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Meh. I feel like this could have been written to engage the audience more.
This book was an enjoyable read, but I felt like at times the author was listing facts rather than weaving them into the story.
This is an amazing story, all the more interesting that 3 of the crash survived to live the tale. The author goes into a lot of detail about some of the character's pasts which also serves to give a glimpse into society leading up to the war. It really is well worth a read, and would likely make a decent movie too.
Toward the end of WWII, 24 servicemen and WAC's station in New Guinea set out for a day of leisure. They set out to see the lost paradise of Shangri-la. On their way there, the pilot left the plane in the arms of his inexperienced co-pilot who was unable to navigate through the treacherous terrain. He crashed the plane into the hillside killing 21 on impact.
This is the story of the 3 survivors who have to leave the crash site to have a chance of survival. But that's easier said than done. Two of the survivors have horrific injuries and struggle to even walk. Plus, they've landed in no mans land where the natives are known to be cannibals and there are Japanese troops hiding in the brush. Brave paratroopers attempt an incredibly risky rescue knowing they, themselves, might not survive.
Overall, the story was incredible, but it was hard for me to connect with the characters - especially Margaret. Maybe my expectations were too idealistic, but she irritated me to no end and that really detracted from my ability to really just enjoy this book. Still, I loved learning about a lesser known rescue of American personnel in wartime.
This is the story of the 3 survivors who have to leave the crash site to have a chance of survival. But that's easier said than done. Two of the survivors have horrific injuries and struggle to even walk. Plus, they've landed in no mans land where the natives are known to be cannibals and there are Japanese troops hiding in the brush. Brave paratroopers attempt an incredibly risky rescue knowing they, themselves, might not survive.
Overall, the story was incredible, but it was hard for me to connect with the characters - especially Margaret. Maybe my expectations were too idealistic, but she irritated me to no end and that really detracted from my ability to really just enjoy this book. Still, I loved learning about a lesser known rescue of American personnel in wartime.
This is one of the best books I've read this year -- a terrific tale of true adventure with a great deal of heart. Well-researched, well-written, well-paced and, in the case of the audio book, well-read by the author himself. I expected this book to be interesting from the jacket blurb, but I didn't expect to be drawn into it the way that I was. I love stories of small-town heroes, the everyday people who find themselves tested by events and circumstances far beyond their ken. Mitchell Zuckoff not only manages to recount an exciting story, but he makes us care about the real-life characters caught up in the story and teaches a new generation a bit of little known history along the way.
Utterly absorbing true-life adventure! I listened to the audio book and would sit in my car to continue to listen even after I'd reach my destination. Great story.
Fascinating account of WWII pleasure trip plane crash into Shangri-la on Dutch New Guinea, and the efforts to rescue the three survivors. The height of the mountains prevented helicopter rescue, so innovation needed to come into play.
There are additional stories within this story - that of a man who dreamed of combat in an effort to be the son his father wanted him to be, the transformation of the lives of the native tribes within this hidden valley over time, and the Pat Tillman like use of one of the survivors to promote the war further.
Zuckoff reads his own tale on this audio edition, doing a very credible job. Loved every minute of it. He did not bog his story down with minutiae, but gave enough details for the reader to imagine and understand everything.
There are additional stories within this story - that of a man who dreamed of combat in an effort to be the son his father wanted him to be, the transformation of the lives of the native tribes within this hidden valley over time, and the Pat Tillman like use of one of the survivors to promote the war further.
Zuckoff reads his own tale on this audio edition, doing a very credible job. Loved every minute of it. He did not bog his story down with minutiae, but gave enough details for the reader to imagine and understand everything.
Along the same vain, but not quite as good as Unbroken or Boys in the Boat, Lost in Shangri-La tells the true story of survivors of a plane crash in the jungles of New Guinea during WWII. Zuckoff conducted extensive research on the plan crash and rescue, including interviewing New Guineans who remembered the “ghosts who fell from the sky.” I was fascinated and intrigued by the experience of the survivors, their trepidation about the “man eating savages” they were fearful of, and the daring rescue that took place. It was another reminder to me of “the greatest generation,” what they lived through, and what they did for themselves, our country and our world.
Fantastic book. On May 13, 1945 , 24 servicemen and women were on a military plane that crashed in a valley in the mountains of New Guinea. They were on a site seeing tour to a place dubbed Shangri-La. Only three people survived. Two servicemen and a WAC. The book is about their survival and the attempts to rescue them as well as their interactions with the native people.
I was not aware of this story. I enjoy WWII history and particularly enjoy survivor stories. This book was hard to put down and there is so much to admire in the actions of the men and women. The relationships they developed with the native people on the island was also interesting.
I was not aware of this story. I enjoy WWII history and particularly enjoy survivor stories. This book was hard to put down and there is so much to admire in the actions of the men and women. The relationships they developed with the native people on the island was also interesting.