Andrea Lankford quit her job after spending 12 years as a National Park Service forester specializing in search and rescue missions in scenic and remote American landscapes. However, decades later, three young hikers went missing on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). She found herself unable to turn away from the three separate cases despite challenges in the inquiry into them.
Trail of the Lost was her answer.
It’s an absorbing nonfiction narrative (叙事) about the three hikers, including their lives and those of the people looking for them. It also explores the history of the PCT and the rich subculture, practices and even literature that surround it and those who undertake the 2,650-mile journey.
The book is a rich multilayered narrative that works on three different levels. The first is the story of each of the three hikers. Lankford offers a biography (传记) of each of the missing men and shows them through the eyes of those who knew them well and those who joined the search.
Right underneath the narratives about the three hikers are the stories of everyone looking for them. Lankford played a role in each search but she allowed friends, family and even strangers to occupy center stage throughout most of the narrative. The story looks at the role of missing person Facebook groups in the searches and how crucial word of mouth can be. Many warm-hearted individuals came forth and became instrumental in the searches or provided valuable information. But Lankford also writes of the many who lied for no apparent reason and confused the investigations.
The narrative also shines a light on diverse aspects of the PCT. Lankford, who has hiked the entire Appalachian Trail and was the first person to mountain bike the 800-mile Arizona Trail, knows just how the PCT is physically and mentally demanding. Besides, the book explores threats from mountain lions to people with bad intentions who don’t observe the PCT’s unspoken moral rules, serving as a revelation of the well-known, hidden or ignored dangers of the PCT.
Written with a clear, fast-paced, straightforward style, Trail of the Lost is as full of hope and humanity as it is packed with pain, sorrow, danger and tension. Read it and you’ll find more than you seek.
4. What led Lankford to write
Trail of the Lost?
A.Her love for her prior career. |
B.Her strong attachment to the PCT. |
C.The stress from the missing families. |
D.Her investigation into hikers’ disappearance. |
5. What is presented on the second level of the book?
A.Efforts by different people in searches. |
B.A string of wilderness survival tips. |
C.Approaches to information classification. |
D.Respective stories of the three hikers. |
6. What’s the purpose of mentioning Lankford’s previous adventures?
A.To promote her book. |
B.To make her a celebrity. |
C.To motivate hikers to challenge themselves. |
D.To stress the difficulty of hiking the PCT. |
7. What can we say about the book?
A.It targets single youth. |
B.It’s a romantic novel. |
C.It’s based on actual events. |
D.It’s a detailed account of a journey. |