Panama Canal

[tenpintap]

Going to the Panama Canal and was interested in doing some reading about the building of the canal, can anyone offer some suggestions. Thanks in advance.

[delaware32]

Anne Vipond has a book about the Canal for cruisers . Also a good but lengthy read is The Path Between The Seas .

[old nutter]

Another solid vote for The Path Between the Seas by David Mccullough. Superb book - heavy reading in places but it details the whole story of the building, including the early period when the French tried and failed. It also tells the story of how Yellow Fever was conquered on the way to getting it built.

[Samstress]

Another vote for the Path Between the Seas...

[www3traveler]

David McCoullough's

 

The Path Between The Seas

The Creation of the Panama Canal 187-1914

 

It was published in 1977.

 

Excellent book but very long and detailed. I have a large paperback copy that is 615 pages in length.

[polySeraph]

Anne Vipond's book on the Panama Canal has some great maps and diagrams. The Path between the Seas also comes as an audiobook (slightly abridged) which my husband listened to during his daily commute.

 

In 2015 I transited the Canal aboard the Celebrity Infinity. The cruise started in Valparaiso, Chile and ended in Fort Lauderdale. If you would like to read my photo review of the cruise, click here. The Panama Canal portion of my review begins at Post #39.

[BillB48]

Another vote for Path Between the Seas, there are some other good works out there as well. Panama Fever by Matthew Parker not quite the epic by McCoullough's Path Between, but a good read. Another very interesting book that details the construction in pictures from the Col. Goethal's collection of photos from West Point is The Panama Canal, The Invisible Wonder of the World by Ron Armstrong. I have viewed many photos from the construction era of the Canal and the vast majority of the photos in Armstrong's book have never been widely exhibited. Excellent for someone who would like to see some of the construction and what it involved.

 

Don't how widely available The Invisible Wonder maybe, so here is a website for the book... http://theinvisiblewonder.com/intro.htm

[cmdchiefthom]

Path Between the Seas is the go to book about the building of the canal as mentioned in several replies to your question. The hardcover is a rather large book to be toting around on your cruise, but the E-version is downloadable for a Kindle reader.;)

[roger001]

All of the above. A Path Between the Seas. I've read it twice and been through the PC twice. The book is long, but well written. I begins at the very beginning of the effort by the French and follows with detail until the final completion by the US (with thousands of workers from over the world). After reading this book, you will sooo much more appreciate the PC and the fact that it even exists.

[Turtles06]

We will be making our first transit of the Canal in January, and I have The Path Between the Seas loaded on the Kindle app on all my devices. I'm about 2/3 through. It's an excellent book. I love David McCullough, and was waiting until we had a transit actually scheduled before reading this particular book.

[sfaaa]

NCL will offer canal history tutorial at the theatre, on ship TV and also provide you with reading material before the ship enters the canal. You will be well informed by the time the ship hits the first canal lock.

[tenpintap]

Thanks all for the info on what books to read. This will be our 2nd time to the canal but my first time to really get into the history/construction etc. And a special thanks to "polyseraph", I enjoyed your review and pictures of the canal passage. We sail in December !!!

[easyboy]

Don't how widely available The Invisible Wonder maybe, so here is a website for the book... http://theinvisiblewonder.com/intro.htm

Seems an interesting read too. Thanks.

[polySeraph]

Thanks all for the info on what books to read. This will be our 2nd time to the canal but my first time to really get into the history/construction etc. And a special thanks to "polyseraph", I enjoyed your review and pictures of the canal passage. We sail in December !!!

 

 

 

You are more than welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it. We are actually considering a third visit to the Canal in late 2017 - probably a partial transit. My husband, ever the nerdy engineer, wants to go back to see the new locks in operation.

[retired rascal]

Don't miss the documentary about the history and then construction of the Canal. Shown in the theatre either the day before or the day before that. Must see...fascinating and informative!

[rapata]

We will be on the Pearl in October transiting the canal. I am about 2/3 though Path between the Seas and usually would have put a book like this down after 20 pages. Fascinating history, I am sure I will appreciate the transit so much more knowing some history.

 

 

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[mugtech]

We will be on the Pearl in October transiting the canal. I am about 2/3 though Path between the Seas and usually would have put a book like this down after 20 pages. Fascinating history, I am sure I will appreciate the transit so much more knowing some history.

 

 

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Great book, read it during the three sea days out of Tampa on the Sun. There was also an astute Panamanian picked up early on who answered all questions about everything canal. We saw the new locks being built, and excellent reason to have to back, even for non-nerds..