Originally broadcast: February 23, 2009
Nearly a century ago, explorer Percy Fawcett marched out of the last great generation of Indiana Jones-style adventurers and into the Amazonian jungle in search of what he called the Lost City of Z.
Deep in the jungle, conquistadors and adventurers have long imagined a civilization as great as Atlantis or El Dorado, lost beneath the Amazon’s endless canopy of green.
Fawcett never came out of the jungle. Decades later, The New Yorker’s David Grann dove in after him, to see what he could find. He came out with a tale of snakes, spies, poison arrows, murder — and new science lighting up an old heart of darkness.
This hour, On Point: On the trail of the Lost City of Z.
You can join the conversation. Why do we dream of El Dorados? Of lost cities? What would you risk to try to find one? Have you been to the end of the Amazon?
-Tom Ashbrook
Guest:
David Grann joins us from New York. He’s a staff writer for The New Yorker and author of “The Lost City of Z: A Deadly Tale of Obsession in the Amazon.” You can read an excerpt here.
More links:
“Finding the lost city” — Grann’s article in The Boston Globe’s Ideas section, adapted from the book.
great show! I would love to see a map of Fawcette’s expedition on your website!
Posted by Kate, on August 25th, 2009 at 10:27 AMIf this interests anyone, find a copy of Werner Herzogs’ movie, Aguirre – The Wrath of God – an absolutely amazing film. Story of the Pizzaro expedition into the Amazon. A feat of filmmaking which will astound you the more you think about it. Klaus Kinski, Natasha’s father is an absolute genius in the movie.
Posted by Jim, on August 25th, 2009 at 10:37 AMIf Tom could let people calling in to complete their sentences, that would be great! He just cut off the gentleman recalling his experience in 1946 and that was incredibly rude.
Posted by Ali Cross, on August 25th, 2009 at 10:47 AMTom has to allow ALL aspects of each show to come forth, bubble up, take their place, etc. I find him to be wholesomely polite, including when it IS time for a call to end. He is also so EXTRAORDINARILY able to interact with calls that ARE coming from the outside world, not the production staff!!! That agility is such a gift!! I have called in several times; and, as you may know, Tom has SOME sense of what each call is about. I suspect that when a caller is interrupted, it is because, as interesting as the caller’s ADDITIONAL points may be, that, for the sake of the balance and dynamism of the entire show, it is time to move on, keeping it: on point. This also allows other caller’s points to be made. I suspect their is a rhythm to the whole thing that is determined with complete spontaneity based on the topic AND the number of callers with varying points of view, and based on the discussion points they still want to cover. When I have gone back to listen to the shows I was on, including one where an ADDED point I wanted to make had to be cut off, it made ABSOLUTE sense to me that, for the creation of a great show, that that IS what he has to do occasionally — again, I feel he does it very politely; and I think his sense of proportion is excellent.
Posted by Chris, on August 25th, 2009 at 11:34 AMOOOPs. I made a spelling mistake: “I suspect THERE” (not “I suspect their”). Sorry.
Posted by Chris, on August 25th, 2009 at 11:38 AMDavid Grann’s website has a section with maps and photos. Check it out here:
http://www.davidgrann.com/maps_gallery/
Posted by Wen Stephenson, on August 25th, 2009 at 12:06 PMI really enjoyed the webcast as I recently read and thoughly enjoyed “the Lost City of Z”. I can just imagine the thrill and danger of Fawcett’s trek and the years awaiting an answer to what happened. Loved it.
Posted by Mark Ferree, on August 25th, 2009 at 8:42 PMany relation to Steve Fawcett?
Posted by peter gross, on August 25th, 2009 at 9:36 PM