The Lost City of Z

Grann, David. The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon. Doubleday, 2009. 339 pages, $27.50 ISBN: 9780385513531 (trade)

Plot Summary:

Percy Fawcett began his career in the military, station in Ceylon, where he met his wife Nina.  It was in India that Fawcett developed his taste for exploration.  After leaving the military, Fawcett moved his family back Great Britain where Fawcett began his career as an explorer.  Fawcett made several trips to the Amazon between 1908 and 1925, always trying to beat his rival, Dr. Rice to new and greater discoveries.  The Amazon was a dangerous place in the early 20^th century.  For starters most the great jungle was still uncharted and while the forest appeared to be lush, edible plants and animals were few and far between for explorers unfamiliar with the native flora and fauna.  Explorers were susceptible to deadly infections and attack by unfriendly natives who may fear attack from the strangers.  After several trips to the Amazon territory, Fawcett became convinced that there was an ancient and lost civilization somewhere deep in the jungle, which he called Z.  Determined to be the one to discover Z, Fawcett limited his expedition to as few people as possible and shared his proposed route with no one.  In 1925, accompanied only by his son Jack and Jack’s best friend Raleigh Rimmel, Fawcett left for yet another Amazonian adventure.  For a time the explorers were able to send messages out of the jungle with runners, but soon the messages stopped and it became evident that the explorers were lost.  Over the years rescue expeditions were launched in hopes of finding the explorers alive or at least discovering their fate, but all expeditions returned empty handed with no trace of Fawcett’s lost expedition. 

Critical Review:

New Yorker writer David Grann’s first book The Lost City of Z  is a fast-paced, riveting real life mystery.  Grann knows how to keep his readers interested and build suspense; I could not put this book down and read it in a single sitting.  Grann’s research and devotion to his subject is obvious in his willingness to enter the deadly jungle himself (with an experienced guide of course).  While Grann’s journey may not have been as harrowing as Fawcett’s, the Amazon is still a misleading and dangerous environment.  Grann’s intended audience for The Lost City of Z is adults, but teens will also devour this fast-paced, suspenseful adventure.

Genre:

Nonfiction-biography

Nonfiction-adventure

Interest Level:

Grades 10 and up

Similar Books:

The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey Candice Millard

Subjects/Themes:

Exploration

The Amazon

Ancient civilizations

Awards/Honors:

ALA Notable Books for Adults 2010

Indie’s Choice Book Award Adult Nonfiction 2012

Publisher’s Weekly Best Books 2009

Author’s Website:

http://www.davidgrann.com/

Annotation:

Author David Grann retraces the steps of British explorer Percy Fawcett, who left to explore uncharted territory in the Amazon in 1925 and was never heard from again. 

Book Talking Ideas:

David Grann attempts to solve one of the greatest mysteries of the 20^th century in his first book

Why I chose to include this book:

I included this book because everyone I have spoken to who has read The Lost City of Z has loved it, several people saying they read the book in one sitting.