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

Great Story, but too much fluff

Would you listen to Lost in Shangri-La again? Why?

Yes,
The story is compelling and was interesting to learn about.

Any additional comments?

I think the actual story of the event could be told better. I don't think it is necessary to go into the personal history and heritage of every single periphery character. It tended to bog down some sections of the book.

Shangri mehhhh

While the description of this book sounded interesting the actual writing and story wasn't. This was not the most incredible rescue mission of WWII.

The reading was fine.

Great war history read

Would you listen to Lost in Shangri-La again? Why?

Probably not, only because it was very well laid out and read the first time. Easy to follow the story and rescue timeline. Very descriptive.

What did you like best about this story?

The fact that it is true! The thought of places in this world virtually unexplored during WWII is quite amazing. I only wish that as an audiobook listener we could view the pictures that surely were in the book. Maybe there is and I just don't know how to access them.

What about Mitchell Zuckoff’s performance did you like?

Read well and with conviction. Easy to listen to

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

The crash itself, how anyone survived was a miracle. The struggle of hiking through dense jungle made me exhausted just listening to it

Any additional comments?

If you like histoy, especially WWII history, you should enjoy this one

Impossible to put down or pause.

What did you love best about Lost in Shangri-La?

How each of the characters was developed, each showing their stregths and weaknesses. All human, yet some more so than others. How personal challenges were met and overcome. The frailty of humanity becomes evident and chosen paths to overcome it is painfully described. Specifically how Mr. Zuckoff contrasts and compares the lives of the natives and our military personnel makes one feel as if you witnessed the events yourself..

What was one of the most memorable moments of Lost in Shangri-La?

The uncontainable emotion that charged the listener as the survivors were found during the search.

Which scene was your favorite?

How "Pete" unknowingly becomes the survivor's guardian, A lot was left to the imagination (due mostly to the lack of communication) yet one can surmise that if all was known, "Pete" would undoubtedly play a much larger role as guardian.

Any additional comments?

Mr. Zuckoff takes hold of your attention and holds it until you finish. Sometimes, since I heard it as an audiobook, I found myself driving "the long way" to get to a part where I could put it down or pause it as painlessly as possible.

THIN

The book was well written and the performance was competent. There was just not enough substance to the story to justify a whole book.

Great Story

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

This was a great story, all the names are a little hard to follow at first, but it gets easier as the story goes on.

What other book might you compare Lost in Shangri-La to and why?

This book is like a mix Indiana Jones and Congo, hard to believe, but very entertaining.

What about Mitchell Zuckoff’s performance did you like?

He's the author, but did a good job reading the book.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Riveting !!!

I have read many books on WWII. I would have to put this one right at the top. The author Mitchell Zuckoff has taken the time to do the research necessary to bring this forgotten true story back to life. If you like history, human courage, and survival stories, you will love this book!

Author narration yawn

Interesting piece of history and I may have enjoyed it more if the narrator has been better. He should stick to writing.

Excellent

Loved the story. True adventure and survival beats any fictional story. All the survivors and rescuers are heroes.

Best listen in a while

If you like history, human struggle, and perseverance, this book is for you. The author does a great job with both the book and the narration. I was hooked from the beginning and couldn't stop listening till it was finished. Then a few days later I listened to it again. Such an amazing story. You won't be disappointed with this book. Well worth a credit!!!