Mrs. Chppy’s Last Expedition: the Remarkable Journal of Shackleton’s Polar-bound Cat is just a cracking good read! Alexander is an accomplished writer and researcher on English naval history, including an account of the crew’s survival on the ill-fated Endurance expedition to the Antarctic.
In this book, rather than give us Sir Ernest Shackleton’s or another sailor’s perspective, Alexander imagines the entries of the journal kept by the ship’s tomcat, called Mrs. Chippy (by some anatomically ill-informed shipmates). So convincing does Alexander strive to make the journal, that her name isn’t prominent anywhere on the cover or title page. I even debated whether or not to include the author’s name in the blog post heading, so as not to ruin the effect.
The account is a fun mix of rigorous research and anthropomorphic fantasy. The many footnotes gleaned from Royal Geographical society and Scottish Geographical Society archives are complemented by playful references from the likes of Lord Mouser-Hunt. Feline arrogance is brilliantly articulated and the photographic captions – many with Mrs. Chippy *just* out of frame, are a great addition. By Mrs. Chippy’s own account, he was central to every aspect of the functioning of the ship. Without going that far, I can easily imagine that a cat onboard would be a good morale booster given the harsh and bleak day-to-day existence as the crew struggled unsuccessfully to wrest the Endurance from the pincer-like encroachment of the surrounding ice. A humorous take on a naval expedition and an excellent lure for readers like me who wouldn’t otherwise venture to the Maritime History section of the bookshop.
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