874-75) 7.Wreck-watch: Provisions depots and castaway rescue missions (1865-1927) 8. Pastoral leases: The optimistic farmers and the isolated sheep (1874-1931) 9. 'Cape Expedition': The enemy raiders and the wartime coastwatchers (1939-45) 10. Macquarie Island: The penguin oilers, the crusading scientist, and the expeditioners (1890-today) 11. Campbell Island Meteorological Station: The weather-watchers and the wildlife (1945-95) 12. Conservation: The sheep shooters, the teal tackle, and the subantarctic rangers (1960s-today) 13. Tourism: The minister, the comic artist, and the descendant (1968-today) Acknowledgements Appendix: Subantarctic island groups outside of the Antarctic Convergence Endnotes Bibliography Photographic credits Index
Shona Riddell is the great-great granddaughter of Harriet Cripps, who was born to two British colonists on the remote Auckland Islands in 1851. In 2016, Shona sailed south to experience the wild subantarctic climate for herself. She lives in Wellington, New Zealand.
Reviews for Trial of Strength: Adventures and Misadventures on the Wild and Remote Subantarctic Islands
'The subantarctic islands circle the lower part of the globe, below New Zealand, Australia, Africa, and South America, between 47 Degrees and 60 Degrees latitude south of the Equator. They are filled with unique plants and wildlife, constantly battered by lashing rain and furious gales, and have a rich and fascinating human history. Trial of Strength tells the compelling stories of these islands and will leave you with an appreciation for the tenacity of humanity and the forbidding forces of nature.' -- Australian Wildlife Magazine
