Lost in Shangri-La

A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II

By: Mitchell Zuckoff

Narrated by: Mitchell Zuckoff

Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

On May 13, 1945, 24 American servicemen and WACs boarded a transport plane for a sightseeing trip over “Shangri-La,” a beautiful and mysterious valley deep within the jungle-covered mountains of Dutch New Guinea .Unlike the peaceful Tibetan monks of James Hilton’s best-selling novel Lost Horizon, , this Shangri-La was home to spear-carrying tribesmen, warriors rumored to be cannibals.

But the pleasure tour became an unforgettable battle for survival when the plane crashed. Miraculously, three passengers pulled through. Margaret Hastings, barefoot and burned, had no choice but to wear her dead best friend’s shoes. John McCollom, grieving the death of his twin brother also aboard the plane, masked his grief with stoicism. Kenneth Decker, too, was severely burned and suffered a gaping head wound.

Emotionally devastated, badly injured, and vulnerable to the hidden dangers of the jungle, the trio faced certain death unless they left the crash site. Caught between man-eating headhunters and enemy Japanese, the wounded passengers endured a harrowing hike down the mountainside - a journey into the unknown that would lead them straight into a primitive tribe of superstitious natives who had never before seen a white man - or woman.

Drawn from interviews, declassified U.S. Army documents, personal photos and mementos, a survivor’s diary, a rescuer’s journal, and original film footage, Lost in Shangri-La recounts this incredible true-life adventure for the first time. Mitchell Zuckoff reveals how the determined trio - dehydrated, sick, and in pain - traversed the dense jungle to find help; how a brave band of paratroopers risked their own lives to save the survivors; and how a cowboy colonel attempted a previously untested rescue mission to get them out.

By trekking into the New Guinea jungle, visiting remote villages, and rediscovering the crash site, Zuckoff also captures the contemporary natives’ remembrances of the long-ago day when strange creatures fell from the sky. A riveting work of narrative nonfiction that vividly brings to life an odyssey at times terrifying, enlightening, and comic, Lost in Shangri-La is a thrill ride from beginning to end.

©2011 Mitchell Zuckoff (P)2011 HarperCollins Publishers

Couldn't stop listening!

Would you consider the audio edition of Lost in Shangri-La to be better than the print version?

There is nothing better than having the author read his own words. He is obviously entwined in the story and makes it a wonderful experience to listen to this adventure.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The survivors and the Shangri-La natives were a fascinating combination. The fact that this true story was documented in real time by journals kept by the participants was just wonderful.

Which character – as performed by Mitchell Zuckoff – was your favorite?

This was a true story so the concept of 'favorite character' doesn't really play well. The entire story is fascinating and the adventure is spell-binding.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The concept of the Shangri-La natives living for generations in this isolated spot and then being 'discovered' by the Western world was moving in the sense of the natives' way of life being forever changed - and not necessarily in a good way.

Any additional comments?

This is a wonderful story with great and interesting detail about a true event that received little attention in recent years. Highly recommended!

An Amazing Story of Rescue

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes....well written and kept me hooked.

Have you listened to any of Mitchell Zuckoff’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I really enjoyed hearing how they worked on the problems to get themselves out of there long before the technology to do so existed. Impressive how they worked with the natives.

Any additional comments?

The author makes several references to a 12 min. movie made during the rescue. I finally found it online, so after you read the book, go watch the movie. Great to see real visuals of what you were reading!

Entertaining!

Pretty good and very exciting...at times.
Surprised Spielberg hasn't made this into a fill length film yet.
Very enjoyable to listen to.

A true story of the American spirit

A true story of American solders survival on New Guinea at the end of world war 2. Mitchell's written account of the famous rescue is a true classic in story telling genius. A must read for historical non-fiction readers !! A must read and beautifully done audio book!!

Crash

I hisatated listening to this story. So glad I did. One of the best.

So much potential . . .

I had high hopes for this book, but walked away disappointed. The story was fascinating and had a lot of potential, but . . .

It got bogged down with details that were not pertinent to the story. The author went to excruciating lengths to tell us the most minuet details on even the most minor characters. Right when I was getting into the flow of the story, we took a rabbit trail on a particular person. When they were born, who their parents were, where they went to school, etc. Then in the next paragraph, that person is no longer apart of the story. This happened over and over. The story could have been shortened considerably and flowed much better if this was corrected.

Overall, it had potential, but just didn't have the punch it could have.

Interesting nonfiction, but a bit drawn out

This true tale of survival and rescue has everything to make it fascinating. A plane in WW2 crashed in Dutch New Guinea, and three injured American survivors had to survive among an uncivilized tribe from a Stone Age-like world . I was intrigued from the start. The problem was that this is a book that must be about 250 pages, but the story could have been well told in a third of that length. The background information on all the characters was interesting, but sometimes overwhelmed the narrative of the survival and rescue. The reader was good but not great. Still, the tale was memorable, and I am glad that I listened to it.

Well worth it

This was a really enjoyable listen. The story is riveting and the narration is great.

Fascinating true tale...

Would you try another book from Mitchell Zuckoff and/or Mitchell Zuckoff?

Yes

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

N/A since this was a true story...

What aspect of Mitchell Zuckoff’s performance would you have changed?

It was good, I wouldn't change it.

Did Lost in Shangri-La inspire you to do anything?

I will try not to fly over unexplored jungles.

Any additional comments?

This was really interesting, a true life adventure of survival.

Absolutely wonderful

The author and the narrator should receive great kudos for this fantastic book. I personally think that it is worthy of an award for excellence.