How It All Goes Down
A Scientific Obsession
- In 1921, Lawrence of Arabia—the Lawrence of the Arabia—agrees to accompany Fawcett into the Amazon.
- But Fawcett doesn't want him.
- Fawcett wants his son Jack to accompany him.
- Now if only the Fawcetts actually had money for this expedition.
- Jack trains his body in case funding comes through. A friend describes him as one of "the knights of the Grail" (18.19). We'd call Fawcett Sir Bragsalot.
- In 1924, Fawcett learns that Dr. Rice is planning yet another extravagant expedition. The guy has a hydroplane this time. In the 1920s, this is like Google sending a mapping car into the Amazon.
- Fawcett believes that good old-fashioned footwork beats technology any day, and he finds a kindred mind in a former war correspondent named George Lynch.
- Lynch helps Fawcett raise money by promoting the heck out of the expedition. This guy would be a Tumblr master if he were alive today.
- Fawcett, with his son Jack, treks to New York to meet Lynch and Jack's friend Raleigh.
- In the Big Apple, Fawcett discovers Lynch "drunk and surrounded by prostitutes" (18.33).
- On second thought, Lynch should stay off social media.
- Lynch retreats to Europe in disgrace, but American billionaire John D. Rockefeller, Jr. chips in $4,500 bucks to help Fawcett's expedition.
- Off Fawcett goes in search of Z once more.