They are stories of man versus nature, of daunting technological difficulties overcome, of world politics, and of the human capacity for both heroism and folly.David McCullough
From the outset they would be fighting not one wilderness, but two: the wilderness that was Panama; and a wilderness of ignorance, doubt, error.David McCullough
For a work of such historic proportion, being tackled in such a difficult and unpredictable part of the world, by such unpredictable men, no precedent existed.David McCullough
The earth, as one engineer put it, seemed to possess a malignant intelligence. The jungle itself was as an enemy.David McCullough
To build the canal, they first had to build the city. To battle the wilderness, they first had to battle the outdated ways of the past.David McCullough
It is a tale of the human spirit, of people of disparate backgrounds who displayed courage, perseverance, and dedication.David McCullough
With its completion, the world was made smaller, the waters of the great oceans came together, and humans were forever given a powerful means of travel and trade.David McCullough
The Isthmian wilderness area, once thought so impracticable and menacing, was now the highway of the world.David McCullough
This book is not so much a history of the building of the Panama Canal, but a narrative of the human spirit, of the dreams, and tests, and triumphs of those who created something useful out of the muddle of the world.David McCullough
And what they got the American public agreed was worth the price paid - a gift for the ages, a wonder of the world.David McCullough