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After stumbling upon a hidden trove of diaries, New Yorker writer David Grann set out to solve "the greatest exploration mystery of the twentieth century": what happened to British explorer Percy Fawcett. In 1925 Fawcett ventured into the Amazon to find an ancient civilization. For centuries Europeans believed the world's largest jungle concealed the glittering El Dorado. Thousands had died looking for it, leaving many convinced that the Amazon was truly inimical to humankind. But Fawcett had spent years building his scientific case. Captivating the imagination of millions, he embarked with his 21-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 clues he left behind--became an obsession for hundreds who followed him. As Grann delved deeper into Fawcett's mystery, and the greater mystery of the Amazon, he found himself irresistibly drawn into the "green hell."--From publisher description.… (meer)
fyrefly98: They take place on different continents, but both are stories of Victorian explorers, with interwoven tales of the modern biographers/journlists who retrace their paths.
baobab: Imperialist explorers in a different environment, these men loot the archeological riches of Central Asia and China while pursuing nefarious plots for their home governments.
BookshelfMonstrosity: Explorers Ernest Shackleton and Percy Fawcett were contemporaries; both met disaster in their risky explorations, one to the Amazon and the other to Antarctica. These well-researched accounts are engaging; both will enthrall readers who enjoy historical adventure stories.… (meer)
BookshelfMonstrosity: The ancient ruins and lush jungles of South America inspire great adventures, including following in the footsteps of a (failed) 1925 exploration (The Lost City of Z) and a dangerous kayak trip down the entire Amazon River (Running the Amazon).… (meer)
The only trouble reading a book like this is it does nothing to lower the to-be-read mountain because I couldn’t help wondering if the author’s written any more than half as good. If only all my history lessons could have been so entertaining and informative. A factual historical adventure as gripping as fiction, the book follows in the wake of Percy Harrison Fawcett into the Amazon to answer the question of what happened to Fawcett and whether he was on the track of an amazing civilisation. Often brutal, this tale is also enlightening. We know all about the destruction of the rainforest in recent years, but this reveals how deep that ruination goes, of how early explorers began that devastation in pursuit of the land’s resources more years ago than most of us probably imagine. Many of the hostile tribes greeted these men in defence of that land and in response to the enslavement of their people. The treatment of indigenous races and pack animals is harrowing. The description of diseases and insectile hazards may make you itch. If I have one criticism, it’s that the version of the book I have had seriously small writing, which made the experience less pleasant, if pleasant is a word one can use when reading this type of book. Note: The film on Netflix based on the book takes only the main part of the story and dramatises it. The film’s worth a look, but I preferred the reading experience as it’s much more in-depth. ( )
Thoroughly enjoyable.The enduring lure and danger of the Amazon and those who have fallen under its spell throughout the ages are vividly portrayed. I did a web search on "espundia" while reading, as one of the expedition members was afflicted with it. All I can say of the images is that they are not for the faint of heart. Great read. ( )
Well worth reading although I found myself getting a little bored at times with all the exhaustive detail. The ending is great so stick with it if you find yourself in the same position. ( )
Interesting. Not sure its "rollicking" or reads with the pace of a movie thriller as the cover states. But another fascinating chapter in the tales of British explorers hubris reaping mayhem and death. How does an explorer keep loosing most of his team and get cheered as a hero? Beware if you are squeamish about sharing your body with maggots. ( )
Informatie afkomstig uit de Engelse Algemene Kennis.Bewerk om naar jouw taal over te brengen.
At times all I need is a brief glimpse, an opening in the midst of an incongruous landscape, a glint of lights in the fog, the dialogue of two passersby meeting in the crowd, and I think that, setting out from there, I will put together, piece by piece, the perfect city . . . If I tell you that the city toward which my journey tends is discontinuous in space and time, now scattered, now more condensed, you must not believe the search for it can stop. - Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities
Opdracht
Informatie afkomstig uit de Engelse Algemene Kennis.Bewerk om naar jouw taal over te brengen.
For my intrepid Kyra
Eerste woorden
Informatie afkomstig uit de Engelse Algemene Kennis.Bewerk om naar jouw taal over te brengen.
On a cold January day in 1925, a tall, distiguished gentleman hurried across the docks in Hoboken, New Jersey, toward the SS Vauban, a five-hundred-and-eleven-foot ocean liner bound for Rio de Janeiro.
Citaten
Laatste woorden
Informatie afkomstig uit de Engelse Algemene Kennis.Bewerk om naar jouw taal over te brengen.
For a moment, I could see this vanished world as if it were right in front of me. Z.
After stumbling upon a hidden trove of diaries, New Yorker writer David Grann set out to solve "the greatest exploration mystery of the twentieth century": what happened to British explorer Percy Fawcett. In 1925 Fawcett ventured into the Amazon to find an ancient civilization. For centuries Europeans believed the world's largest jungle concealed the glittering El Dorado. Thousands had died looking for it, leaving many convinced that the Amazon was truly inimical to humankind. But Fawcett had spent years building his scientific case. Captivating the imagination of millions, he embarked with his 21-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 clues he left behind--became an obsession for hundreds who followed him. As Grann delved deeper into Fawcett's mystery, and the greater mystery of the Amazon, he found himself irresistibly drawn into the "green hell."--From publisher description.
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