There is not a complete character sketch or a detailed insight into the lives of the key protagonists. Each story is embellished with enough information to help envision the character and relate with them at a superficial level. There is the Corporal who leads the rescue mission, the WAC who is feisty and of Irish descent and the Captain, who is fearless and a leader of the group. As is the norm, every character is introduced with a brief history of their lives. While the story line itself is not that exciting, the story-telling is also at par with any other author that narrates a historical series of events. They are adequately provisioned and fed during their entire sojourn in the valley and the only thrill or suspense that remains in the book is how they were transported out of there and into safety. Soon after, within a period of a few days, a larger contingent of armed soldiers and a couple of Doctors air-drop into the valley of Shangri-La, where, together, they spend many days. Following their sighting, they are regularly provided with food and other provisions. Nevertheless, following the plane crash, the three of them manage to haul themselves to a place from where the Search and Rescue planes are able to locate them. The 3 survivors of the plane crash were all in the military, albeit one was part of the Women Army Corps and not a trained soldier by any stretch of the imagination. This is definitely not even remotely in that league. When survival against all odds comes to mind, I think of the 127 hours – a movie by Danny Boyle. Originally published in 2011, I had the opportunity to read it only recently and I found it quite insipid and unlike many other survivor stories that are so awe-inspiring. Set towards the end of the 2nd World War, in Netherlands New Guinea, it recounts the tale of a fun sortie that went pear shaped for all the travelers. Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff is a story of the survivors of an American plane crash.

Lost in shangri la by mitchell zuckoff