It’s testament to the sheer boys own adventurousness of this book that it took me thirty pages to work out it wasn’t fiction.
David Grann sets out to follow in the footsteps of Colonel Percy Fawcett, the “Shakleton of the Amazon.” In doing so, he weaves together his own personal journey and a biography of the Victorian explorer who charted much of what we now know about the world’s most impenetrable jungle.
Colonel Fawcett was convinced that hidden somewhere deep within the jungle was a huge pre-Colombian civilization often referred to in legend as ‘El Dorado’ but known to Fawcett simply as Z.
Through first hand accounts meticulously pieced together from Fawcett’s correspondence home and commentary of the day, Grann has almost invented a new genre - the autobiography/thriller.
If you’re interested in the history of the Amazon or simply a fan of old fashioned adventure stories then I’d recommend this highly.
