Skulls Along the River (1910)

Elias’ first book (though he had some individual stories published before) this is an unvarnished and very readable account of Elias’ journey to the headwaters of the Amazon River in search of a legendary tribe of headhunters, the Jivaro- Shuar. While some of the content is shocking, Elias’ skill as a writer and gift for language are clear, as was his ability to gain the trust of the natives, and the book was a solid seller.