The Lost City of Z - David Grann

If I had to answer if I liked this book or not I would probably say I didn't.

My reasons: the author gives you plenty of insight about the topic surrounding the British explorer Percy Fawcett's search of the "lost city of Z". However, in 2005 the north american author himself goes for a quest searching for the traces left by the British explorer, I should have guessed it could only mean disaster. I was surprised to discover that there are people in the amazon jungle patient enough ($) to guide him and take him seriously after announcing his "quest". I wanted to throw the book away when I read that in the middle of his journey, while carrying his laptop though the jungle (!) and after talking to his baby son over the phone in the middle of the jungle (!!) he had a breakdown and said he already had enough material to write the book, and that he should go no further. I mean, I ain't no adventure explorer but that is exactly why I wouldn't go all the way there and chicken out in the middle of it because it got rough.

Anyway, the book describes the life of Fawcett and his persistent pursue of finding the lost ancient civilization in the middle of the world's lung, the amazon jungle. It also describes the explorer's wife despair after Fawcett, their son Jack, and his best friend Raleigh disappearance in Mato Grosso back in 1925. At that time Britain was very keen in sending explorers to seek new findings. Charles Dawin's own son was the "president" of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) during Fawcett time. The later organised many expeditions to Brazil under the RGS's fundings. In fact he wasn't the only one in those foreign land, Brazil had many tribes uncontacted and undiscovered areas, which by this fact alone was very attractive to explorers, but even more if added with the "El Dorado" legend. Explorers from all parts of the world were gathering their expeditions in a race to be the first one to discover the lost city and hopefully its treasure. Dr Rice was a very rich man which afforded to go few times to Brazil with the cutting edge technology, taking with him hydroplanes and wireless radio whereas our friend Fawcett was sending letters home and to the RGS stating his location and revealing the land by feet.

Fawcett was known for being very experienced when the subject was exploring the unknown. He was extremely fast, achieving unachiavable miles in a little time-span. He was very talented reading coordinates' instruments, and was very careful and considering when contacting an unknown tribe. He knew he was good, and so he dared to say the was the only capable person to infiltrate such rough land. He, however lacked money, so during what became his last expedition, he advertised his quest in north america, and was given a lot of publicity, and enough fund to get them going. The prize he was to win, however would be only redeemed upon his return. A large number of people (I'm not good at remembering numbers in general) were watching them close with interest. Every new location informed was making the newspaper top cover. It's not by accident that after their disappearance many people were intrigued and decided to go themselves on the quest, which had now become the quest to unveil what happen to the very skilled Fawcett rather than to discover the lost city of Z itself. It is said that as much as 100 people perished or disappeared searching for the Fawcetts over the years.

Luckily he author journey to trace Fawcett had a happy ending (I would be surprised if it hadn't in 2005). He gathered a lot of information about Fawcett's last location before disappearing, although there a lot of different version about this fact. In letters to the RGS Fawcett writes that the Dead Horse Camp (name based on real events) was their last camp site, but in letters to his family they give another location further north as their current location. Jack also says that the next time he would write would be up in Para, which they never made. The book writer travels to Wales to meet Fawcett's grandchildren and grand-grandchildren and gather more information about the explorer last location. He buys all his adventure gear and head to Brazil, he gets to Cuiaba meets Paolo whom use to work for FUNAI, and is keen to guide him to the Xingu area. The book goes back and forth from one chapter about Fawcett's journey to the next about the author's journey. After innumerous chapters detailing ever single step Fawcett took, the author just brush it on the side that he was probably killed by a local tribe which got offended they didn't give them gifts (they would be saving for a more fierce tribe). By then I was a bit disappointed, but nevermind.

The supposedly "real" new finding in the book was done through the anthropologist Michael Hecknberger at the Kuhikugu site, where it is believed there was once an ancient civilization. The archaeological complex is supposedly dated back around 1500 years ago up to 400 years ago where they supposedly killed by the disease brought by the Europeans settlers. I'm not totally convinced about that, specially after reading that the anthropologist was jailed in 2009 for trafficking cocaine in Florida. Weirdo!

So, my conclusion is that the book is worth it reading for the Fawcett detailed story rather than the author own experience in the jungle. I just wanted to say that I find it amazing the fact that the jungle explorers get so sick and exhausted by the smallest bugs than anything else. Being them the mosquitoes, the candiru, and all the nasty little fuckers. Also, I admire every description with the sucuri (aka anaconda) encounter. Just thinking about entering a river with the slightness possibility of one of those beast inside gives me goosebumps.

(From Farnham library)