The Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story

Wow. Easily one of my top 5 books from 2017.

The Lost City of the Monkey God is about the expedition and the men who “discovered” the lost Ciudad Blanco. I put discovered in brackets because (as the book states) many native Hondurans already knew the location of the city. These natives generally avoided the area due to a curse on the city.

I don't want to give away too much, but readers should be aware that this is about more than just the city. It's about new technology, history, political upheavals, friendships, dangers, discovery and disease. When I picked this up, I expected something along the lines of The Lost City of Z (A book I eventually shelved as a DNF). Z focused on two parallel storylines, one in modern day and one of an ancient expedition. It asked question after question, yet never answered them. Monkey God asks questions and gives answers. It reiterates the perils, and also the beauty of the rainforest. It reminds us of the cultures that have come before us and how quickly mother nature can erase our existence. It is truly an excellent book.