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justme856's review
5.0
Utterly absorbing true-life adventure! I listened to the audio book and would sit in my car to continue to listen even after I'd reach my destination. Great story.
cornmaven's review
5.0
Fascinating account of WWII pleasure trip plane crash into Shangri-la on Dutch New Guinea, and the efforts to rescue the three survivors. The height of the mountains prevented helicopter rescue, so innovation needed to come into play.
There are additional stories within this story - that of a man who dreamed of combat in an effort to be the son his father wanted him to be, the transformation of the lives of the native tribes within this hidden valley over time, and the Pat Tillman like use of one of the survivors to promote the war further.
Zuckoff reads his own tale on this audio edition, doing a very credible job. Loved every minute of it. He did not bog his story down with minutiae, but gave enough details for the reader to imagine and understand everything.
There are additional stories within this story - that of a man who dreamed of combat in an effort to be the son his father wanted him to be, the transformation of the lives of the native tribes within this hidden valley over time, and the Pat Tillman like use of one of the survivors to promote the war further.
Zuckoff reads his own tale on this audio edition, doing a very credible job. Loved every minute of it. He did not bog his story down with minutiae, but gave enough details for the reader to imagine and understand everything.
lyntwhit's review
3.0
Not bad. I was hoping it might be as good as Unbroken, but not quite. Interesting story - the crash and survivors' saga. I didn't like the extra info that was included. I felt like the author included stories about other treks to Shangri-la and superfluous bios to add pages to the book. I liked that the author included photographs throughout the book and on his website. Overall a good read, a fascinating story, and worth one's time to read.
bookph1le's review
4.0
This was a really fascinating book. It's one of those that makes you wonder what you'd do in that situation, and just marvel at how fantastical the truth can sometimes be. A more complete review to follow.
erkefiende's review
3.0
Very interesting book about a World War 2 event I was completely unaware of. Enjoyed it a great deal, I usually complain that books could've been shorter and edited tighter, but I wish Lost in Shangri-la had been longer and even richer in detail. I would also have liked to see more pictures.
Zuckoff is a mediocre writer, but very good at many other things. :)
Zuckoff is a mediocre writer, but very good at many other things. :)
cmisich's review
5.0
Intriguing WW2 story
This well researched account of a survival story during WW2 on a smaller front is well done and you learn more about the island, survivors and the native people
This well researched account of a survival story during WW2 on a smaller front is well done and you learn more about the island, survivors and the native people
sarahd3's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book but it never took me where I wanted to do. It seemed to stay on the surface of the people involved and where they were. I loved the premise and the beginning is great but the book drags on in the middle and tries to wrap it up too quickly.
A fun story of a rescue mission in a far off jungle.
A fun story of a rescue mission in a far off jungle.
marissa_richie's review against another edition
5.0
This was a highly enjoyable read. The way it was written had me double checking that it was in fact non-fiction.
castlelass's review against another edition
4.0
Non-fiction written as a compelling narrative of the survivors of a plane crash in “Shangri-La” (named after the valley in the James Hilton novel [b:Lost Horizon|2978|Lost Horizon|James Hilton|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1432440004s/2978.jpg|1180015]) in Dutch New Guinea near the end of WWII. Faced with limited food and serious injuries, not to mention the perils of the jungle, the survivors must find a way to get rescued or face travel over hundreds of miles of dense forest filled with warring natives and Japanese in hiding. Once they were discovered missing, the U.S. military had to find them, and figure out how to get them back under extremely perilous circumstances.
Zuckoff has done his research, including recently discovered journals, military accounts, a visit to the crash site, and interviews with many participants (and family members). He writes an interesting story, sticking to the facts, giving enough background to set the context without ever straying too far afield. I cared about the people and was interested to find out what happened to them. He also honors those who died. The numerous historical photos were a bonus.
My favorite parts:
• The development of the relationship between the native people, rumored to be hostile, and the survivors and soldiers – their interactions could have gone awry very easily
• The anthropological information about these isolated native people, what their lives were like, how they viewed the outsiders, why they acted as they did – this was all based on research and interviews with the native people involved – I found it fascinating
• The ingenuity and creative thinking employed throughout the rescue attempt
Content includes descriptions of painful injuries, death, and rituals surrounding tribal warfare. Recommended to those with an interest in anthropology, the history of WWII, or stories of survival under extreme conditions.
Zuckoff has done his research, including recently discovered journals, military accounts, a visit to the crash site, and interviews with many participants (and family members). He writes an interesting story, sticking to the facts, giving enough background to set the context without ever straying too far afield. I cared about the people and was interested to find out what happened to them. He also honors those who died. The numerous historical photos were a bonus.
My favorite parts:
• The development of the relationship between the native people, rumored to be hostile, and the survivors and soldiers – their interactions could have gone awry very easily
• The anthropological information about these isolated native people, what their lives were like, how they viewed the outsiders, why they acted as they did – this was all based on research and interviews with the native people involved – I found it fascinating
• The ingenuity and creative thinking employed throughout the rescue attempt
Content includes descriptions of painful injuries, death, and rituals surrounding tribal warfare. Recommended to those with an interest in anthropology, the history of WWII, or stories of survival under extreme conditions.