Précis
In David Grann’s book The Lost City of Z (2010) chapters 1-9, he describes Percy Harrison Fawcett’s (a famous explorer who went missing in the Amazon in search of an uncharted kingdom) life. Grann first describes some of Fawcett’s past explorations with quotations from Fawcett’s own journal; he then presents insight on why Fawcett decided to venture off into the Amazon by providing anecdotes; the author continues to divulge into the general obsessive nature of human beings by describing his own preparations to set out and trace Percy’s journey into the Amazon. His purpose is to decipher the extent in which obsession and curiosity drives human actions. He seems to have a broad audience in mind because his contemplative tone suggests that anyone intrigued by either human nature or the mystery of the Amazon would enjoy his book.
Vocabulary
- Garrison (n.) - the troops stationed in a fortress or town to defend it
- Luminaries (n.) - a person who inspires or influences others
- Innocuous (adj.) - not harmful or offensive
- Staunchest (adj.) - to be loyal and committed in attitude
- Meticulous (adj.) - very careful and precise
- Pungent (adj.) - having sharp quality
- Fledgling (n.) - a person or organization that is inexperienced
- Tantalizing (v.) – to excite the senses or desires of someone
- Celestial (adj.) - pertaining to the sky or visible heaven
- Orifices (n.) – a vagina or an anus
Tone
Contemplative, critical, and forthright
Rhetorical Strategies
Imagery
“She was a petite, energetic woman in her fifties, with short black hair and glasses…” (101)
Telegraphic Sentence
“It was the perfect cover.” (80)
Dialogue
“You can’t just go like that,” my wife said.” (75)
Listing
“ a tool that was a digital thermometer, a flashlight, a magnifying glass, and a whistle; compression sacks that shrank everything inside; Swiss Army knives with a computer flash drive to store photographs and music; water purifying bottles that doubled as lanterns; portable…” (78-79)
Colloquial
“shit happens.”(29)
Simile
“Occasionally, Fawcett and Chivers came upon a footbridge—string together with palmetto slats and cables- that stretched more than a hundred yards over a gorge and swung wildly in the win, like a shredded flag.” (86)
Discussion Questions
Why did the author chose to arrange the book the way he did, i.e. one chapter about Fawcett followed by a chapter on Grann’s own journey/ preparations?
How does Fawcett’s reasoning for exploring the Amazon illustrate the toll obsession
can take on one’s life?
How detrimental is obsession to one’s life?
Quotation
“…ordinary people driven to do extraordinary things---things that most of us would never dare--- who get some germ of an idea in their heads that metastasizes until it consumes them.”(32)
