--- product_id: 199659 title: "Lost in Shangri-La" price: "NZ$34" currency: NZD in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.nz/products/199659-lost-in-shangri-la store_origin: NZ region: New Zealand --- # 2011 Acclaimed Historical Non-Fiction True WWII New Guinea Expedition Bestseller #73 Military Aviation Lost in Shangri-La **Price:** NZ$34 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 📖 Unlock the untold WWII survival epic everyone’s talking about! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Lost in Shangri-La - **How much does it cost?** NZ$34 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.nz](https://www.desertcart.nz/products/199659-lost-in-shangri-la) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Award-Winning Bestseller:** Join thousands of readers who rated it 4.3 stars and counting. - • **Cultural & Emotional Depth:** Explore complex human emotions and cultural clashes beyond the crash site. - • **Unrivaled True Rescue Story:** Experience the gripping survival saga of WWII’s most remote crash rescue. - • **Meticulous Research & Authenticity:** Dive into decades of firsthand accounts, native oral histories, and expert analysis. - • **Perfect for History & Adventure Buffs:** A compelling blend of military aviation, exploration, and human endurance. ## Overview Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff is a critically acclaimed 2011 historical non-fiction bestseller that chronicles the harrowing true story of three WWII survivors stranded in the remote jungles of New Guinea. Combining meticulous research, firsthand survivor accounts, and native oral traditions, this book offers a deeply emotional and authentic narrative of survival, rescue, and cultural encounter, making it a must-read for history enthusiasts and adventure seekers alike. ## Description Lost in Shangri-La [Zuckoff, Mitchell] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Lost in Shangri-La Review: A GREAT TRUE RESCUE STORY. DON"T MISS IT. - The NY Times bestselling “Lost in Shangri-La” by Mitchell Zuckoff, published in 2011, is one of the best true rescue stories I’ve ever read with its accurate and lucid reporting, immense and complicated research backdrop, and the inspirational message it invokes. Near the end of World War II, twenty-four members of the Armed Forces stationed in New Guinea took an aerial sightseeing trip in a C-47 transport plane to observe a newly discovered jungle paradise with sparkling villages and beautiful people. The remote location in the wilds of New Guinea suddenly became more than a curiosity when the plane crashed, killing all but three passengers. Now the three survivors, a spunky WAC, a young lieutenant whose identical twin brother had died in the crash, and a sergeant who gamely struggled with horrific injuries, were stranded in this remote location. Zuckoff actually traveled to the crash site, spoke with the natives who recalled or knew of the intrepid trio, and nosed around the wreckage and the graves of those who died. He tells the story of their life without food, little water, and no protection from the elements. He describes their constant pain from injuries, the fear of encroaching gangrene, and the torment of being stranded without communications or knowledge of any effort at rescue attempts amidst natives they couldn’t understand. The natives were not the golden beings as rumored, but were indeed savages who would eat human flesh if it were convenient. But despite their ferocious appearance, they made every effort to make life passable for the strangers they didn’t know, didn’t know where they came from, and couldn’t even communicate with. The Americans were finally spotted by rescue aircraft spurring a rescue effort that featured supply airdrops, parachutists, heroic medical intervention, an unlikely extraction method to retrieve them from their remote location, and eventually their return to civilization. Many people were involved, much money was expended, many lives were put at risk, and the successful rescue makes readers feel both anxiety and relief as the story progresses. Zuckoff is masterful in his handling of the many details that make up this complicated story. He recreates the tremendous surges of emotions experienced by the survivors, the rescuers, the natives, and the family and friends suffering at home. This story is not to be missed. Heroes are plentiful. Emotions are raw. Suffering is agonizing. Decisions are seemingly foolish, yet prove astute. This might be the best book of its kind you will ever read. Schuyler T Wallace Author of TIN LIZARD TALES Review: Fascinating non-fiction book if you ignore the "real life adventure thriller" marketing - With the subject matter (plane crash survivors stranded in New Guinea) and press this book has gotten, it'd be easy to think this is a thriller. It's not. It's still a historical non-fiction book -- it just reads like a very interesting one. 4 stars: -I liked how the author integrated first person accounts and journal entries with what we know today. It makes for a richer read because you're essentially getting 3 sides to the story: the survivors' 1945 account; the natives' story, based on oral tradition and childhood memories, told today; and information historians and anthropologists gathered for decades after the crash. -Zuckoff is objective. He addresses racial and cultural stereotypes without being heavy-handed. He doesn't blame characters for their views, but instead points out their errors. More of a "today, anthropologists know..." instead of "it's ridiculous he'd think the natives were dangerous cannibals." -It could have been a little more cohesive -- Zuckoff seems to jump around a bit. For example, he could transition better from one person's background/account to the next person's story. I noticed some people thought there was too much detail about the key players' backgrounds. I think the detail helps shape the characters. For example, reading about why and how each of them ended up stationed in New Guinea makes their survival in Shangri-la even more remarkable. For me, it was more about how the detail was presented than the quantity. -I think this book would appeal to a wide-range of audiences -- I'm not a World War II buff and I don't read a ton of historical non-fiction. The story is intriguing, the writing has a good balance between providing context and moving the story along, and it's a manageable length. Tip: I think the way this book is being marketed ("real-life adventure thriller!!!!") could set some readers up to be disappointed. If you're a fiction reader, go into this remembering this isn't a "story inspired by true events," but rather an actual account of true events. It'd be like watching an engaging documentary of King George VI instead of the movie The King's Speech -- they're both good but they do different things. That said, this is still a remarkable story worth reading. ## Features - Used Book in Good Condition ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #118,290 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #73 in Military Aviation History (Books) #116 in Expeditions & Discoveries World History (Books) #320 in World War II History (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.3 out of 5 stars 6,615 Reviews | ## Images ![Lost in Shangri-La - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/714VnjKTvzL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A GREAT TRUE RESCUE STORY. DON"T MISS IT. *by S***E on November 3, 2014* The NY Times bestselling “Lost in Shangri-La” by Mitchell Zuckoff, published in 2011, is one of the best true rescue stories I’ve ever read with its accurate and lucid reporting, immense and complicated research backdrop, and the inspirational message it invokes. Near the end of World War II, twenty-four members of the Armed Forces stationed in New Guinea took an aerial sightseeing trip in a C-47 transport plane to observe a newly discovered jungle paradise with sparkling villages and beautiful people. The remote location in the wilds of New Guinea suddenly became more than a curiosity when the plane crashed, killing all but three passengers. Now the three survivors, a spunky WAC, a young lieutenant whose identical twin brother had died in the crash, and a sergeant who gamely struggled with horrific injuries, were stranded in this remote location. Zuckoff actually traveled to the crash site, spoke with the natives who recalled or knew of the intrepid trio, and nosed around the wreckage and the graves of those who died. He tells the story of their life without food, little water, and no protection from the elements. He describes their constant pain from injuries, the fear of encroaching gangrene, and the torment of being stranded without communications or knowledge of any effort at rescue attempts amidst natives they couldn’t understand. The natives were not the golden beings as rumored, but were indeed savages who would eat human flesh if it were convenient. But despite their ferocious appearance, they made every effort to make life passable for the strangers they didn’t know, didn’t know where they came from, and couldn’t even communicate with. The Americans were finally spotted by rescue aircraft spurring a rescue effort that featured supply airdrops, parachutists, heroic medical intervention, an unlikely extraction method to retrieve them from their remote location, and eventually their return to civilization. Many people were involved, much money was expended, many lives were put at risk, and the successful rescue makes readers feel both anxiety and relief as the story progresses. Zuckoff is masterful in his handling of the many details that make up this complicated story. He recreates the tremendous surges of emotions experienced by the survivors, the rescuers, the natives, and the family and friends suffering at home. This story is not to be missed. Heroes are plentiful. Emotions are raw. Suffering is agonizing. Decisions are seemingly foolish, yet prove astute. This might be the best book of its kind you will ever read. Schuyler T Wallace Author of TIN LIZARD TALES ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fascinating non-fiction book if you ignore the "real life adventure thriller" marketing *by E***L on May 26, 2011* With the subject matter (plane crash survivors stranded in New Guinea) and press this book has gotten, it'd be easy to think this is a thriller. It's not. It's still a historical non-fiction book -- it just reads like a very interesting one. 4 stars: -I liked how the author integrated first person accounts and journal entries with what we know today. It makes for a richer read because you're essentially getting 3 sides to the story: the survivors' 1945 account; the natives' story, based on oral tradition and childhood memories, told today; and information historians and anthropologists gathered for decades after the crash. -Zuckoff is objective. He addresses racial and cultural stereotypes without being heavy-handed. He doesn't blame characters for their views, but instead points out their errors. More of a "today, anthropologists know..." instead of "it's ridiculous he'd think the natives were dangerous cannibals." -It could have been a little more cohesive -- Zuckoff seems to jump around a bit. For example, he could transition better from one person's background/account to the next person's story. I noticed some people thought there was too much detail about the key players' backgrounds. I think the detail helps shape the characters. For example, reading about why and how each of them ended up stationed in New Guinea makes their survival in Shangri-la even more remarkable. For me, it was more about how the detail was presented than the quantity. -I think this book would appeal to a wide-range of audiences -- I'm not a World War II buff and I don't read a ton of historical non-fiction. The story is intriguing, the writing has a good balance between providing context and moving the story along, and it's a manageable length. Tip: I think the way this book is being marketed ("real-life adventure thriller!!!!") could set some readers up to be disappointed. If you're a fiction reader, go into this remembering this isn't a "story inspired by true events," but rather an actual account of true events. It'd be like watching an engaging documentary of King George VI instead of the movie The King's Speech -- they're both good but they do different things. That said, this is still a remarkable story worth reading. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent detailed history. *by P***S on October 7, 2025* This is a WW11 history book that every high school student in the USA should be required to read before receiving a diploma to graduate. It is very well researched, documented, and details that should be known widely. As a history buff I'm appalled that I never knew any of this. Exceptional story. Thank you to Mr. Zuckoff. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.nz/products/199659-lost-in-shangri-la](https://www.desertcart.nz/products/199659-lost-in-shangri-la) --- *Product available on Desertcart New Zealand* *Store origin: NZ* *Last updated: 2026-04-26*