Conquest of the Useless

Conquest of the Useless reveals Werner Herzog's personal diary entries during the making of his film Fitzcarraldo in the Peruvian Amazon between 1979 and 1981. The book chronicles the director's experiences, observations, and inner thoughts as he attempts to create a film about a man who moves a steamship over a mountain. The diary format captures the day-to-day reality of filming in the jungle, from technical challenges and logistical nightmares to encounters with local inhabitants and wildlife. Herzog documents the physical and psychological toll of the production on cast, crew, and himself as they face obstacles in one of earth's most remote locations. Written in Herzog's direct and unembellished style, the text presents both mundane details and extraordinary events with the same matter-of-fact tone. The entries range from practical production notes to philosophical musings about nature, civilization, and human ambition. The book stands as both a document of one of cinema's most challenging productions and a meditation on the relationship between human determination and the indifferent force of nature. Through Herzog's observations, larger questions emerge about the boundaries between obsession and achievement, art and madness.

Readers describe the book as a raw, unfiltered look into Herzog's mind during the troubled production of Fitzcarraldo. The diary entries capture both the practical challenges of filming in the Amazon and Herzog's philosophical musings. Readers appreciated: - The poetic, dreamlike quality of Herzog's observations - Detailed accounts of local characters and jungle life - Insights into the director's creative process - The balance of mundane details with existential reflection Common criticisms: - Repetitive descriptions of weather and illness - Meandering narrative structure - Too much focus on logistics rather than filmmaking - Dense, sometimes impenetrable writing style One reader noted: "Reading this feels like being trapped in Herzog's fever dreams." Another commented: "The endless descriptions of mud and rain became tedious." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (180+ ratings) LibraryThing: 4.1/5 (150+ ratings)

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🎬 The film's iconic scene of pulling a 320-ton steamship over a mountain was done for real, without special effects, leading to numerous accidents and near-disasters. 🌿 During filming, Herzog survived a plane crash, dealt with two wars between Peru and Ecuador, and faced death threats from local indigenous groups. 📝 The book's title "Conquest of the Useless" comes from Herzog's reflection that the entire project was a magnificent but ultimately futile endeavor, much like the film's protagonist's obsessive quest. 🎭 The lead actor Klaus Kinski's explosive temper was so severe that local tribes offered to kill him, an offer Herzog claims he seriously considered but declined. 🌎 The production employed over 1,100 indigenous people, and the film location (Iquitos, Peru) was so remote that it could only be reached by air or by boat up the Amazon River.