This book alternates between a biography of the South American explorer Percy Fawcett and a first person account of the author's attempts to follow in his footsteps. Fawcet went missing when on a quest to find the "Lost City of Z," his version of Eldorado, deep in the Amazon. About 80 years later David Grann tells the story of his quest to follow the story of Fawcett -- from archives in London to the deepest Amazon -- in the first person.

Anyone who has read 1491 knows the ending of this book. But even with that minimal suspense, the book is riveting in parts but repetitive in others. The first description of bees that stung your eyes or maggots that buried in your flesh was chilling. The 100th, less so. Much of the book is clearly necessary and illuminates the end of the age of non-scientific explorers. But other parts of the book appear more like padding than an essential part of the narrative.

Overall, a quick read and recommended.