Lost in the Valley of Death: A Story of Obsession and Danger in the Himalayas

Today's nonfiction post is on Lost in the Valley of Death: A Story of Obsession and Danger in the Himalayas by Harley Rustad. It is 304 pages long and is published by Harper. The cover is a picture of Parvati Valley. The intended reader is someone who likes true crime stories. There is some mild foul language, no sex, and discussion of violence. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- For centuries, India has enthralled westerners looking for an exotic getaway, a brief immersion in yoga and meditation, or in rare cases, a true pilgrimage to find spiritual revelation. Justin Alexander Shetler, an inveterate traveler trained in wilderness survival, was one such seeker.
In his early thirties Justin Alexander Shetler, quit his job at a tech startup and set out on a global journey: across the United States by motorcycle, then down to South America, and on to the Philippines, Thailand, and Nepal, in search of authentic experiences and meaningful encounters, while also documenting his travels on Instagram. His enigmatic character and magnetic personality gained him a devoted following who lived vicariously through his adventures. But the ever restless explorer was driven to pursue ever greater challenges, and greater risks, in what had become a personal quest--his own hero's journey.
In 2016, he made his way to the Parvati Valley, a remote and rugged corner of the Indian Himalayas steeped in mystical tradition yet shrouded in darkness and danger. There, he spent weeks studying under the guidance of a sadhu, an Indian holy man, living and meditating in a cave. At the end of August, accompanied by the sadhu, he set off on a "spiritual journey" to a holy lake--a journey from which he would never return.
Lost in the Valley of Death is about one man's search to find himself, in a country where for many westerners the path to spiritual enlightenment can prove fraught, even treacherous. But it is also a story about all of us and the ways, sometimes extreme, we seek fulfillment in life.

Review- An interesting but underwhelming book about one man's disappearance in the Parvati Valley in India. Justin Alexander Shetler was an outdoor enthusiast, he was trained in wilderness survival from a very young age and was a world traveler to boot. Then he misses a check in with friends and family. No one in India has him for weeks. The police will not do anything without someone there to represent the family and the Parvati Valley is known for tourist disappearing. Rustad is a fine writer but his prose does not stand out in this book. The story is only mildly interesting but I cannot point my finger on why this book did not really pull me in. If you are interested in disappearances or the Parvati Valley, you may enjoy this book. But you are looking for a riveting true crime book, then give this one a pass. 

I give this book a Three out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.