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Summary: A Fantastic Book (Read it for College History Class)
Review: The history of the Panama Canal, and it's construction is very unique in itself. The references of all the French names (although I couldn't pronounce all of them) were very interesting and kept me hooked. I'm a history buff, so naturally, I like to read historical books. After nearly a hundred years of owning the Panama Canal, on December 31, 1999, the United States gave the Panama Canal back to the nation of Panama. When Europeans first began to explore the possibilities of creating a pathway between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the nation of Panama did not exist; it was a part of Columbia. When prospectors discovered gold in California in 1848, all that changed the author, David McCullough writes in the book. The Panama Railroad, at the time, was the most high-priced stock listed on the New York Exchange. Building a canal through this area that would be approximately fifty-one miles seemed to be an easy situation for investors, but it turned out that it took over four decades and an army of workers to complete the canal. In the book it mentioned that enough soil, rock, and dirt was removed to build a pyramid a mile high. When the construction began, McCullough notes that the leader of the project was Ferdinand de Lesseps, who went bankrupt. After President Theodore Roosevelt orchestrated the purchase of the canal, the United States entered the picture. A revolution took place that removed Panama from the rule of Columbia. David McCullough is a very unique and interesting author and writer, and he kept me captivated while reading this book. The historical aspecets of the book are accurate as far as my research has gone on the Panama Canal. This book is just fasinating because of the history that is involved. When Theodore Roosevelt bought the canal and a revolution occured between Columbia and the United States, the United States won, and the canal became ours. But remember, on 12/31/99, we returned the canal to its rightful owner, the nation of Panama.
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Summary: The Canal the Changed the World
Review: The Path Between the Seas explains just about everything one could ever possibly want to know about the Panama Canal. You start off by reading about why the canal was needed and learn about the pioneers of the building of the canal. You then read about the French Era which is filled with scandal, lies, and a start to the canal. Then you read about the American Era. The America era is alot more interesting than the French. The American era starts with "TR" becoming president. The Americans start a Revolution in Panama fight off the misquitos and successfully build a canal in Panama.Thourghout the book you learn about the backround of the men who built the canal and about the life and times not just in Panama but in France and the United States. This is a must read by the award winning David McCullough that anyone interested in engineering, history or just learning new things should read.
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Summary: save up $1000 before you read this book....
Review: ... because you will be inspired to visit Panama to see the Canal. Fortunately tourism in the Canal Zone has become much easier ever since the US withdrew from the country. Many of the exclusive areas formerly reserved for Canal personnel are now open as hotels, restaurants, and for general tourism. McCullough writes about the flood of tourism that attended the Canal's construction and opening. He is probably responsible for quite a bit of the modern Canal tourism!
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Summary: A history of personal and diplomatic triumphs and failings
Review: Jimmy Carter - under whose administration negotiations were completed to return the Panama Canal to Panama - reportedly stayed up until 4 am reading this book. I myself competed this volume while living in Panama in 1989, and recently re-read major parts of it. It remains the singular reference for a history of what is much more than the monumental engineering feat of digging this canal between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (which itself is the focus of one chapter aptly titled QWUOTE The Incredible Task UNQUOTE). McCullough masterfully portrays the personal triumps and defeats of numerous individuals associated with this project, no less those of the Frenchman Ferdinand de Lesseps who ends up in bankruptcy after vigorously promoting his Panama Canal brainchild. Beyond describing individual characters, the author lays out the diplomatic maneuverings of various nations concerned with this venture which led the United States to its forceful role in shaping the history of this region, one which came to haunt it later. A truly monumental book.
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Summary: Exciting, Romantic, and Thought-Provoking
Review: I hold a personal interest in the Canal as I have just visited it and am a direct descendant of Col. David Gaillard one of the American engineers of the Canal, and all everyone in Panama told me was to read Mr. McCullough's account of its creation. As a history major in school, I read many great and many bland histories; this book ranks in as one of the most captivating books I have read, fiction or non-fiction. Even if one does not have any previous interest in the Canal, after the first pages you will become hooked. McCullough writes with such elegant prose and interesting humor, that the story unfolds like a Victorian novel. From the incredible cast of characters (from Ferdinand de Lessups to Teddy Roosevelt), the intrigue, the conspiracies, the romance, the quest for one of Man's greatest achievements explodes into an incredible book that will keep the reader thinking about the Canal for years to come...and will compel the same reader to venture to this tropical country and view the incredible "8th Wonder of the World" himself.
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Summary: Politcs, business, intrigue and suspense- and it is all true
Review: As a big fan of all things related to the Panama Canal, I was happy to find such a book that would tell the story of how it was built. From the size of the book, I have to admit I was expecting a dry account of people, places and dates with some pictures, much like a history text in a way. However I was so amazingly pleasantly surprised. The history and story of the canal from the early days of explorers looking for a way across the Isthmus ever since Balboa crosed it by foot until the opening by the Americans in early 1900, reads almost like a fictional riveting tale. There are so many facinating stories and subplots behind the building of the canal, I literally finished the book in about a week or two. McCullough does an amazing job of writing that it really comes across as you are being told this amazing story as opposed to just reading dates and places and facts. The research seems amazing as McCullough givessuch details into little events it just adds to the story. It was fascinating hearing about the engineering trials and tribulations of building a canal in 100% humid conditions with the rainfall and malaria and other illnesses and how the builders, both French and American, struggled to overcome the land. It is also amazing that the Canal still uses the same tecnhology and engineering that went into building the canal. Since the book also covers the politics and business around the investors who put money into the Canal with the French company, and the American political moves to free Panama from Columbia so that the US could get access to building the canal are as good as any fictional international story of lies and deciet and greed. If you just want facts about how the canal was built you can find that out very quickly. If you want the greatest story of political, business, engineering and individual triumph and the story of the creation of a country and geographical marvel, then this book has it all. SO much was written about the turning over of the Canal back to Panama but I do not think enough people appreciate the amount of lives and years that went into building it and the type of politcal and economic power that was involved in opening a path between the seas. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in the canal, loves history (since the book covers also the events of the times), and loves stories about how actual politics and power were wielded in the late 1800s, early 1900s.
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Summary: Excelent!!!!
Review: Im panamanian, and no other book has been so enlightning about the history of my own country as The Path Between the Seas. It's a history lesson, and with simple descriptions it pefectly describes the amazing work and creativity men in the past had to develop to fulfill the dream of a Canal connecting the two oceans. I live in the Old City, (Catedral) and is very gratifiying to read of places and buildings that I see everyday. Makes one proud about all the history and histortical and cultural importance our city has. In short words, the book is a great read, very enlighting on historical facts, and a must-read for anyone even considering visiting Panama.
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Summary: Outstanding! An Epic of the Panama Canal Saga.
Review: This is an outstanding book, not just for anyone interested in the Panama Canal, but for anyone who likes a good story. As usual, McCullough has exhaustively researched his topic, but this book more than others of his that I have read (biographies of John Adams and Harry Truman) adds a tangible sense of drama. I picked up Path Between the Seas at the library on a lark, but after reading the first 100 pages I decided that this was a book I wanted on my bookshelf and bought my own copy.
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Summary: The Path Between the Seas
Review: I recently read David McCullough's John Adams biography and I was very impressed with his writing. So I decided to read this book The Path Between the Seas. Big mistake. I found the book is very different from John Adams. The are tons of characters who some of which have very little to do with the whole history of the canal. The book often goes in to long descriptions of people and places which could make it hard to read for more than 10-15 minutes. You also spend alot of the book following the same things over and over again. People go to Panama and survey for the canal, they go back home, then there are a few meetings and then it all happens again. But with everything bad the book can be very interesting and every once in a while you will find your self glued to the book. So overall unless your an expert on The Panama Canal or in love whit history I wouldn't recomend this book to you. Instead read John Adams also by David McCullough.
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Summary: A Great storyteller writes on a fascinating topic
Review: A truly great book. At first I thought it was getting too detailed (it's a big book - 620 pages), but then I realized how interesting it was gettting. He takes real people and pulls you in like it's a work of fiction. It's all factual, yet told in such a brilliant way. Definitely worth the read.
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