Book Review: The Unconquered

After finishing this book, I tried to read other reviews in hopes of finding some kindred spirits but found none. So I read the book again (which was really tough) and came to the same conclusion...this is a 512 page book that could easily be whittled down to a seven page article. Which is why I was not surprised to find out that before the book’s publication, it actually was an article in National Geographic. I am a huge fan of nonfiction that chronicles trips into the Amazon. When “The Lost City of Z” came out, I was the first in line to get my copy; I devoured “Turn Right at Macchu Picchu” in two sittings. It is for this reason that I was so disappointed to find this book filled with egotistical musings and, by comparison, very little information on the actual Arrow People.

Writer Scott Wallace, was asked by National Geographic to follow the Indian activist Sydney Possuelo on his mission to find out information on the Arrow People. This community is made up of about 4,000 Indians who have remained “unconquered” despite the settling of Europeans and development over the past centuries. With the constant war on the environment that we seem to be waging, there is a risk that these Arrow People will be found by man and their environment will be destroyed. In an effort to save them and their way of life, Possuelo sets out to get as close as possible without contacting the tribe. He hopes to use the information that he gleans from this adventure to protect these indigenous people. Wallace goes along for the ride chronicling Possuelo and his 75+ team members. He fights the mud, bugs, boats, hunger, and his own physical and emotional strength for over three months. Thus making this one of his hardest, yet most rewarding assignments.

While Wallace clearly set out to write a tell-all that would help raise awareness of the Arrow People’s threatened situation, what he has actually done is chronicle his own plights. Within the first five pages, he has already bombarded the reader with his personal problems and great successes that would make him perfect for this assignment. This irked me from the start. I picked up this book to learn about the Arrow People and not about Wallace’s family troubles and great writing skills. Though he clearly respects Possuelo, Wallace spends a decent amount of time complaining about Possuelo’s “dictator-like” way of running the expedition. I felt that Possuelo’s zeal was inspiring and not nearly as annoying as Wallace. Additionally, Wallace is a whiner. Obviously, the Amazon is threatening and is home to many dangerous animals and insects. However, I felt as if Wallace spends too much time complaining about these circumstances and not enough time discussing the actual Arrow People. He seems to want a big pat on the back for enduring this charitable mission. While I believe that he deserves some kudos, I hoped that he would focus less on himself and more on “the Amazon’s last uncontacted tribe”.

-DLP