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

Good book and story

I enjoyed listening to this book. Not too deep but enough to make for a good story. I would recommend this book especially if you like WWII stories.

Very good!

I enjoyed this audiobook and have recommended it to several friends. From beginning to end, the story held my attention and I found myself cheering the survivors on. I was sorry to get to the end of this audiobook; it was well worth the time I spent listening to it.

Too long and too much fluff. Decent narration.

This is a little known piece of history and a remarkable story of survival. However, I agree with reviewer Larson that it is not well-presented, continually going off on a tangent, telling us the life history of every minor player. It is one thing for a journalist to do detailed research; it is quite another to decide what to include in a book. There is really only enough material here for a good short story or novella. I must say that, given that these soldiers crashed while taking joy rides to a primitive, unexplored area, it seems that the Army had nearly unlimited resources to pour into the rescue of these 3 people. The 3 survivors are certainly heros; their commanding officers should have been disciplined. The book doesn't compare to the quality of similar tales of courage under extreme duress, such as Unbroken. So far as the narration goes, unlike many authors, Zuckoff does a good job.

Fascinating true tale

Great, true historical story of survival. I truly enjoyed the story as well as the narration.

Just ok

I really wanted to love this, but it fell short of my expectations. The story used trite metaphors at times and the narration left something to be desired.

Made it ---- Finally!

I bought this book in 2012, and finally got around to listening to it. This is SUCH an exciting genre, but Zuckoff didn't do it justice. The story is too rambling and disjointed. There are some basics to creating a good narrative: Characters, problem, suspense. He just didn't get it. 3/4 of the way through the book, I had to force myself to finish it. It brings to mind the Emperor's words from Amadeus: "There are simply too many notes, that's all. Cut a few and it will be perfect."
This is one case where the author does a good job of reading his book.

Excellent story

Very sad story. Plane crashing in the jungle and the survival a few people.. How they coped with the pain of burns and broke feet. And Natives

Amazing story

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

I might listen again, if I didn't have so many other books on my list! This is an amazing story which held me captive during the entire book.

fantastic story told in a gripping way

I really enjoyed it. The author does a wonderful job reading it and fills in his research and facts in well placed times throughout the story.

Boring reader but the story is interesting.

I felt the story was very interesting! ANC oils have been but it seemed a bit disjointed. Also the narrator was painful, monotone and absolutely boring.