Hoffman, Carl

On November 21, 1961, Michael C. Rockefeller, the twenty-three year old son of New York governor Nelson Rockefeller, vanished off the coast of southwest New Guinea when his catamaran capsized while crossing a turbulent river mouth. He was on an expedition to collect art for the Museum of Primitive Art, which his father founded in 1957. Michael's expedition partner stayed with the capsized boat and was rescued. Michael did not, instead choosing to swim for help. His last words were "I think I can make it". But he did not. For fifty-plus years, Michael's fate remained unknown. The official verdict was that he drowned. But rumors circulated that he had made it to shore and then was killed and eaten by the Asmat, a native tribe of warriors whose complex culture was built around sacred, reciprocal violence, headhunting, and ritual cannibalism.

Journalist Carl Hoffman recounts his journey around the world traveling on the most dangerous and perilous means of transport, including accident-prone airlines, crowded ferries, slow buses, and deadly trains, and shares what he learned about how the rest of the world travels.