The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon Chapter 5

Blank Spots on the Map

• In 2005, David Grann pays a visit to the Royal Geographic Society.
• John Hemming, former director, asks him, "You're not one of those Fawcett lunatics, are you?" (5.2).
• Short answer: yes.
• At the Society, Grann learns how critical these explorers were in mapping the world.
• The Society got stuff done, even though some of its members were just rich, bored eccentrics.
• With the help of an archivist—librarians are your best friends—Grann reviews over two decades of correspondence between Fawcett and Society officials.
• Will these letters unlock the mystery of Fawcett's whereabouts?