In the tradition of The Lost City of Z and Lost in Shrangri-La, critically acclaimed journalist and author Carl Hoffman travels to the remote coast of New Guinea to uncover the mystery surrounding the disappearance of 23 year-old Michael C. Rockefeller in 1961, delving into the complex spiritual world of Asmat tribe, one that included head hunting and cannibalism. In the early 1960s, Michael C. Rockefeller had it all-brains, good looks, an adventurous spirit, and as the youngest son of Governor Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller and Mary Todhunter Rockefeller, an abundance of wealth and power. Upon graduating from Harvard University, Rockefeller's curiosity and travels took him to an expedition in New Guinea where he soon became fascinated with the culture and artwork of the Asmats, a local tribe which lived on the southern part of the island. On his quest to learn more about the Asmat people and to collect their coveted tribal artifacts, Rockefeller soon returned to New Guinea. One afternoon, he and his companion, Dutch anthropologist Rene Wassing, were in a canoe about three miles from shore when it suddenly capsized, spilling both men into the sea. After drifting for several hours and moving even further away from shore, Wassing decided to stay with the canoe, while Rockefeller thought otherwise, saying to Wassing, as he was about to swim off with two fuel tanks strapped to his waist, "I think I can make it." While Wassing was rescued the next day, Rockefeller disappeared - and his fate still remains a mystery today. Carl Hoffman, an avid traveler and an acclaimed writer, vividly brings to life the story behind the death of Michael Rockefeller, setting out to solve what he thinks really happens - which is that the Asmats killed and ceremoniously ate Rockefeller after seeing him swimming to shore. He further explains their motivations-from a simple act of revenge coupled with a spiritual worldview which equates the ultimate act of subsumption as creating a form of natural balance. Retracing Rockefeller's steps and journey, Hoffman travels to New Guinea-still one of the remotest places on earth-where he delves into the world of former headhunters and cannibals, learns to speak Bahasa Indonesia, and uncovers generations of Asmat who seemingly know the truth behind Rockefeller's untimely and mysterious death.
Industry Reviews
"[Hoffman's] reporting takes hold, drawing a vivid portrait of the world of the Asmat people, hunter-gatherers who lived in isolation until the mid-20th century. Gripping." -- New York Times Book Review "In an expertly told tale that is begging for a film adaptation, Hoffman crafts a remarkable, balanced examination of this sensational case... [He] deserves much credit for this riveting, multilayered tale." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "With urgency boarding on obsession, Carl Hoffman retraces Rockefeller's perilous footsteps. The result is a hypnotic journey into otherness, a wild detective story amid cannibals and headhunters. A thrilling, one-of-a-kind tale -I couldn't stop reading." -- Andrew McCarthy, The Longest Way Home: One Man's Quest for the Courage to Settle Down "A bare-knuckle, adventure-filled journey in search of the answer to a half-century-old cold case: Whatever happened to Nelson Rockefeller's son, Michael? ... A searching, discomfiting journey yields an elegant, memorable report." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "A tremendous accomplishment-easily one of the best books I read this year. Carl Hoffman's acute eye for detail is something to envy. And that closing passage will stick with me for a long, long time." -- Brendan I. Keorner, The Skies Belong To Us: Love and Terror in the Golden age of Hijacking "Not only has Carl Hoffman helped solve one of the great mysteries of the last 50 years, he has also written a page turner. An instant classic." -- Scott Wallace, The Unconquered: In Search of the Amazon's Last Uncontacted Tribe "A gripping whodunit... a powerful book that succeeds in solving a half-century-old mystery." -- Wall Street Journal "Terrific ... What's surprising about this book is not the revelation of Rockefeller's fate but rather the author's portrayal of a unique cultural encounter." -- Washington Post "Hoffman is an intelligent writer... [the]best kind of non-fiction writing." -- The Globe and Mail "Compelling. Intoxicating. Sensational. Savage Harvest is a great read, as long as you're not eating lunch." -- Newsweek "A gripping read ... he's erected a solid foundation of reporting that goes far beyond what the rest of us did and is likely to make this the definitive account." -- Tim Sohn, Slate "Richly detailed ... nail-biting expose...Savage Harvest fascinates for the mystery it aims to solve as well as its portrait of an isolated but changing way of life." -- Chicago Tribune