Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II

( 278 )
Pick Up In Store

Pick Up in Store

Reserve and pick up in 60 minutes at your local store

Hardcover
$15.33
BN.com price
$26.99 List Price (Save 43%)
Marketplace (New and Used)
from
$6.09
$26.99 List Price (Save 77%)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
All (43)  
Used (18)  
New (25)  
Close
Sort by
Page 1 of 5
Showing 1 – 10 of 43 (5 pages)
$6.09
(Save 77%)
Textbookcenter.com
Seller since 2005

Feedback rating:

(46116)

Condition:

New — never opened or used in original packaging.

Like New — packaging may have been opened. A "Like New" item is suitable to give as a gift.

Very Good — may have minor signs of wear on packaging but item works perfectly and has no damage.

Good — item is in good condition but packaging may have signs of shelf wear/aging or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Acceptable — item is in working order but may show signs of wear such as scratches or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Used — An item that has been opened and may show signs of wear. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Refurbished — A used item that has been renewed or updated and verified to be in proper working condition. Not necessarily completed by the original manufacturer.

Very Good
SHIPS FAST! via UPS(AK/HI Priority Mail) within 24 hrs/ used sticker/some hilite

Ships from: Columbia, MO

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$6.13
(Save 77%)
Big River Books
Seller since 2010

Feedback rating:

(1379)

Condition: Like New
2011 Hardcover Fine Retail Edition! May have remainder mark. We ship daily Monday-Friday.

Ships from: Powder Springs, GA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$7.49
(Save 72%)
Big River Books
Seller since 2010

Feedback rating:

(1379)

Condition: New
2011 Hardcover New Retail Edition! We ship daily Monday-Friday.

Ships from: Powder Springs, GA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$8.50
(Save 69%)
Brookings Book Company SD
Seller since 2006

Feedback rating:

(215)

Condition: Very Good
Hardback with dust jacket. Vg/vg

Ships from: Brookings, SD

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$9.95
(Save 63%)
helvic55
Seller since 2010

Feedback rating:

(236)

Condition: New
2011-04-26 Hardcover New, unread and unused book with New, unread and unused book with clean pages and light shelf wear. May have a remainder mark.

Ships from: Amherst, NY

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$10.00
(Save 63%)
Websters Bookstore Cafe PA
Seller since 2005

Feedback rating:

(216)

Condition: Like New
2011 Hardcover Fine in Fine jacket 7th printing, as new.

Ships from: State College, PA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$11.91
(Save 56%)
Extremely_Reliable
Seller since 2007

Feedback rating:

(3184)

Condition: Like New
Buy with confidence. Excellent Customer Service & Return policy.

Ships from: Richmond, TX

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
$11.95
(Save 56%)
http-mart NV
Seller since 2008

Feedback rating:

(13)

Condition: Like New
2011 LIKE NEW [CONDITION: Pages-Crisp and clean with no highlighting, underlining or notations found; Binding-Tight; Hard Cover-Fine; Dust Jacket-Near fine. ] PHOTO: When ... displayed is actual book for sale. SHIPPING: Normally the same or next day, six days a week; Secure mailers used with USPS tracking number provided. On May 13, 1945, twenty-four 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 bestselling novel Lost Horizon, this Shangri-La was home to spear-carrying tribesmen, warriors rumored to be cannibals. Read more Show Less

Ships from: Sparks, NV

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$12.00
(Save 56%)
Old Army Books KY
Seller since 2005

Feedback rating:

(55)

Condition: Very Good
NY 2011 Hardcover 4th Printing Very Good in Very Good jacket Book 384 pp., illus.

Ships from: Lexington, KY

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$13.53
(Save 50%)
Wonder Book
Seller since 2008

Feedback rating:

(13615)

Condition: Good
Good condition. Good dust jacket.

Ships from: Frederick, MD

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
Page 1 of 5
Showing 1 – 10 of 43 (5 pages)
Close
Sort by
NOOK Book (eBook)
$12.99
BN.com price

Available on NOOK devices and apps

  • Nook Devices
  • NOOK
  • NOOK Color
  • NOOK Tablet
  • Tablet/Phone
  • NOOK for iPad
  • NOOK for iPhone
  • NOOK for Android
  • NOOK for Android (Tablet)
  • NOOK Kids for iPad
  • PC/Mac
  • NOOK Study
  • NOOK for PC
  • NOOK for Mac

Want a NOOK? Explore Now

More About This Book

Overview

On May 13, 1945, twenty-four 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 bestselling 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.

  • Lost in Shangri-La
    Lost in Shangri-La  

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
Zuckoff (Ponzi's Scheme) skillfully narrates the story of a plane crash and rescue mission in an uncharted region of New Guinea near the end of WWII. Of the 24 American soldiers who flew from their base on a sightseeing tour to a remote valley, only three survived the disaster, including one WAC. As the three waited for help, they faced death from untreated injuries and warlike local tribesmen who had never seen white people before and believed them to be dangerous spirits. Even after a company of paratroopers arrived, the survivors still faced a dangerous escape from the valley via "glider snatch." Zuckoff transforms impressive research into a deft narrative that brings the saga of the survivors to life. His access to journal accounts, letters, photos, military records, and interviews with the eyewitnesses allows for an almost hour-by-hour account of the crash and rescue, along with vivid portraits of his main subjects. Zuckoff also delves into the Stone Age culture of the New Guinea tribesmen and the often humorous misapprehensions the Americans and natives have about each other. In our contemporary world of eco-tourism and rain-forest destruction, Zuckoff's book gives a window on a more romantic, and naïve, era. (May)
Seattle Times
“A riveting tale in the hands of a good storyteller. . . . LOST IN SHANGRI-LA is the most thrilling book, fiction or nonfiction, that I have read since I can’t remember when.”
More Reviews (7) Fewer Reviews
AMERICA IN WWII
LOST IN SHANGRI-LA has all the hallmarks of a classic jungle adventure story. Three survivors of a tragic plane crash—an attractive Women's Army Corps corporal; a square-jawed, handsome lieutenant; and a gravely wounded, stoic sergeant with a cynical sense of humor—are lost in an uncharted and inaccessible valley in New Guinea, where the only inhabitants are primitive natives constantly at war with one another…the book revives the story and fills in the gaps with personal interviews, declassified army documents, a daily journal kept by one of the survivors, and original film footage shot by one of the rescuers….Lost in Shangri-La reads like an adventure novel, except that there are no bad guys and more than the usual number of heroes.
Cleveland Plain Dealer
“This is an absorbing adventure right out of the Saturday-morning serials. . . . Lost in Shangri-La deserves a spot on the shelf of Greatest Generation nonfiction. It puts the reader smack into the jungle. ”
Entertainment Weekly
“[A] gripplingly cinematic account. . . . A remarkable cast of characters. . . . A.”
David Grann
…compelling…and vividly reconstructed…As with many suspense stories, the build-up of Lost in Shangri-La is a bit more enthralling than the denouement. Yet overall Zuckoff has pulled off a remarkable feat—and held the reader firmly in the grip.
—The Washington Post
Michael Washburn
…Lost in Shangri-La delivers a feast of failures—of planning, of technology, of communication—that are resolved in a truly incredible adventure. Truly incredible? A cliché, yes, but Zuckoff's tale is something a drunk stitches together from forgotten B movies and daydreams while clutching the bar. Zuckoff is no fabulist, though, and in this brisk book he narrates the tense yet peaceful five weeks during 1945 that three plane crash survivors spent immersed "in a world that time didn't forget. Time never knew it existed." Even at the level of exposition, the book is breathless.
—The New York Times
New York Times Book Review
“A truly incredible adventure.”
Library Journal
On May 13, 1945, 24 military personnel, including officers and male/female enlisted persons, took off for a leisurely sightseeing trip over the uncharted regions of Dutch New Guinea. Their trip to Shangri-La to see the remote native communities from the sky ended in disaster. The plane crashed, leaving three survivors to fend for themselves in one of the world's most remote areas. Zuckoff tells this story brilliantly—the survivors' bravery, the courage of the paratroopers dropped in to protect them, and the ingenuity of those who devised and executed the daring rescue. Zuckoff also reveals the amazing record of first contact between the Americans and local natives and how they interacted peacefully despite extreme language and cultural barriers. This title is accessible to a wide audience beyond patrons who enjoy military history and biography. ["This excellent book will be enjoyed by anyone who loves true adventure stories of disaster and rescue such as Alfred Lansing's Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage," read the also starred review of the New York Times best-selling Harper: HarperCollins's hc, LJ 2/1/11.—Ed.]—Emma Duncan, Brampton Lib., Ont.

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780061988349
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 4/26/2011
  • Pages: 400
  • Sales rank: 7,996
  • Product dimensions: 6.30 (w) x 9.20 (h) x 1.50 (d)

Meet the Author

Mitchell Zuckoff
Mitchell Zuckoff

Mitchell Zuckoff's honors include the 2000 Distinguished Writing Award from the American Society of Newspaper Editors. His book Choosing Naia: A Family's Journey was a Boston Globe bestseller and won the Christopher Award.

Read an Excerpt

Lost in Shangri-La

A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II
By Mitchell Zuckoff

HarperCollins

Copyright © 2011 Mitchell Zuckoff
All right reserved.
ISBN: 9780061988349

Chapter One

M I S S I N G
On a rainy day in May 1945, a Western Union messenger made
his rounds through the quiet village of Owego, in upstate New
York. Just outside downtown, he turned onto McMaster Street, a
row of modest, well-kept homes shaded by sturdy elm trees. He
slowed to a stop at a green, farm-style house with a small porch
and empty flower boxes. As he approached the door, the messenger
prepared for the hardest part of his job: delivering a telegram
from the U.S. War Department.
Directly before him, proudly displayed in a front window,
hung a small white banner with a red border and a blue star at its
center. Similar banners hung in windows all through the village,
each one to honor a young man, or in a few cases a young woman,
gone to war. American troops had been fighting in World War II
since 1941, and some blue-star banners had already been replaced
by banners with gold stars, signifying a loss for a larger gain and a
permanently empty place at a family's dinner table.
Inside the blue-star home where the messenger stood was
Patrick Hastings, a sixty-eight-year-old widower. With his wire rim
glasses, his neatly trimmed silver hair, and the serious set of his
mouth, Patrick Hastings bore a striking resemblance to the new
president, Harry S. Truman, who'd taken office a month earlier
upon the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
A son of Irish immigrants, Patrick Hastings grew up a farm
boy across the border in Pennsylvania. After a long engagement,
he married his sweetheart, schoolteacher Julia Hickey, and they'd
moved to Owego to find work and raise a family. As the years
passed, Patrick rose through the maintenance department at a
local factory owned by the Endicott-Johnson Shoe Company, which
churned out combat boots and officers' dress shoes for the U.S.
Army. Together with Julia, he reared three bright, lively daughters.
Now, though, Patrick Hastings lived alone. Six years earlier, a
fatal infection had struck Julia's heart. Their home's barren flower
boxes were visible signs of her absence and his solitary life.
Their two younger daughters, Catherine and Rita, had
married and moved away. Blue-star banners hung in their homes, too,
each one for a husband in the service. But the blue-star banner in
Patrick Hastings's window wasn't for either of his sons-in-law. It
honored his strong-willed eldest
daughter, Corporal Margaret
Hastings of the Women's Army
Corps, the WACs.
Sixteen months earlier, in
January 1944, Margaret Hastings
had walked into a recruiting
station in the nearby city of
Binghamton. There, she signed
her name and took her place
among the first generation of
women to serve in the U.S.
military. Margaret and thousands
of other WACs were dispatched
to war zones around the world,
mostly filling desk jobs on bases
well back from the front lines.
Still, her father worried, knowing
that Margaret was in a strange, faraway land: New Guinea,
an untamed island just north of Australia. Margaret was based
at a U.S. military compound on the island's eastern half, an area
known as Dutch New Guinea.
By the middle of 1945, the military had outsourced the delivery
of bad news, and its bearers had been busy: the combat death
toll among Americans neared 300,000. More than a 100,000 other
Americans had died noncombat deaths. More than 600,000 had
been wounded. Blue-star families had good reason to dread the
sight of a Western Union messenger approaching the door.
On this day, misery had company. As the messenger rang
Patrick Hastings's doorbell, Western Union couriers with nearly
identical telegrams were en route to twenty-three other star-banner
homes with loved ones in Dutch New Guinea. The messengers
fanned out across the country, to rural communities including
Shippenville, Pennsylvania; Trenton, Missouri; and Kelso,
Washington, and to urban centers including New York, Philadelphia,
and Los Angeles.

(Continues...)


Excerpted from Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff Copyright © 2011 by Mitchell Zuckoff. Excerpted by permission of HarperCollins. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 278 )

Rating Distribution

5 Star

(102)

4 Star

(77)

3 Star

(63)

2 Star

(19)

1 Star

(17)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or Leave Anonymously

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identiy on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously

We're sorry, but penname is already taken.

Please select one of the following:
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously

penname is available!

By visiting the BN.com website or marking a purchase on BN.com, a User is deemed to have accepted the Terms of Use.

Continue Anonymously

Welcome, penname

You have successfully created your Pen Name. Start enjoying the benefits of the BN.com Community today.

See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 279 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 19, 2011

    Fantastic and Fascinating Read!

    I received an ARC of this book and thought that the summary sounded intriguing. A group of soldiers and WAC's take a scenic plane tour of New Guinea's Hidden Valley, but the plane crashes leaving 3 survivors. They then realize they are not alone in the valley when they meet Stone Age tribesmen who have never before seen white people. The story is crafted from journal entries, photographs, and interviews with the author as we follow the heroic rescue of the survivors and the harrowing details of their survival in a new world. I thought the book was fantastic and very interesting. To think all of this really happened and I'd never heard of the story before, it's one of those secret treasures you never know existed. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good non-fiction read.

    13 out of 13 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted May 3, 2011

    more from this reviewer

    Narrative History at its Best

    "Lost in Shangri-La" by Mitchell Zuckoff is a non-fiction book about a plane crash in Dutch New Guinea during World War II. This book is narrative history at its best.

    Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea was a strategic area during World War II, General McArthur made it his headquarters before the Philippines invasion. However, life was rough in Hollandia and the soldiers worked hard. To raise moral Colonel Peter Prossen gave the soldiers a treat - a sightseeing tour, from the air, of a lost valley unknown to cartographers complete with natives.
    The valley was nicknamed Shangri-La

    During one trip the transport plane crashed, killing almost everyone on board. The others had to fend for themselves in a hostile environment hoping rescue is on its way.

    "Lost in Shangri-La" by Mitchell Zuckoff is a gripping book which takes a hold of you from page one, and doesn't let go until the very end. Mr. Zuckoff makes history comes alive by introducing the reader to the survivors, those who died, the rescuers, friends and family. I was so engrossed in the book I felt almost as if my friends were the ones on the ground.

    Mr. Zuckoff relies on personal diaries, interviews, declassified documents, film footage and more to bring this mesmerizing tale to life. This book is not a glorification of the US Army or World War II, after all - a military plane crashed during a joy ride. But the book is about the human spirit.

    Focusing on the survivors, WAC Corporal Margaret Hastings, Lieutenant John McCollom, and Sergeant Kenneth Decker, the author pays particular attention not to tell the story solely from their point of view, but also gives much do credit to the unsung heroes, the paratroopers, medics, support personnel and the natives.

    The natives play a huge part in the book, one could say that the rescue wouldn't have been successful without their involvement. Mr. Zuckoff does a fantastic job researching and trying to understand their complex culture. I don't know if anyone involved realized how fragile the rescue was due to the terrain and the permanent state of war between the natives.

    The real strength of the book is the characterization of the real-life figures, not only of the soldiers involved, but also of the natives whose lives have been forever changed. Each one is written about in a very personal way which makes you want to jump in the pages and shake their hands.

    After letting the readers know how each member of the huge cast faired off, the book ends on a very thought provoking note. The natives' lives were disrupted, even though their way of living seemed primitive to us, it worked for them. In a few short decades their way of life barely exists, proud warriors now pose for photos and their land destroyed for minerals.

    7 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted June 23, 2011

    Good stuff

    I really enjoyed this. I was slight reluctant to read it after finishing Unbroken a few months ago but this is not painful to read like that was. The few photos slipped in literally bring the characters to life and drives home how amazing a true story can be.

    5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted May 25, 2011

    Riveting

    I read this book in two days-it was such a compelling story. The author vividly portrayed the the main characters and geographic setting. This was one of those books that leaves one wishing it hadn't ended.

    4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted May 26, 2011

    One of the best books I've ever read!

    Wow, this is one of the most exciting books I've ever read. The author, Mitchell Zuckoff, kept me hanging on every word. This is a very well written book. It is based on a true story and what a story it is. Also, check out the author's website to see the original film footage of this remarkable story of survival and rescue. The other reviewers go into more detail but all I have to say it, buy the book!

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 3, 2012

    Writing was fairly mediocre.

    A bit drawn out and repetitive. Writing wasn't very exciting. Irony of the story was that they were all out for a joy ride during the war!
    The natives were far more interesting then the survivors. Doesn't compare w/ "Unbound"

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted October 30, 2011

    Good yarn, simply written

    Simply written story of a little known event in World War 2, it is a fun read. However, it doesn't give an honest portrayal of the enormous errors made nor what happened to the men who made them.I also feel that the life of the natives could have been developed in greater depth and a greater exploration of the effects on them could have been made.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted August 2, 2011

    Disappointing

    I expected more of an exiting tale of headhunters and drama, but instead this read more like a documentary about life on an island during WWII. Although historically interesting, it really didn't have the drama I was expecting with friendly natives, not savage headhunters as anticipated for this area. I should have passed on this one, not a cliff hanger by any stretch.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted July 31, 2011

    Not bad overall particlarly at the right price

    With such an exciting title andsummary, I was expecting a bit more. An interesting story but the actual writing style was not great reading. I began to lose interest about half to two rhirds through the book. I think this is an ok purchase at a reduced price but not full price that I paid.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted June 13, 2011

    Outstanding

    I just finished this book and I am filled with the memory and spirit of all those heroes. What an amazing story of determination and dedication. Though initially tragic, the survivors go on to exhibit such determination and their rescuers were so strong willed and generous, you can't help but be uplifted by this amazing story. I feel filled with pride for all of them and I am so happy that I read this book.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 31, 2012

    Uneven

    The story of Shangri-la is great. But it is mired in copious backstory. Every character you meet is fleshed out documentary style based on the author's interviews. Then you are plopped right back at the point in the journey you left off, and reminded of the back story when it becomes relevant. It's a 125 page story buried in a 350 page archive.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 31, 2011

    Thank you for such a great book!

    To the author,

    I heard you on the John Batchelor show and was intrigued with the teasers you gave. It took a while before I found it on my nook color, but once I did I was not disappointed! I am a geek and am more likely to read a manual or just the news - this was riveting and a true gift to readers. Thank you!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 11, 2011

    Entertaining

    Maybe a wee bit slow at times but still a very interesting story and was well worth reading.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted October 5, 2011

    REALLY!!!!

    This book sucks!!!!!!!

    1 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted September 6, 2011

    Recommended for World War II books.

    The book was of particular enterest to me since the WAC was a lady from a town afew miles from home. Also, my brother was a Marine in area at the time. The book was not really of much historical value.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted August 31, 2011

    C+ book at best

    Wow, looking at all those stars. This had to be a good book. This should be a book of about 100 pages or so. Even then it's an over-hyped story of "danger" and "drama" that just doesn't deliver on the facts. THe first 75 pages or so, and the last chapter are worth reading (but not by much), while the middle half of the book is just laborious detail about inconsequential detail. "We woke up, ate potatoes for breakfast, looked into the air for the next air drop, and tried to stay dry." Over and over again. OK. We got that. You know there is a problem when you're skipping paragraph after paragraph of mind-numbing filler info that has little or no relationship to the fundamental story. Every possible detail about each character's past is included (family life as a child, civilian business ventures starts and fails, previous marriages etc etc etc. The writing itself is fine (actually good). The problem with this book is the story itself and all the filler info. Not all that interesting, and definitely not as dramatic an event in history as portrayed.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted July 23, 2011

    more from this reviewer

    interesting history

    A little slow, but interesting historical story.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted July 13, 2011

    Highly Recommend this book

    After seeing Mitchell Zuckoff on Jon Stewart's show, I had to buy this book. It's a great story of survival during WWII. If you are a WWII history buff, I recommend this book. You will not be disappointed.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted July 10, 2011

    Great Story

    Well researched, well written. Wonderful story of heroism, courage and the American Spirit!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted May 22, 2011

    Fascinating story!

    This is so well written and impeccably researched. I felt like I knew many of people by the end of the book. And it gives insight not only into a completely foreign culture but also into American culture during World War II.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 279 Customer Reviews
If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble
Why is this product inappropriate?
Comments (optional)
500 character limit