Alison George,New Scientist
You made a reputation taking apart the Scott legend. But if he was so incompetent, how did he become a national hero?In Britain there is a tradition of admiration for the glorious failure, or a Nelsonian opinion of death in the hour of triumph. The other thing is a streak of morbidity. People like a safe death,so Scott's story appealed to that undercurrent. But Scott's diaries are eloquent (expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively), poignant...
People say he's eloquent (expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively). I find his writing appallingly maudlin and self-regardant, or nearly pathologically inward-looking,a bit like Lawrence of Arabia. In Scott's diary there's self-pity and...
Source: realclearhistory.com