The Lost City of Z, by David Grann

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon
by David Grann
Vintage Books, NY, 2009

"Then he woke up to find what looked like worms in his knee and arm. He peered closer. They were maggots growing inside him. He counted fifty around his elbow alone... Some worms died from the poison and started to rot inside him. Others grew as long as an inch and occasionally poked their heads from his body, like a periscope on a submarine." (p. 134-135)

Before maps, GPS, and street signs, groups of men ventured into the most unwelcoming of climates to explore and chart the wilderness. Some returned with tales of amazing sites, and gained fame and fortune. Others never made it back home. The Story of Z is the tale of the latter. British explorer Percy Fawcett dedicated his life to searching for a fabled civilization believed to reside deep in the Amazonian Jungle. This is the fantastic true account of Fawcett's many journeys, including the one from which he never returned. Readers learn that few are immune from the dream of Z as the author sets out on his own mission discover what happened to Percy Fawcett. But the jungle the author encounters is very different from the one Fawcett attempted to conquer. As the author travels through part of the jungle where Fawcett was once separated from his group in dense foliage, he sees perpetual plains. He notes that in just five months in 2007 over 2700 square miles of jungle were cleared - an area the size of Delaware. Like Fawcett, this jungle might one day disappear. This story keeps you guessing until the end and wondering, what if?

Bottom Line:
Excellent read; page turner; super gross out scenes; I think I might want to be an explorer.