A celebrity of his time, explorer Percy Fawcett’s last adventure was deep into the Amazon. Along with him on the trip was his son, Jack, and his son’s best friend, Raleigh Rimell. The trio were never heard from again.Author David Grann retells their story, with the events that led up to their expedition and the tales of the many who went in search of them. Despite the promise of adventure and all the hype surrounding this book, I didn’t get into it. Grann’s background is in journalism and it shows: much of the book felt like an overly extended article in the Wall Street Journal. The backstory dragged on until I was bored. When it finally picked up the pace, it was nearly over.I understand some of the appeal found in this book. Primarily, there is an unsolved mystery. Further, there is a journalist who takes great strides in research and “front-line” journalism to get at the heart of the story. Admittedly, Fawcett’s story should be told and Grann was a great choice to do it. I would argue, however, that it would be a much better read as a concise five-part story in a popular newspaper or journal. As it is stands, The Lost City of Z is an arduous trek through an uncharted jungle of boredom which a reader does not hope to become lost in.
