About this episode
FULL EPISODE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIO4A_Wqgco
For over a century, the Lost City of Z has been treated like a romantic mystery — an obsession, a legend, a dream that swallowed explorers whole.
DAVID'S LINKS:
BUY "THE WAGER": https://www.amazon.com/Wager-Tale-Shipwreck-Mutiny-Murder/dp/0385534264/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Rb3PhH90mRH2YeRth5ANPtc85T8xJfFWfdQrF9Qa4yJjGmguFt_AvjcXUFATX68XkIJzyldTcdfqiB6MvgneDW60FEOhSRJ97scz1KbwAgOiDtnpuuBP6Ix9oVZXa88sVTKvc5oWsKxlTsyLfXH1l5xgbI0JEtio9PkcULfb5TVosuI1wx3j-f-Go5fE6iUgkoRGh-172mjOlZdPEm5dQGtas3yhPVDr1QOuL5J_dgc.rLmeUvfyTMHzEi2e-xBHao6JLWlMBTplBu1RBQOV_v8&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+wager&qid=1759763943&sr=8-1
BOOK/WEBSITE: https://www.davidgrann.com/books/
X: https://x.com/davidgrann
But the real story is far darker.
In this episode, David Grann, author of The Lost City of Z, breaks down what actually happened in the Amazon — and why much of the story was softened, ignored, or quietly left out.
From Percy Fawcett’s final expedition to the brutal realities of the jungle, this isn’t just a tale of exploration. It’s a story about obsession, mythmaking, and how the West misunderstood the Amazon — and the people who lived there — for generations.
What was framed as noble discovery often bordered on delusion.
What was remembered as mystery often involved violence, disease, and cultural blindness.
In this episode, we explore:
• Why the Lost City of Z became an obsession
• What Percy Fawcett was really chasing
• The darker realities explorers faced — and caused
• How myth overtook evidence
• Why parts of this story were never emphasized
• And what the Lost City of Z reveals about exploration itself
This isn’t about debunking wonder.
It’s about confronting reality.
***TIMESTAMPS***
00:00 – What Happened to All the Money? Osage Nation Today & Regret Over Blood Money
10:56 – Firsthand Witnesses Describe Ernest Burkhart (as portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio)
15:36 – Percy Fawcett and the Legend of the Lost City of Z
23:48 – Journey to the Southern Base of the Amazon Rainforest
29:14 – Fawcett’s Obsession with El Dorado: Gold Cities, Layered Pyramids & Extreme Claims
44:04 – The Disappearance of Percy Fawcett and the Enduring Mystery
And once you understand the full story, the legend of Z looks very different.
@juliandoreyclips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
