The Lost City of Z: Summary and book reviews of The Lost City of Z by David Grann, plus links to an excerpt from The Lost City of Z and a biography of David Grann.

After stumbling upon a hidden trove of diaries, acclaimed New Yorker writer David Grann set out to solve "the greatest exploration mystery of the twentieth century": What happened to the British explorer Percy Fawcett and his quest for the Lost City of Z? In 1925 Fawcett ventured into the Amazon to find an ancient civilization, hoping to make one of the most important discoveries in history. For centuries Europeans believed the world’s largest jungle concealed the glittering kingdom of El Dorado. Thousands had died looking for it, leaving many scientists convinced that the Amazon was truly inimical to humankind. But Fawcett, whose daring expeditions helped inspire Conan Doyle’s The Lost World, had spent years building his scientific case. Captivating the imagination of millions around the globe, Fawcett embarked with his twenty-one-year-old son, determined to prove that this ancient civilization—which he dubbed “Z”—existed. Then he and his expedition vanished. Fawcett’s fate—and the tantalizing clues he left behind about “Z”—became an obsession for hundreds who followed him into the uncharted wilderness. For decades scientists and adventurers have searched for evidence of Fawcett’s party and the lost City of Z. Countless have perished, been captured by tribes, or gone mad. As David Grann delved ever deeper into the mystery surrounding Fawcett’s quest, and the greater mystery of what lies within the Amazon, he found himself, like the generations who preceded him, being irresistibly drawn into the jungle’s “green hell.” His quest for the truth and his stunning discoveries about Fawcett’s fate and “Z” form the heart of this complex, enthralling narrative.

BookBrowse

... Ultimately, Grann's strategy doesn't pay off, and it doesn't elevate the book into something more than its subject matter. I will highly recommend this book to anyone I know with an interest in exploration. But this is not a book, like Daniel Everett's Don't Sleep, There are Snakes, that I'll push on everyone I know, whether or not they have an interest in the Amazon. Grann got me interested in Fawcett, but not obsessed. Given the maggots, that's probably a good thing.  (Reviewed by Amy Reading).

Full Review (782 words).

Media Reviews

New York Times - Rich Cohen The result is a powerful narrative, stiff lipped and Victorian at the center, trippy at the edges, as if one of those stern men of Conrad had found himself trapped in a novel by García Márquez.   Wall Street Journal - Simon Winchester Oh, please. It is all just too pat, too wanting in healthy skepticism. Sure, after all the mud and scratched knees and far too many astronaut dinners, Mr. Grann surely wanted to go home to Brooklyn. But I wish he had lingered and considered the legacy of the poor, mad and utterly memorable Percy Harrison Fawcett. Though Brad Pitt might never notice, it would have made for an even better book.   Entertainment Weekly - Thom Geier [A] fascinating yarn that touches on science, history, and some truly obsessive personalities. A–   Library Journal Like the books of Simon Winchester, this is a compelling and entertaining read.   Kirkus Reviews A colorful tale of true adventure, marked by satisfyingly unexpected twists, turns and plenty of dark portents.   Publishers Weekly Starred Review. ... Grann provides an in-depth, captivating character study that has the relentless energy of a classic adventure tale. Erik Larson, author of Thunderstruck, Devil in the White City and Isaac's Storm. David Grann's The Lost City of Z is a deeply satisfying revelation - a look into the life and times of one of the last great territorial explorers, P. H. Fawcett, and his search for a lost city in the Amazon. I mean, what could be better - obsession, mystery, deadly insects, shrunken heads, suppurating wounds, hostile tribesmen - all for us to savor in our homes, safely before the fire. Nathaniel Philbrick, author of Mayflower and In the Heart of the Sea. The Amazon has had many chroniclers but few who can match David Grann's grasp of history, science, and especially narrative. Shifting seamlessly between the past and present, The Lost City of Z is a riveting, totally absorbing real-life adventure story.

Recent Reader Reviews

Rated of 5 by warren
Lost City of Z Disappoints
I really wanted to like this book and, after the first few chapters, was really getting into it. The book turned out to be primarily about the wanderings of Col. Fawcett in the Amazon, and very little about the lost city. There are a few debates...   Read More

Readalikes

If you liked The Lost City of Z, try these:

---

---

This is one of 3 readalike suggestions for The Lost City of Z. Members have full access to all readalikes. If you are a member, please login. To find out more about membership, click here.

Books with similar themes

• Biographies & Memoirs
  
• Travel & Adventure
  
• Central & S. America, Mexico, Caribbean 
  
• Early 20th Century 
  
• Contemporary