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Customer Reviews of Lost Horizon

Fill in the Unstated with Your Imagination!
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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Which would you choose?
Hilton's story of the struggle between the real world and utopia is sure give you a pleasing read. The story opens as four Westerners flee from Baskul to avoid a oncoming war. Soon they find themselves highjacked and deposited by the valley of the blue moon also known as Shangri la. The story line then follows the lead character (Conway) and the supporting characters as they struggle to understand the valley, their place in the world and ultimately they must decide to either stay in the valley or return the outside world. Obviously written for the pre-WWII generation Hilton brings to the front the philosophical ideas of peace and warnings of "man's upcoming struggle that will eventually destroy civilization".

The story line is dated and one can, at times, question it's political correctness but it's a good, quick read for anyone interested in religion and spiritual matters. I saw the movie years ago and liked it. After reading the book I would have to say that I like the book more.

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A Classic Story
My interest in reading Lost Horizon came from having seen the Frank Capra film several times. I was aware that the produces of the film had tried to remain as close to the book as possible but I found the differences between the book and the film to be refreshing.

Lost Horizon is a riveting book that is difficult to put down. One might classify the book as part adventure, part philosophy in the blending of the exotic location and Christian and Buddhist beliefs. It is needless to say that the book is well written; the chapter I found of highest interest is Robert Conway's conversation with the High Lama. The writing of that chapter was so very natural and the discussion of such interest it was like being an observer of the scene, and was a chapter I did not want to break.

The characters of the four kidnapped people, Mallinson, Miss Brinklow, Barnard and Conway are subtly drawn and their different reactions to Shangri-La are interesting. Miss Brinklow wants to create a Christian mission, Barnard is eluding the law and happy to have found a safe haven and Mallinson cannot be reconciled with the peaceful paradise of the lamasery; but it is Conway, of course, who has center stage. The character of Conway, a world-weary man who discovers that Shangri-La as a place of destiny, must reflect much from the personality of James Hilton. Conway is very complex; a person who has wisdom beyond his years but is not, as he confesses, a hero and is partly a coward. Indeed, Conway's firm decision to remain at Shangri-La is successfully changed by Mallinson. The conversation between the High Lama and Conway expresses many ideas that applied to Hilton's time and also to the present day. The description by the High Lama of the "coming storm" struck me as appropriate for today. In Hilton's time there was the threat of war on a vast scale as Japan had its eye on occupying large parts of China and the rise of Fascism. Today, it is world terrorism and leaders that want to take us into war without having a clue to the consequences.

In short, this is a marvelous tale that is fantastic to read; a book that one can re-read with great pleasure.