Learning Survival Through Reading
by Sara Penny, CCAC Vice President for Iron County Today Authors create worlds to explore, and in some cases, survive. An older book that has stuck in my mind is the adventures of a ship crew that got stranded in Antarctica in 1915. The leader Sir Edgar Shakleton has become a case study in business schools for leadership in crisis. He had unwavering optimism with a heavy dose of reality. He prioritized his crew over the mission and the 27 men managed to survive in brutal conditions. My favorite part was when they sailed to the wrong side of the island to find rescuers and had to sled down a mountain. When things were going badly he suggested the "Need to put the footprint of courage into the stirrup of patience." Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing will make you appreciate your warm home and hot meals that are much better than boiled seal. A more recent book is the Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy. Layers of myst...