Wild Coast

Between the Orinoco and the Amazon lies a fabulous forested land, barely explored. Shunned by the conquistadors, it was left to others to carve into colonies. Guyana, Suriname, and Guyane Francaise are what remain of their contest, and the 400 years of struggle that followed. Now, award-winning author John Gimlette sets off along this coast, gathering up its astonishing story. His journey takes him deep into the jungle, from the hideouts of runaway slaves to penal colonies, outlandish forts, remote Amerindian villages, a 'Little Paris,' and a space port. He meets rebels, outlaws, and sorcerers; follows the trail of a vicious Georgian revolt, and ponders a love affair that changed the face of slavery. Here too is Jonestown, where, in 1978, over 900 Americans, members of Reverend Jones's cult, committed suicide. The last traces are almost gone now, as the forest closes in. Beautiful, bizarre, and occasionally brutal, this is one of the great forgotten corners of the Earth: the Wild Coast.