Finding Lost, Season Three: The Unofficial Guide.

Robin Chamberlain is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of English and Cultural Studies at McMaster University.

The newest guide to Lost from Nikki Stafford is another enjoyable and informative book perfect for any fan. This volume follows Stafford’s guide to the first and second seasons of Lost, and is structured in much the same way. Stafford’s latest book is packed with trivia and details that will enhance the reader’s understanding of the show. Due to the mysteriousness and subtleness of Lost, such a guide is particularly appropriate, as it would be nearly impossible for the ordinary viewer to recognize all the details that Stafford records. The book is structured as an episode guide, and examines each of the episodes of Lost’s third season in great detail. The discussion of the individual episodes is interspersed with sidebars and articles, including obituaries for the characters that have died on the program, synopses of the books alluded to on the show, and cast biographies. The book also includes a guide to filming locations, fan websites, and a number of photographs. A large part of the appeal of Lost is its intricately constructed mystery and the many cultural allusions and references. Stafford’s book helps to illuminate the mysteries and explain the allusions. Casual watchers of Lost will not appreciate the wealth of detail provided by Stafford’s book, but serious fans—a group Lost seems to attract—will thoroughly enjoy it.