Erebus: The Story of a Ship

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LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 Months Free + £10 Audible voucher

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.

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Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST.

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Erebus: The Story of a Ship

By: Michael Palin

Narrated by: Michael Palin

Get this deal

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST. Cancel monthly.

Buy Now for £10.34

Random House presents the audiobook edition of Erebus, written and read by Michael Palin.

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THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

In the early years of Queen Victoria's reign, HMS Erebus undertook two of the most ambitious naval expeditions of all time.

On the first, she ventured further south than any human had ever been. On the second, she vanished with her 129-strong crew in the wastes of the Canadian Arctic, along with the HMS Terror.

Her fate remained a mystery for over 160 years.

Then, in 2014, she was found.

This is her story.
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Now available: Michael Palin's North Korea Journals
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A BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK

'Beyond terrific . . . I didn't want it to end.' Bill Bryson

'Illuminated by flashes of gentle wit . . . It's a fascinating story that [Palin] brings full-bloodedly to life.' Guardian

'This is an incredible book . . . The Erebus story is the Arctic epic we've all been waiting for.' Nicholas Crane

'Thoroughly absorbs the reader. . . Carefully researched and well-crafted, it brings the story of a ship vividly to life.' Sunday Times

'A great story . . . Told in a very relaxed and sometimes - as you might expect - very funny Palin style.' David Baddiel, Daily Mail

'Magisterial . . . Brings energy, wit and humanity to a story that has never ceased to tantalise people since the 1840s.' The Times

Michael PalinMichael PalinCornerstone Digital

20th Century

Adventure Travel

Arctic & Antarctica

Modern

Polar Regions

Adventure

Thought-Provoking

Funny

Sailing

20th Century Adventure Travel Arctic & Antarctica Modern Polar Regions Adventure Thought-Provoking Funny Sailing

Critic reviews

Beyond terrific. I didn’t want it to end. (Bill Bryson)

Thoroughly absorbs the reader. . . Carefully researched and well-crafted, it brings the story of a ship vividly to life.

[Palin’s] narrative is driven by a deep sympathy for explorers and adventurers, while also being illuminated by flashes of gentle wit . . . It’s a fascinating story that he brings full-bloodedly to life, stripping away the barnacles of the past to reveal the hidden history of a ship. (Robert Douglas-Fairhurst)

Everybody’s talking about it . . . A brilliant book. (Chris Evans, BBC Radio 2)

With this irresistible and often harrowing account, Michael Palin makes a convincing case that one heroic little ship embodied the golden ago of polar exploration better than any other: HMS Erebus. (John Geiger, co-author of Frozen in Time)

[Written] with a wry enthusiasm, bolstered by his own experiences as an eminent explorer and film-maker . . . His moving account of the discovery of abandoned items, taken on board as comforts of home by the officers – silver cutlery with their initials indented, scattered on a frozen shore – affected me the most. (Colin Greenwood, Radiohead bassist)

I absolutely loved it: I had to read it at one sitting . . . Fascinating. (Lorraine Kelly)

Magisterial . . . A natural storyteller, [Palin] captures beautifully the sense of awe experienced by Ross and his men as they encountered the wonders and terrors of Antarctica . . . He brings energy, wit and humanity to a story that has never ceased to tantalise people since the 1840s.

At this late date, and against all odds, Michael Palin has found an original way to enter and explore the Royal Navy narrative of polar exploration. Palin is a superb stylist, low-key and conversational, who skillfully incorporates personal experience. He turns up obscure facts, reanimates essential moments, and never shies away from taking controversial positions. This beautifully produced volume – colour plates, outstanding maps – is a landmark achievement. (Ken McGoogan, author of Fatal Passage)

This is an incredible book. I couldn’t put it down. The Erebus story is the Arctic epic we’ve all been waiting for. (Nicholas Crane)

Most relevant

A fascinating insight into life on board during these great voyages of Erebus and Terror. Enthralling from start to finish, something of which I was greatly appreciative on the long drives. I supplemented the audiobook excllently delivered by the author, to whom I could listen for many many more hours, by pouring through the hardback version of the book to take in the maps and photos that add the colour to the story. Highly recommended.