Subjects / The Panama Canal

Best books to learn The Panama Canal, in order

The canal is usually told as an engineering triumph, and it is one, but the more interesting literature is about everything the engineering required: a French bankruptcy, a manufactured revolution, a segregated labour system that imported tens of thousands of West Indians, and a strip of foreign territory cut through the middle of another country for most of a century.

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Reading paths for the panama canal

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Frequently asked questions

How should I approach learning the panama canal?
The canal is usually told as an engineering triumph, and it is one, but the more interesting literature is about everything the engineering required: a French bankruptcy, a manufactured revolution, a segregated labour system that imported tens of thousands of West Indians, and a strip of foreign territory cut through the middle of another country for most of a century.
What's a good book to start the panama canal with?
A strong starting point is The Canal Builders by Julie Greene. The ordered reading paths above show exactly where it fits and what to read next.

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