Lost Horizon

By: James Hilton

Narrated by: Michael de Morgan

Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

Celebrating the 70th anniversary of this magical and well-loved classic. Following a plane crash, Conway, a British consul; his deputy; a missionary; and an American financier find themselves in the enigmatic snow-capped mountains of uncharted Tibet. Here they discover a seemingly perfect hidden community where they are welcomed with gracious hospitality. Intrigued by its mystery, the travelers set about discovering the secret hidden at the shimmering heart of Shangri-La.

©2010 James Hilton (P)2010 Audible Ltd

A story that will live forever

Would you listen to Lost Horizon again? Why?

The movie version is an all-time classic, but it is good to revisit the original story again (and again).

What other book might you compare Lost Horizon to and why?

There is nothing quite like it--fantasy, romance, and utopian vision rolled into one. Prophetic of the age of darkness that was about to tall over the world.

Have you listened to any of Michael de Morgan’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Have not heard him as a reader before--slightly below the very best Audible "voices."

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Extreme relief that it lived up to my recollections of having read it in youth.

Any additional comments?

Sadness that there really are no longer any places beyond the edges of maps. It is flabbergasting that this could be the source material for a classic movie (1937?) and then one of the worst remakes ever--the musical version from 1973.

great read

it was well worth revisiting this novel that I read in HS as a teenager and now again as a different kind of senior.

The Voice of Magic & Mystery

Lost Horizon is magic and mystery. It tells the story of 4 Westerners who stumble rather forcibly (kidnapping) upon the hidden city of Shangri-La in the Tibetan mountains, in the valley of Blue Moon. This is the original tale of Shangri-La, where all the legends arise. Here in the valley they find no answers to their questions about how to return to civilization. Instead they find reasons not to return. For, though they were brought there against their will, they had been stumbling through life at a point of crisis. 

What would it mean to find yourself “the master of Shangri-La; hidden behind the mountains in the valley of Blue Moon? Could you unravel the mysteries of time and wisdom? Would you choose to return to “civilization” to find a way –any way to prevent the next world war, or would you remain enthroned in Shangri-La, preserved as by a miracle for a new Renaissance with the secret of a protracted youth? 

As James Hilton said in this mysterious book, “Laziness in doing stupid things can be a great virtue.” But, is happiness to be found, or is it only realized when we cease to search? Is it the fulfillment of passions or in the end of passion? Can joy exist in moderation? It really reminds me of the old John Lennon song, Imagine. If there is “nothing to live or die for,” then why live or die? If we strive merely to preserve life, then haven’t we really missed the point of living? 

Hilton does not give answers. He presents a philosophical set of arguments. And, uniquely, he provides a ‘devil’s advocate’ in the form of a character named Mallinson. A Brit, Mallinson argues against the idea of Shangri-La, in all the arguments going through the reader’s own head. And, Shangri-La is an idea. It is the idea that you could… 

…achieve calmness and profundity, ripeness and wisdom, and the clear enchantment of memory. And, most precious of all, you will have Time—that rare and lovely gift that your Western countries have lost the more they have pursued it…


In the end the reader is left with the question of Shangri-La. Do you think you will ever find it? 

I enjoyed reading this classic in the Audible version read by the voice of Michael de Morgan, a voice full of character and perfect for this book. I downloaded the free ebook from Project Gutenberg to follow along.

Terrible Narration

The story and plot seemed great except I could not understand the narrator when he took on a fake Chinese accent. It was terrible and the fake chinese guy takes up a lot of the story. I had to shut it off and watch the video on Prime to see what the actually story was about. It was a great story had they made it understandable.

Fabulous performance of fabulous story

Wonderful experience listening to this book. The narrator gives an amazing performance -- more like a superb radio play rather than just the reading of a book. The story is very entertaining and thought-provoking.

My dad’s favorite book

This was my dads favorite book. I read it shortly after he died and have read it many times since. Since my vision isn’t great I decided to go with the audio book. At first I had a hard time with the narrator but after awhile it grew on me and I have come to find it relaxing and listen to it before bed. It’s worth the listen

One of my favorite movies

I love the movie version of this book but had never read or listened to the book until now. I thought the book was a bit slow at times but enjoyable. I like the movie better.

Amazingly wonderful, a new favorite!

I knew about this book but had never read it, and I haven't seen the movie. I knew it involved a mystical place called Shangri-La, but that was it. I listened to the audible version, and enjoyed it very much. It's set post-WWI, an era I am drawn to, mostly because my grandfather served with the army in France. I wish I knew more about his experience, but he would never talk about it, even to my father.

Lost Horizon features an interesting narrative structure in that the story is mostly told third hand by a neurologist who hears the story from a novelist (Rutherford) who got the story from the main character, Hugh "Glory" Conway. Rutherford discovers Conway (whose remarkable personal, academic, and athletic qualities create an indelible impression on everyone he meets) in a mission hospital in China. Conway originally is suffering from amnesia, but when he regains his memories, he tells his story to Rutherford, who writes it down and gives it to the narrator. Then Conway disappears. The novel's epilogue leaves an interesting question in the mind of the reader, and I have my own preferred "answer."

When Conway and three companions are being evacuated from India during a revolution, their plane is hijacked and crashes in the mountains to the west of Tibet. The pilot dies, but the party is rescued and escorted to a lamasery, Shangri-La. I don't want to give away more of the plot, because it is so wonderful to discover it for the first time. I think I might have wanted to stay in Shangri-La, were I given the chance. I just love the philosophy of the monks: moderation. Nothing is particularly right or wrong, so there's little need for a crime-punishment mentality, which really bothers two of the kidnapped hostages. In my opinion, the treatment of time at the lamasery is the most fascinating aspect of Hilton's imagination -- especially in contrast with the experiences of people who survived WWI, escaped from a violent revolution, and lived through a plane crash -- and is the most remarkable feature of this novel.

The reader of the audible book is fine, but it's not really a "performance" narration. It suited me, even though I did not like the voice given to Miss Brinklow -- one of the kidnapped evacuees. Other voices were subtly distinct and not distracting.

I'm currently reading Hilton's book, Random Harvest, and am enjoying the similarities in the themes and characterizations. I especially like the material regarding the impact of WWI on the individuals who fought in the trenches and the way society dealt with the returning veterans.

Great!

I've always liked this story which I've read many times since boyhood, as well as loving the movie adapted from it.
I can't imagine this narrative being done better & it carried me along like the movie's imagery, yet with just the spoken word.

Thought provoking -- well narrated.

A mysterious valley--perhaps real--existing within the protection of high mountains holds things of beauty and wisdom. The story leaves many ideas to ponder. Maybe even more timely today than when it was written!