After stumbling upon a hidden trove of diaries, New Yorker writer David Grann set out to solve "the greatest exploration mystery of the twentieth century": what happened to British explorer Percy Fawcett. In 1925 Fawcett ventured into the Amazon to find an ancient civilization. For centuries Europeans believed the world's largest jungle concealed the glittering El Dorado. Thousands had died looking for it, leaving many convinced that the Amazon was truly inimical to humankind. But Fawcett had spent years building his scientific case. Captivating the imagination of millions, he embarked with his 21-year-old son, determined to prove that this ancient civilization--which he dubbed "Z"--existed. Then he and his expedition vanished. Fawcett's fate--and the clues he left behind--became an obsession for hundreds who followed him. As Grann delved deeper into Fawcett's mystery, and the greater mystery of the Amazon, he found himself irresistibly drawn into the "green hell."--From publisher description.

Maps on endpapers.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 285-326) and index.

We shall return The vanishing The search begins Buried treasure Blank spots on the map The disciple Freeze-dried ice cream and adrenaline socks Into the Amazon The secret papers The green hell Dead Horse Camp In the hands of the gods Ransom

The case for Z El Dorado The locked box The whole world is mad A scientific obsession An unexpected clue Have no fear The last eyewitness Dead or alive The colonel's bones The other world Z.