Do You like book Panama Fever: The Epic Story Of One Of The Greatest Human Achievements Of All Time-- The Building Of The Panama Canal (2008)?
This book should be of great interest to those who are students of history, or have an interest in the building of the Panama Canal. The Canal was the costliest undertaking in history starting with the French in 1880 and finishing with the United States in 1914. The book goes into detail as to the politics and engineering of builing the canal. The political problems were almost as difficult as the engineering problems. When reading the book the reader will sometimes wonder how the canal ever got built.The workers on the canal were largely made up of men from the islands of Jamaica and Barbadoes, with smaller groups coming from European countries. Some 45,000 Baradians went to Panama, and of those only half returned home. The pay was good but was probably low considering the risks of the job. The men were subjected to poor housing, tropical heat, torrential rains, poor food, and fatal mud slides. This doesn't even cover the medical problems of malaria, yellow fever, pulmonary infections, tuberculosis, pneumonis, and dysentery.The author gives a good account of how after the French failed, the United States, by questionable political maneuverings, literally stole the isthmus of Panama from Columbia. He is also quick to tell the reader that the United States was the only country, at the time, that could have taken on this project and had any possible chance of success. The United States was able to complete the canal in ten years, compared to the French unsuccesful attempt that spanned twenty-two years. Some of the figures that are quoted in the book are astounding. The total number of people that worked on the canal, the number of cubic yards of dirt that had to be removed, the size of the locks, and the list goes on and on. The building of the canal also was directly responsible for some major medical advances and an explosion of new earth moving equipment.This book is probably the best history of the Panama Canal written to this date. It would be difficult to find a book that is so complete in all aspects of this truly remarkable achievement.
—Paul Pessolano
Matthew Parker's Panama Fever is an outstanding book. I read it in two shifts. The first shift was before making a trip to the Panama Canal in May. After my return I picked it up again. Here's what I did not expect. It is a very good study of American racism. The line that sticks with me... remember Panama was south of the Mason-Dixon line. But it was more than that. Sometimes I think, perhaps we have advanced, but then a quick review of our political situation with its own racism. Nope, haven't changed much. Just disguise it. (and not a very good disguise). The engineering achievement was mind boggling. The war against yellow fever and malaria made phenomenal strides. But how we treat each other...not so much.
—Jim
Panama Fever: The Building of the Panama Canal by Matthew Parker This is the whole story of the canal and I'm convinced that nothing is left out, it is so comprehensive if not mind numbing at times.A well written and cohesive account that ceratinly goes overboard on statistics and dates and at times I thought that comprehensiveness outweighed comprehensibility.Interestingly interwoven with first hand accounts from both white and black folks albeit with very different stories to tell depending on their race. Certainly not an exercise in enlightenment and no surprises given the American running of stage two of the canal. The French stage failed due to bad planning, lack of finance and a fatally flawed plan. The black workers that spanned both stages stated that life was better under the French.The treatment of non-American and non-white Americans is as bad as you can ever imagine but given the age I guess not surprising.Judgement apart, this is a well researched and well written piece of work.ProsWell researchedWell writtenComprehensiveGood flowConsLong winded
—Dead John Williams
