Chasing the Thrill

Obsession, Death, and Glory in America's Most Extraordinary Treasure Hunt

By: Daniel Barbarisi

Narrated by: Daniel Barbarisi

“Daniel Barbarisi plunges into an adventure from another era when he goes in search of buried treasure, guided only by a cryptic poem, a mischievous art collector, and the footsteps another pursuer who died on the quest… Every page draws you deeper into this no-man’s-land where fortune—or tragedy—awaits.” —Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run

When Forrest Fenn was given a fatal cancer diagnosis, he came up with a bold plan: He would hide a chest full of jewels and gold in the wilderness, and publish a poem that would serve as a map leading to the treasure's secret location. But he didn't die, and after hiding the treasure in 2010, Fenn instead presided over a decade-long gold rush that saw many thousands of treasure hunters scrambling across the Rocky Mountains in pursuit of his fortune.

Daniel Barbarisi first learned of Fenn's hunt in 2017, when a friend became consumed with decoding the poem and convinced Barbarisi, a reporter, to document his search. What began as an attempt to capture the inner workings of Fenn's hunt quickly turned into a personal quest that led Barbarisi down a reckless and potentially dangerous path, one that found him embroiled in searcher conspiracies and matching wits with Fenn himself. Over the course of four chaotic years, several searchers would die, endless controversies would erupt, and one hunter would ultimately find the chest.

But the mystery didn't end there.

Full of intrigue, danger, and break-neck action, Chasing the Thrill is a riveting tale of desire, obsession, and unbridled adventure.

Okay

Enjoyed learning about the characters and Finn. But can’t say I was crazy about the book as a whole. Felt more like it was for fellow treasure enthusiasts and could have had a better structure for the masses. Enjoyed the background on the other treasure hunts referenced too.

Well Written

I loved the writing style. This brought me back to the chase and all those authentic emotions that go with pouring one's heart and soul into a dream, a desire and perhaps more importantly...rediscovering oneself. Thank you Mr Fenn for giving so many of us hope. Only real hope can motivate some 30 searches (4 in YNP with the 1st one being 2 perilous nights and the rest of the searches outside of Lander WY on land resembling the shape of George Washington's profile inside a Brave's profile next to the LittlePopo Agie River. The drawings brought me there and though not where it was found I hope someday the disclosure validates the general region).

Kudos to the finder and thank you for a well written and well read book. Mr Fenn would be very proud.

Storytelling at its best!

Daniel Barbarisi paints a fascinating picture of a world of treasure hunters and its charismatic leader, Forrest Fenn. Why Forrest did what he did remains a mystery and may never be known. What is known and described in this book is how the hidden treasure galvanized thousands of people to become seekers and spend day and night (and in a few instances, sacrifice their lives) in search of it. What I particularly enjoyed was that the author himself provides the audible reading. His first person account adds another level of color and uniqueness to this storytelling adventure.

Feels like a good podcast series

This audiobook reminded me of a good podcast series. The author reading it gave it a casual-feel and felt more conversational in tone. I don't usually read a lot of non-fiction but this title stuck out at a local bookstore and I am glad I gave it a read! The story is super fascinating and I am glad there was a solid conclusion.

The story of a modern day treasure hunt.

what a captivating story. I had heard snippets of it over the past few years but had stayed away from the full story. it's well worth the read and well written.