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Lost Horizon
LOST HORIZON The story begins in May, 1932, with four passengers taking off in a luxurious cabin plane loaned to them by the Maharajah of Chandapore.They thought that they were being evacuated from Baskul because of an uprising between the white residents and the people of India. The four people were, Miss Roberta Brinklow a Missionary, Henry Barnard an American, Hugh Conway the British Consul and Charles Mallinson the British vice-consul. It was Mallinson who first noticed that the plane was going off course, and that the pilot was a stranger. They were flying into an area near Tibet. They crash landed in a rocky valley and the pilot mumbled that they should look for the lamasery, before he died. They saw strangers approaching. One of them was being carried in a chair, he was an old Chinese man named Chang and he greeted them in perfect English. They offered to escort them to the lamasery. It was a steep and dangerous path that lead them to the lamasery of Shangri-La. It was a beautiful lush valley with surprisingly modern plumbing and central heating. They had learned from Chang that they seemed to have been expecting them. They were told that they wouldn’t be able to leave until about two months, when the next delivery of goods was expected. Everyone was surprised to find a great library of western books and music. There was even a piano. Women were allowed into the lamasery as well. There was a beautiful woman named Lo-Tsen and she entertained them by playing the harpsicord, however she remained silent. Shangri-La was surrounded by an enormous mountain called Karakal. It meant "blue Moon." The people of Shangri-La had a philosophy of moderation and good manners. They applied this philosophy towards all their actions, politics and even religion. All excess was avoided, even excess of virtue. Chang told Conway that the High Lama wished to see him. The High Lama told Conway a strange story about how Shangri-La came to be. The High Lama had a strong spiritual aura about him. Through their conversation Conway realized that the High Lama was actually Father Perrault. He learned that whoever entered the valley of Blue Moon would share in the slow aging process that Father Perrault had discovered. When a person turned 100 years old they could then be initiated into lamahood. Chang and Lo-Tsen were both too young still. Chang was 98 and Lo-Tsen was 78. Conway realized that Father Perrault must be 200 years old. If anyone leaves the valley for more than a few weeks they would immediately return to their real age. Conway was falling in love with Lo-Tsen. Miss Brinklow and Barnard were very content in Shangri-La. However, Mallinson was impatient to get home to England. Chang hinted that those that left Shangri-La, did not return to the valley or to the outside world. Conway was amazed that the High Lama handed over control of Shangri-La to him and before he had time to ask any questions the High Lama died. Mallinson excitedly told Conway that the goods had arrived and that he and Lo-Tsen were going to leave the valley with the porters. Conway was surprised that Mallinson and Lo-Tsen had fallen in love. Conway tried to explain to Mallinson that Lo-Tsen was very old and that leaving, could mean her death This book has a very exciting and surprising ending? Will they be able to make it on the their way out of the valley on the treacherous path? What will happen to Lo-Tsen if she leaves Shangri-La? Who will run Shangri-La? Bookhooks report by sam spiegel
of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
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Number of Pages: 0
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