Lost in the Valley of Death

A Story of Obsession and Danger in the Himalayas

By: Harley Rustad

Narrated by: Harley Rustad

Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

In the vein of Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild, a riveting work of narrative nonfiction centering on the unsolved disappearance of an American backpacker in India—one of at least two dozen tourists who have met a similar fate in the remote and storied Parvati Valley.

For centuries, India has enthralled westerners looking for an exotic getaway, a brief immersion in yoga and meditation, or in rare cases, a true pilgrimage to find spiritual revelation. Justin Alexander Shetler, an inveterate traveler trained in wilderness survival, was one such seeker.

In his early thirties Justin Alexander Shetler quit his job at a tech startup and set out on a global journey: across the United States by motorcycle, then down to South America, and on to the Philippines, Thailand, and Nepal, in search of authentic experiences and meaningful encounters, while also documenting his travels on Instagram. His enigmatic character and magnetic personality gained him a devoted following who lived vicariously through his adventures. But the ever restless explorer was driven to seek out ever greater extremes, and greater risks, in what had become a personal quest—his own hero’s journey.

In 2016, he made his way to the Parvati Valley, a remote and rugged corner of the Indian Himalayas steeped in mystical tradition yet shrouded in darkness and danger. There, he spent weeks studying under the guidance of a sadhu, an Indian holy man, living and meditating in a cave. At the end of August, accompanied by the sadhu, he set off on a “spiritual journey” to a holy lake—a journey from which he would never return.

Lost in the Valley of Death is about one man’s search to find himself, in a country where for many westerners the path to spiritual enlightenment can prove fraught, even treacherous. But it is also a story about all of us and the ways, sometimes extreme, we seek fulfillment in life.

©2022 Harley Rustad (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

Pronunciation of Sanskrit

Literally would have taken this narrator 30 minutes to learn the pronunciation of Sanskrit words. His mispronunciation is distracting and irritating. Come on audible!!

Story is lackluster. Book is too long. Not my favorite

A Call for Healing the Wounds of the Wild

In your intriguing and deeply moving book I didn’t catch a discussion about the potential effects of childhood sexual abuse on Justin. You began an early discussion of the shadow self and Jung, eventually you mentioned Justin’s recognition of his sexual abuse by two men who were in roles of caretaking and teaching. And finally, when he was watching Opra, Justin revealed recognition of his sexual abuse. Much later Justin named his motorcycle “Shadow”. The earlier predator stalking him on a motorcycle. And the name of his heavy metal band “Punchface”.
You provided such excellent research in so many fascinating realms, but I feel you were reticent to introduce any research of the lifelong symptoms of sexual abuse and it’s damage not only to personal and parental relationships, but the tendency of the unconscious re-creation of those abusive relationships.
Justin’s journey was trying to save his younger self from this plunge into darkness and unknown territory. To empower his inner child. To help empower the orphaned, the down trodden. To fly like an eagle. To relieve old shameful beliefs that he was “really bad”, ie. not good enough, not strong enough, not keen enough. Not agile enough to catch the ball to prevent humiliation.
You mentioned his desire to become stronger, to become an expert tracker, to live independently of acquiescent societal trappings, becoming a front man for a heavy metal band and a successful businessman. Justin was a conquer of difficult and dangerous feats, and all these things he accomplished. Even Justin living as a “cave dweller” the metaphorical arena of the unconscious. The cave that will either illuminate or destroy during the exploration of it’s transformational darkness. The hero’s journey. Justin’s life was on stage, whether in the forest tracking predators and survival, as a front man in the wildness of LA, a star-studded motorcycle rider on the famous roadways of India, or playing intrepid daredevil traveler to his Instagram audience. But never fully discussed in the book was Justin’s unhealed abuse that fomented fragility and susceptibility to perpetrators, the human wolves who see and take advantage of the damaged and emotionally vulnerable. The trust he was dedicated to finding in people and himself swerved into his ultimate undoing. The fake sadhu, the facade of a promised spiritual awakening from a charlatan who sacrificed Justin’s life to the Goddess Paraviti for a machete and an iPhone. Or possibly worse. The Business Baba, the sadhu who was a stalker of damaged Western souls palming the ultimate eastern cure for their suffering. And Justin with his specific vulnerabilities and desires for ultimate achievement was this business baba’s perfect prey.
Just like predators in the wild, human predators pick loners who have been cut off from the herd, the different, the weak, the young and vulnerable, the naive. The human predator grooms their prey, endearing them, gaining trust, and isolating them. Ultimately weakening them socially, physically and mentally. Soaking them gradually in ever warming waters of manipulation until they are unknowingly ripened for the attack. And as most often seen in sexual abuse situations, the seduction and capture of their prey predicts a role of isolation, emotional and physical slavery, and eventually symptoms of self abuse and reckless behavior. Sometimes resulting in suicide or whatever route it takes to lean into the ultimate call for the healing of the wounds of the wild.
Gwen Hanner
Psychotherapist in Tampa, Florida
Written in Sri Lanka, February 2022

Narration left much to be desired.

The narration was very monotone. The story jumped around so much that I had trouble keeping it straight.

Interesting story

Interesting story of a traveler who goes missing in India. Great details about the travel in this area and what led him to this type of travel.

Lost in the valley of death - gripping but could have been better researched

I started this reading the review in New York times, the story itself an extremely interesting one , Justin is charismatic, interesting and the portrayal is superb! What I had problem with is the portrayal of India, found is astounding that even in this day and age it is described time and again as some kind of hippie destination rampant with sadhus and drugs and hippie culture and corrupt and inept police officers etc etc! The most glaring inaccuracy i have to mention is the description of Krishna as a warrior prince who advices Arjuna against war and guides him towards peace in the Bhagavad Gita!!!!! It is exactly the opposite, Krishna advises Arjun to take up arms and fight for the right! He counsels him on defeating evil and making sure righteousness wins against all cost! Well, i had to mention this but there were sone inconsistencies through! Pronunciation could have been better of Indian names... over all a very good listen though!

Beautifully written and intriguing

I hadn't heard of this case before and couldn't put this book down. Deeply engrossing. I just wish the author had been a little more straightforward as to what they think truly happened. Such a sad loss. I feel for Justin's friends and family. I hope one day, they get some closure.

I was glad the author included information on other disappearances that had occurred in the area--really fascinating. I also enjoyed the background on the culture and the type of people who pilgrimage in this way, as it was new to me. I feel like I learned a lot and, when coupled with Justin's instagram, almost felt like I'd been to India myself. The author does a great job of capturing the sense of place.

I thought the author did a good job narrating and see why he chose to read it himself--it was Justin's story, but it was his story, too. At first the insertion of the author's background with India and information on his own time there seemed jarring, as we'd been completely immersed in Justin's story up to that point. But after a while, it evened out and the focus returned to Justin. It is mainly included, I think, to show why the author felt so connected to the story on a personal level, enough to dedicate years of his life to it.

I also appreciated the even-handed approach the author took in presenting Justin's story, careful to show all aspects of it--those Justin wanted his audience to see and those he didn't. The sadness and loss over Justin's disappearance is well balanced with the intriguing beauty of the legacy he left behind.

All in all, a captivating read that will leave you thinking about it long after it's done. I would highly recommend this to anyone.

A Compelling Story about a Complex Figure

No part of the amazing travel and personal development story is left unturned, though at times details were unecessarily lingered on or repeated. The amount of research and background information is much appreciated, however, and succeeds in making this a fully fleshed out portrayal of a fascinating individual. In particular attentions to the spiritual element are appreciated. The story seems almost novelistic in its breadth and turns, and one almost expects a miraculous denouement. I believe Rustad should have deferred to a pro to read the book or at least studied the relevant geographic names insofar as multiple pronunciations were off. Still, a great listening experience.

The narrator is horrible and boring.

An author should not narrate. Big mistake. Pay for a professional who can bring the book to life.

Careful Treatment of a Delicate Story

Justin Alexander's story is easy to romanticize, and over the years since his disappearance I've been frequently frustrated by zealous fans only seeing the heroic story of Justin, and not recognizing the troubled man behind the myth and the collateral damage that quaked those who loved him in the aftershock of his disappearance. Justin had a tender, charitable heart, whose positivity wraps the world like a warm embrace. But he was... maybe he still is... a red-liner. Someone who could never coast, even when his motorcycle was headed downhill. This book is the only biography I've found on Justin that treats him fairly, rather than blindly worshiping his Herculean feats.

As a young adventurer who draws inspiration from Justin's life, I also see his final weeks as a cautionary tale. Though his disappearance has caused my heart to ache for years, I'm also thankful for his story, as when I find myself seeking an edge, I remember Justin's mom... The love for her son keeps me from falling over.

Uhg

Unlike the referenced author in the title this drags on and on. I think some of the background is highly subjective as well. Could have made the connection with Siddhartha and moved on…just couldn’t get into the actual account with all the “filler”.