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Homework? Books to read/films to watch?

kaymoz

By kaymoz,
in Panama Canal

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BillB48

BillB48

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Posted (edited)

I believe everyone's go to book would be David McCullough's door stop edition of Path Between the Seas.  It probably is the most comprehensive source for the Canal.  I just checked on YouTube and McCullough's video A Man, A Plan, A Canal can be found, the quality of the videos may vary, but they are watchable.  Also I found PBS's American Experience program about the Canal on YouTube as well, it too is a great video about the Canal.  During that video there are interviews with various people who give some perspective to the Canal history.  One of them is Matthew Parker who also authored the book Panama Fever which is about the Canal construction.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzJRUAeF5o0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AGyXPAiSXs

 

Let us know when you have finished your homework!😉

Edited by BillB48
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rkacruiser

rkacruiser

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On 1/29/2020 at 1:45 PM, disneyochem said:

I gave the Path Between Seas to my hubby for a Christmas present.  We're going on our first Panama Canal cruise in January 2021.  He's about 200 pages into it and really enjoys it! 

 

So thanks to all who suggested this book!  Much appreciated.

 

 

 

Path Between The Seas is the definitive book to read before a Panama Canal transit.

 

Your ship will probably have a narrator during the transit provided by the Canal Authority.  Getting into an indoor/outdoor location to hear this person will provide a wealth of current information that I never had heard before prior to my January, 2020 partial transit on the Eurodam.

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OctoberKat

OctoberKat

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Well, the McCullough certainly is the most popular book. Keep in mind it is written from the U,S. perspective and thus ignores many salient aspects of the build. For a more rounded historical perspective there is Ovidio Espina’s “How Wall Street Created a Nation: J.P. Morgan, Teddy Roosevelt and the Panama Canal.”

 

And from the perspective of those who actually dug (and blasted) the canal (and died in their thousands) you need the brilliant “The Canal Builders: Making America’s Empire at the Panama Canal” by Julie Greene.

 

Added benefit: both shorter than McCullough although I am partial to door-stopper volumes.

 

[Born in Panama, raised in the Canal Zone (Balboa), bilingual. Dad was an engineer for the Panama Canal Company (Admin building), Mom a bookkeeper for the U.S. Army in Corozal. Freshman at Balboa High School during 1964 Flag Riots. Will return to Panama and do a full transit and Costa Rica cruise with Nat’l Geographic in February 2022.]

Edited by OctoberKat
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dcwalker

dcwalker

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Posted
On 11/10/2021 at 3:01 PM, OctoberKat said:

Well, the McCullough certainly is the most popular book. Keep in mind it is written from the U,S. perspective and thus ignores many salient aspects of the build. For a more rounded historical perspective there is Ovidio Espina’s “How Wall Street Created a Nation: J.P. Morgan, Teddy Roosevelt and the Panama Canal.”

 

And from the perspective of those who actually dug (and blasted) the canal (and died in their thousands) you need the brilliant “The Canal Builders: Making America’s Empire at the Panama Canal” by Julie Greene.

 

Added benefit: both shorter than McCullough although I am partial to door-stopper volumes.

 

[Born in Panama, raised in the Canal Zone (Balboa), bilingual. Dad was an engineer for the Panama Canal Company (Admin building), Mom a bookkeeper for the U.S. Army in Corozal. Freshman at Balboa High School during 1964 Flag Riots. Will return to Panama and do a full transit and Costa Rica cruise with Nat’l Geographic in February 2022.]

Wow. Thank you for those over-looked suggestions, OctoberKat. 

In anticipation of our January partial transit, my husband and I have been browsing the many youtube offerings.

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RGEDad

RGEDad

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2 hours ago, dcwalker said:

In anticipation of our January partial transit, my husband and I have been browsing the many youtube offerings.

Here is the Nova presentation:  In anticipation of our January partial transit, my husband and I have been browsing the many youtube offerings.

 

Nova - 1 hour video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzJRUAeF5o0

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BillB48

BillB48

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While there are certainly a number of excellent tours that are offered on partial transits, if you are looking to maximize your Canal experience look into the excursion that takes you through Gaillard Cut and the Pacific Locks.  Many people opt to stay on the ship for the return through Gatun Locks and the short sail to Colon.  This is of course interesting on its own, but it is largely ground you have covered earlier in the day.  You will only be seeing about 8 miles of a 50 mile Canal, I think it is good to see more of the remaining 42 miles😉.

 

I believe HAL calls this excursion The Canal Experience From Gatun.  This excursion will take you to the Pacific side where you will board a smaller vessel often times referred to as a ferry.  An aside there are a number of vessels used in this excursion and only one of them looks like a traditional "ferry".  This tour gives you the opportunity to sail through the "Cut" which probably the most challenging aspects of the construction of the Canal.  Just imagine you will be sailing over the exact palace where 200 trains a day hauled spoils out of Gaillard Cut.  You will also lock through the two locks on the Pacific side.  I think you will find the Pacific half of the Canal more visually interesting along with the great views of the Panama City skyline.

 

The only down side to this excursion is it can be a long day, but you have plenty of cruise before and after to rest up!  Whatever you choose enjoy.

Edited by BillB48
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Kiran

Kiran

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Posted

“Captain Puckett: Sea Stories of a former panama canal pilot” very good reading

 

” the bucket list: panama canal cruise”

43 page trip report

 

Hans Mateboer very good reading

3 books on being a cruise ship captain

The Captain’s Log

The Captain’s Journal

The Captain’s Quest pre-release now

 

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Liz Masterson

Liz Masterson

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I have a tip for getting through doorstopper books like David McCullough's... Download them on Audible. I can read faster than I can listen though... so I read until I get bogged down... then I switch to the audio for a while.. you can speed the audio up in the settings as well. I found the reader a bit slow for me. 

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Liz Masterson

Liz Masterson

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Here is my reading pile. 
 

I’ve gotten thru some of them.

 

I’d like to put in a pitch for juvenile books. The 2 thin books are from the non fiction selves in the children’s library. Kiddie Lit (as we called the course in teachers college) has to distill complex concepts into concise, accurate reading that gets the point across. 
 

The book “Silver People” is a young adult book written in verse about different viewpoints along the canal. 
 

“Canal Zone Daughter” is a first person account of a woman who grew up with her family living in the Canal Zone. I was noticing much of my reading was more historical than that and I wanted something more recent. 
 

“Saffire” seems like it might be a bodice ripping romance. Perfect for poolside. 😏

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