Lost Horizon: Amazon.ca: James Hilton: Books

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Inside This Book (Learn More)
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First Sentence
Mission; Henry D. Barnard, an American; Hugh Conway, H.M. Consul; and Captain Charles Mallinson, H.M. Vice-Consul. Read the first page

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Concordance

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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover

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Customer Reviews

56 Reviews

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
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Average Customer Review

4.4 out of 5 stars (56 customer reviews)

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4.0 out of 5 stars Lost Horizon, Oct 12 2009

By	Justine Hand (Calgary, Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Lost Horizon (Paperback)

Thank you for the book. It arrived in perfect condition. The only concern was it took a lot longer to arrive than the date that was estimated. This was disappointing as it was for a gift.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Time slows down, Mar 17 2008

By	Vera C. Fran "book nut" (British Columbia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lost Horizon (Paperback)

Hilton's classic tale of Christianity meets Buddhism, inspires, enlightens and engages the reader in a classic fantasy of Shangri-la, a place where time slows down, and some regain the opportunity to accomplish their dream. Beautifully written, unforgettable, LOST HORIZON conjures up a way to escape WWII and opens the possibilities to a different way of life, if only in a region of the Himalayas so remote, that its possibility shines to this day.
An uforgettable novel, a must read.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Fill in the Unstated with Your Imagination!, Dec 1 2003

By	Professor Donald Mitchell "Jesus Makes Me a P... (Boston) - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Lost Horizon (School & Library Binding)

In the depths of the worldwide economic depression as the war drumbeats began in Germany, James Hilton wrote a quirky, imaginative book about the potential to escape the harsh reality. In so doing, he caused each reader since then to wonder what the right balance of tranquility and challenge really is. Like the best books about possible utopias, Lost Horizon leaves much to the reader's imagination. Undoubtedly, you will conjure up solutions to the riddles left open by the author that will be especially pleasing to you.

Although the book is clearly set in the 30's with a British perspective, many of the themes struck me as universal. As the book opens, there's an intriguing prologue that sets just the right tone for the story. You are to read a manuscript about the experiences of one Hugh "Glory" Conway, H.M. consul. The manuscript opens with airplane hijacking that seemed all too realistic. Quickly, the hijacking turns into a surprising adventure as the passengers unexpectedly arrive in a little known part of Tibet and are escorted to Shangri-La, a lamasery sitting atop a hidden valley of peace and tranquility. While there, they await an opportunity to arrange passage with the bearers who are bringing a shipment that is expected in 60 days. Conway, however, learns the secrets of Shangri-La and finds himself faced with an extraordinary set of choices.

To me, Shangri-La is a metaphor for the mental tranquility that many spiritual practices can bring. For anyone who has enjoyed these practices, you will know that it can be tempting to withdraw totally into them. To do so can be delicious, especially for the frazzled soul. At the same time, we are made of flesh, blood and boil with emotions that seek their venting through action. How can the two instincts be reconciled? You are left to come to your own conclusions, and that's one of the great beauties of this fine book.

The book has several weaknesses that will bother most readers. Except for Conway, the character development is minimal. The book is too conveniently filled with people in Tibet who speak perfect English. Morality is held a little bit too much in suspense for the book to be as spiritual as it had the potential to be. There's a heavy overlay of British Empire perspective that will seem remote to current readers as well.

The ideal reader for this book is someone who enjoyed Butler's Erewhon or H.G. Wells's The Time Machine.

I was left thinking that we each need our own personal Shangri-La today more than ever. May you find a way to carry it with you!

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Most recent customer reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Easy reading
A plane is kidnapped and its passengers end up in lamasery in Tibet. The rest is what you may expect: some of the characters want to remain there (after some spiritual insights)... Read more

Published on Mar 23 2002 by Diego Zlotogora

5.0 out of 5 stars Well written!
Excellent example of moderm escapism, without the modern car chase and unneeded inuendo...

Read & reread many, many time, this story, like Shangri-La, never gets old.

Published on Jan 21 2002 by Deipnosophist

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is off-the-hook!
When the topic of great novels comes up, this book definitely ranks right up there. It is a metaphor for anything that anyone has lost and can't get back; youth, beauty, idealism... Read more