Mention Containing Books The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914
| Title | : | The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914 |
| Author | : | David McCullough |
| Book Format | : | Hardcover |
| Book Edition | : | Anniversary Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 697 pages |
| Published | : | June 1st 2004 by Simon Schuster (first published June 1st 1977) |
| Categories | : | History. Nonfiction. North American Hi.... American History. Historical. World History. Audiobook. Travel |
David McCullough
Hardcover | Pages: 697 pages Rating: 4.2 | 16003 Users | 1379 Reviews
Commentary To Books The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914
On December 31, 1999, after nearly a century of rule, the United States officially ceded ownership of the Panama Canal to the nation of Panama. That nation did not exist when, in the mid-19th century, Europeans first began to explore the possibilities of creating a link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the narrow but mountainous isthmus; Panama was then a remote and overlooked part of Colombia. All that changed, writes David McCullough in his magisterial history of the Canal, in 1848, when prospectors struck gold in California. A wave of fortune seekers descended on Panama from Europe and the eastern United States, seeking quick passage on California-bound ships in the Pacific, and the Panama Railroad, built to serve that traffic, was soon the highest-priced stock listed on the New York Exchange. To build a 51-mile-long ship canal to replace that railroad seemed an easy matter to some investors. But, as McCullough notes, the construction project came to involve the efforts of thousands of workers from many nations over four decades; eventually those workers, laboring in oppressive heat in a vast malarial swamp, removed enough soil and rock to build a pyramid a mile high. In the early years, they toiled under the direction of French entrepreneur Ferdinand de Lesseps, who went bankrupt while pursuing his dream of extending France's empire in the Americas. The United States then entered the picture, with President Theodore Roosevelt orchestrating the purchase of the canal—but not before helping foment a revolution that removed Panama from Colombian rule and placed it squarely in the American camp.Present Books In Pursuance Of The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914
| Original Title: | The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914 |
| ISBN: | 0743262131 (ISBN13: 9780743262132) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Setting: | Panama |
| Literary Awards: | National Book Award for History (1978), Francis Parkman Prize (1978), National Book Critics Circle Award Nominee for General Nonfiction (1977), Cornelius Ryan Award (1977) |
Rating Containing Books The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914
Ratings: 4.2 From 16003 Users | 1379 ReviewsCriticize Containing Books The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914
Something very strange happens about 30% through "Path Between the Seas." For the first 1/3 of the book, the reader must trudge through pedantic descriptions of very trivial matters and a hodgepodge of boring discussions on all things nautical. Then, all of a sudden McCullough does something amazing: he reminds you that people- everyday ordinary people -really cared about the Panama Canal, what it could do and what it would mean. And when it nearly failed, even though we are talking about peopleA couple of weeks ago, I was discussing my recent string of books chronicling enormous engineering projects (The Great Bridge, the Worlds Fair part of The Devil in the White City and now The Path Between the Seas) with my friend Paul, and as I relayed the sacrifices made and the years dedicated by the men behind these works, Paul remarked, Dude, can you imagine dedicating your life to building a f*cking bridge? On many levels, this insight is full of wisdom. The engineers who undertook these
I read this out loud to Dan. I really didn't think we'd finish before we left for Panama, but we did it! And this book is loooong. I really enjoyed it though. This is the first McCullough book I've read and I'm incredibly impressed with the amount of research he puts into his writing and loved all the details. It made seeing the Canal so much more impressive. I only wish McCullough would have gone into a little more depth with the actual engineering of the canal, but the politics behind the
I wasn't sure whether to award 4 or 5 stars to this book until I realized that my withholding a star had more to do with me than the book. In his typically lucid prose, McCullough wrote a complete history of the building of the Canal. The research was impeccable; the book deserves all the accolades it received. From the disastrous French attempt at building it to the American struggles and finally success, the reader is given the full story. The egos involved always meant that there would be
This book tells the complete story of the building of the Panama Canal, beginning with the French efforts from 1870 to about 1889, and then continuing with the U.S. completion from 1902 to 1914. I found the parts describing the actual building of the canal (by both the French and the U.S.) to be the most interesting parts of the book. I was much less interested in the political machinations dealing with the U.S. - Columbia negotiations and the U.S. assistance in the creation of the Republic of
Ideas too have their period of extrinsic incubation, and particularly if they run contrary to what has always seemed common sense.Fact is almost always more interesting than fiction, and history is full of a lot of interesting facts. David McCullough has proved this time and time again in his books. The Path Between the Seas is one of his best examples. The history of the building of the Panama Canal is one I knew nothing about and it is one hugely fascinating story. The 44 year span between the
Probably no one writes more complete and exhaustive histories than David McCullough. In The Path Between the Seas, one of his earlier works (1977), McCullough guides you through the political, financial, and engineering intricacies of building the Panama Canal, a modern wonder of the world. Its a fascinating read, especially if you enjoy history, politics and geography. The opening of the canal and control allowed the United States to maintain a two-ocean navy, and provide security for some
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