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The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon Audiobook

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon Audiobook, by David Grann Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: Mark Deakins Publisher: Random House Audio Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 6.67 hours at 1.5x Speed 5.00 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: February 2009 Format: Unabridged Audiobook ISBN: 9780739376997

Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

104

Longest Chapter Length:

08:19 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

14 seconds

Average Chapter Length:

05:48 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

7

Other Audiobooks Written by David Grann: > View All...

Publisher Description

The #1 New York Times Bestseller - Now a Major Motion Picture starring Charlie Hunnam, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson and Sienna Miller.  In 1925, the legendary British explorer Percy Fawcett ventured into the Amazon jungle, in search of a fabled civilization. He never returned. Over the years countless people perished trying to find evidence of his party and the place he called "The Lost City of Z." In this masterpiece of narrative nonfiction, journalist David Grann interweaves the spellbinding stories of Fawcett's quest for "Z" and his own journey into the deadly jungle, as he unravels the greatest exploration mystery of the twentieth century. Look for David Grann’s new book, Killers of the Flower Moon, available now.

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"The beauty of a good non-fiction book is that it can pull you in against your own sense of rationality, painting a cast of real characters and places so vividly that, despite having a general idea of how things will end, you keep turning the page in suspense. Too often when a writer inserts himself into a non-fiction book, it is to evoke some dual story, trying to let the overarching mystery at hand draw out some interesting conclusion about his own life, distracting from both the subject and the narrative. Grann doesn't let this happen, instead, he seems to be our surrogate..embarking on his own trip because he simply couldn't resist, using his own journey as a vehicle for relaying more perspective and knowledge. A great and adventurous read."

— Jackson (4 out of 5 stars)

Quotes

  • “A riveting, exciting, and thoroughly compelling tale of adventure.”

    — John Grisham, #1 New York Times bestselling author
  • “A fascinating yarn that touches on science, history, and some truly obsessive personalities.”

    — Entertainment Weekly
  • “Suspenseful…Rollicking…Reads with all the pace and excitement of a movie thriller.”

    — New York Times
  • “What makes Mr. Grann’s telling of the story so captivating is that he decides not simply to go off in search of yet more relics of our absent hero—but to go off himself in search of the city that Fawcett was looking for so heroically when he suddenly went AWOL.”

    — Wall Street Journal
  • “Absorbing…A wonderful story of a lost age of heroic exploration.”

    — Sunday Times (London)
  • “A riveting adventure-mystery in the tradition of Conan Doyle’s The Lost World, said to be inspired by Fawcett.”

    — Toronto Star
  • “Thankfully, for those of us who secretly live and breathe for the swashbuckling adventure tale, every now and then a book comes along that renews our faith in the epic quest narrative, its ability to inform and enlighten even as it feeds our most primal need for dramatic amusement. [The Lost City of Z] succeeds tremendously in these pursuits.”

    — Globe and Mail (Toronto)
  • “In a hyperconnected and exhaustively charted world, here is a revelation about wildness and the mad desire to plunge into it…Unfathomably riveting…Grann wildly delivers the goods.”

    — GQ
  • “Grann is no hard-as-nails explorer, and his self-deprecating personal narrative…serves as a comic counterpoint to the superhuman exploits of Fawcett. Grann may not be able to hack the wilderness very well, but as a storyteller he’s first-rate.”

    — Outside
  • “Breathtaking…Grann brings Fawcett’s remarkable story to a beautifully written, perfectly paced fruition…Any writer who can breathe life into letters written by scientists in the early 1900s deserves more than a hat tip.”

    — Los Angeles Times
  • “An engrossing book, whose protagonist could outmarch Lara Croft and out-think Indiana Jones…It’s almost enough to make you reach for a backpack.”

    — Daily Telegraph (London)
  • “A model of suspense and concision…Thoroughly researched, vividly told, this is a thrill ride from start to finish.”

    — Washington Post
  • “A blood-stirring reading experience.”

    — Denver Post
  • “A spellbinding tale that produces fresh surprises around each turn…An amazing story.”

    — Dallas Morning News
  • “Fast-paced adventure…Grann delights us with the lure of obsession under a canopy of trees.”

    — Cleveland Plain Dealer
  • “Brilliant…Impressively researched and skillfully crafted…Grann makes abundantly clear in this fascinating, epic story of exploration and obsession, [that] the lethal attraction of the Amazon mystery remains strong.”

    — Boston Globe
  • “A thrilling yarn…What [Grann] finds is what makes The Lost City of Z so gratifying, and in the end he, and we along with him, find ourselves stunned by what Percy Fawcett discovered.”

    — Oregonian
  • “Perfect for armchair travelers and readers with fond childhood memories of books recounting tales of adventure in the dark wild…What [Grann] found should help change how we think about the Amazon…Read it, shiver with delight, and thank your lucky stars you’re never going to get as close to a candirú as Fawcett and Grann did. (Look it up on Wikipedia, if you dare.)”

    — Richmond Times-Dispatch
  • “There is something about Fawcett’s spirit and self-assurance that captivates…To read The Lost City of Z is to feel grateful that Grann himself bothered to set out for the Amazon in search of the bones of an explorer whose body was long ago reclaimed by the jungle.”

    — Christian Science Monitor
  • “A blockbuster tale of adventure.”

    — New York Observer
  • “Grann escapes death and tracks down Z, giving the reader the kind of Indiana Jones kicks best experienced vicariously.”

    — Details
  • “A colorful tale of true adventure, marked by satisfyingly unexpected twists, turns, and plenty of dark portents.”

    — Kirkus Reviews

Awards

  • Selected for the March 2009 Indie Next List
  • A New York Times bestseller
  • A USA Today bestseller
  • One of the 2009 New York Times Book Review 100 Notable Books for Nonfiction
  • Winner of the 2010 Indies Choice Book Award for 2010
  • A Slate Magazine Best Book in Nonfiction for the Last 25 Years

The Lost City of Z Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 3.787878787878788 out of 53.787878787878788 out of 53.787878787878788 out of 53.787878787878788 out of 53.787878787878788 out of 5 (3.79)
5 Stars: 7
4 Stars: 15
3 Stars: 8
2 Stars: 3
1 Stars: 0
Narration: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 (3.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 1
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 (4.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 1
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " I would actually give this a 3.5 but not more than that "

    — Brian, 2/11/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Fascinating. Well researched. Im a sucker for history, mystery, and the jungle so this was perfect. "

    — Julia, 2/4/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " This is not the type of book that I usually read, and I'm not sure exactly why I picked it up in the first place, but Wow! it was a page turner. I had no idea what life was like in the Amazon with all the strange, deadly critters, insects, indians that lived there. We hear so much about saving the rainforest, but I can't see any reason for anyone to go there and be subjected to all kinds of diseases and attack from all sides with insects and maggots! The ending left me a little sad though. "

    — Maggie, 2/3/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " This was an intriguing book and dispelled a lot of myths about the Amazon for me. The book is part biography, part adventure story, and part historical narrative. I had no idea who Percy Fawcett was before reading this book and frankly I find that a bit sad. He obviously doesn't get enough press, as he was clearly a great explorer for his time and any other for that matter. This book is worth a look. "

    — Erik, 1/31/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Fascinating story investigating the disappearance of "Colonel" Fawcett in the Amazon rainforest in 1925. A surprising ending and a good read for anyone interested in exploration and anthropology. "

    — Craig, 1/28/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Excellent! A real live adventure story. "

    — Nancy, 1/15/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " We listened to this book on a trip and it was fascinating. Very informative as well as intriguing. "

    — Louise, 11/4/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Another explorer/adventure book... this time they're looking for some unnamed, unfound, Amazonian wonder city. It comes to an interesting conclusion. "

    — Ellen, 10/30/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " One of the best books I have read in a long time. I am not a huge fan of non fiction. I am not really interested in Victorian explorers or the Amazon really. I was riveted. Could not put the book down. "

    — Kathy, 9/1/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Loved it! Hard to put down. "

    — Jenn, 6/29/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5 Narration Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 Story Rating: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5

    " Reads more like a novel, which it might actually be. Entrancing story. "

    — Ted, 4/18/2013

About David Grann

David Grann is the acclaimed author of several #1 New York Times bestsellers, including Killers of the Flower Moon, which won a Edgar Allan Poe Award, was a finalist for the National Book Award, and was adapted into a major motion picture by Martin Scorsese. His storytelling has garnered several honors, including a George Polk Award and Barnes & Noble’s Author of the Year Award for 2023. His investigative reporting garnered several honors, including a George Polk Award.

About Mark Deakins

Mark Deakins is an AudioFile Earphones Award–winning narrator and actor whose television appearances include Head Case, Star Trek: Voyager, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. His film credits include Intervention, Star Trek: Insurrection, and The Devil’s Advocate. He wrote, directed, and produced the short film The Smith Interviews.