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Quick answer: If you loved The Lost City of Z, read David Grann's Killers of the Flower Moon and The Wager, then try Into Thin Air, Endurance and The River of Doubt. All tell true tales of obsession, risk and survival.
David Grann's book follows the explorer Percy Fawcett, who vanished in the Amazon in 1925 while seeking a lost city, and Grann's own search for answers. The books below share that mix of exploration, mystery and human limits. All are nonfiction, and all are real, in-print books.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Killers of the Flower Moon | David Grann | Adult | more Grann |
| The Wager | David Grann | Adult | shipwreck survival |
| The White Darkness | David Grann | Adult | solo expedition |
| Into Thin Air | Jon Krakauer | Adult | mountaineering |
| Endurance | Alfred Lansing | Adult | polar survival |
| In the Heart of the Sea | Nathaniel Philbrick | Adult | sea disasters |
| The River of Doubt | Candice Millard | Adult | Amazon exploration |
| The Worst Journey in the World | Apsley Cherry-Garrard | Adult | polar classics |
| Into the Wild | Jon Krakauer | Adult | solitude and risk |
| The Terror | Dan Simmons | Adult | historical horror |
| Skeletons on the Zahara | Dean King | Adult | desert survival |
| The Last Place on Earth | Roland Huntford | Adult | polar race |
| Alive | Piers Paul Read | Adult | extreme survival |
| Lost in Shangri-La | Mitchell Zuckoff | Adult | WWII adventure |
| Touching the Void | Joe Simpson | Adult | mountaineering survival |
1. Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
Murders of Osage people in 1920s Oklahoma lead to the early FBI. Grann's best-known work, gripping and well researched.
Best for: more Grann.
2. The Wager by David Grann
A British warship wrecks off Patagonia in 1741, and the survivors tell conflicting stories. A tense sea adventure.
Best for: shipwreck survival.
3. The White Darkness by David Grann
A short book about a man who tries to cross Antarctica alone. Quiet and haunting.
Best for: solo expedition.
4. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
A journalist describes the 1996 Mount Everest disaster. Fast, clear and tragic.
Best for: mountaineering.
5. Endurance by Alfred Lansing
Shackleton's crew survives after their ship is crushed in Antarctic ice. A classic of survival.
Best for: polar survival.
6. In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick
The true story of the whaleship Essex, sunk by a whale. Grim and gripping.
Best for: sea disasters.
7. The River of Doubt by Candice Millard
Theodore Roosevelt explores an uncharted Amazon river after losing an election. Adventure and history.
Best for: Amazon exploration.
8. The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard
A member of Scott's Antarctic team recounts the winter trek for penguin eggs. A classic of polar writing.
Best for: polar classics.
9. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
The story of Chris McCandless, who walked into the Alaskan wilderness. Controversial and moving.
Best for: solitude and risk.
10. The Terror by Dan Simmons
A fictional account of the doomed Franklin expedition, with a supernatural monster. Long and chilling.
Best for: historical horror.
11. Skeletons on the Zahara by Dean King
American sailors are shipwrecked and enslaved in the Sahara in 1815. A tale of survival.
Best for: desert survival.
12. The Last Place on Earth by Roland Huntford
A study of the race between Amundsen and Scott to the South Pole. Opinionated and detailed.
Best for: polar race.
13. Alive by Piers Paul Read
A rugby team survives a plane crash in the Andes. Harrowing and famous.
Best for: extreme survival.
14. Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff
American soldiers crash in New Guinea and meet a remote tribe. Surprising and adventurous.
Best for: WWII adventure.
15. Touching the Void by Joe Simpson
A climber survives a fall in the Andes and crawls to safety. Gripping and short.
Best for: mountaineering survival.
How to Choose
For more Grann, begin with Killers of the Flower Moon or The Wager. For polar stories, Endurance and The Worst Journey in the World. For mountains, Into Thin Air or Touching the Void. For the Amazon, The River of Doubt. These books feature danger and death, so choose those that match your comfort. Adventure nonfiction is best read with a map. Look up the routes online, view historical photographs and consider watching a documentary after you finish. Many of these books have film adaptations, but the books carry more detail and context.
Related: 15 Books Like Keeper of the Lost Cities Kids Will Love: Magical Worlds and Secret Powers · What Age Is Keeper of the Lost Cities Appropriate For? A Parent’s Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Lost City of Z about?
Percy Fawcett vanished in 1925 in the Brazilian jungle while searching for a hidden civilization, and Grann follows his trail.
Is the Lost City of Z real?
Fawcett believed in a lost city he called Z. Recent research suggests that large settlements existed in the Amazon.
Was it made into a film?
Yes. A 2016 film starred Charlie Hunnam.
Is Grann's book a thriller?
It reads like one, with mystery and danger, but it is nonfiction.
What other Grann book should I read?
Killers of the Flower Moon is his most acclaimed.
Did Percy Fawcett ever find Z?
No. He disappeared in 1925 with his son and a companion, and his fate is still unknown.
Is Grann a journalist?
Yes. He is a staff writer at The New Yorker.
How long is The Lost City of Z?
About 340 pages.
Is it suitable for older teens?
Yes. It includes jungle hazards and some violence but nothing graphic.
Which book should I read if I like polar stories?
Endurance and The Worst Journey in the World are the best choices.