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The Path Between the Seas


Losnab
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Part of the joy of traveling for me is in the research and planning.

 

So in preparation for our upcoming Panama cruise I have purchased a digital copy of The Path Between the Seas.

 

I am a reader...I always have a book.

(Nor a fast reader, but I so enjoy my books)

 

i am on page 77 and quite frankly I have to say I am having a real hard time "getting into" this read.

 

Can anyone offer me any encouragement?

Does it get better?

 

I can't remember the last time I did not finish a book that I started.

 

 

 

 

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Have read many readers characterizations that it can be slow in spots... I guess there is just so much history to include, it may make for some slow reading. I'm sure if you can hold out till the building of the Canal it will pick up. At least your final exam (the cruise and transit) will be a breeze!!

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hang in there with the book. Although it has slow parts the history and prelim is necessary to provide proper context. I just looked at my copy around where you are and assure yourself it get much better

 

I am not much of a reader but soldier on. It is one of the most interesting book I have ever red.

The cherry on the cake is the actual trip through the canal

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I normally read non-fiction, but this book was definitely a slog in many places. All that said, imho it is well worth the read. We did our first transit of the Canal in January, and I am very glad that I read the book -- it really underscored for me just how incredible it is not only that the Canal was built, but that it still works to this day, as originally built.

 

PS: I often don't finish books that I start. If they don't grab me, I don't force myself to keeping reading them. It's really okay. Give this one a little longer, but don't make yourself crazy over it. Enjoy your trip!

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Yes, there are a lot of politics behind this Canal. It is basically in 3 long parts.... The French initiation and politics, the American issues and politics, the construction. Yup it gets very detailed, but it really does enhance your knowledge of the Canal. The condensed version of the history is in Wikipedia. But the final chapters were what I found most interesting.

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As others have said, it does get bogged down in parts. I found it a challenge to keep track of the names at times, but stuck with it and was VERY glad I did. Getting through the first half, which focused on the French effort was an accomplishment and rewarded with the remainder of the story and the entry of the Americans in the mix.

 

We only did a partial transit this past March but I can tell you that having read that book, I understood much better how the canal worked and what I was seeing during the transit. It greatly enhanced the experience for me.

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I am very glad this was mentioned because I was thinking the same thing. I kept seeing on these boards and other sites how this was the absolute best book in the world to read to prepare for PC cruise but I just finally put it down and wondered why I had spent the money for the book......but maybe I will skip over several pages and try to pick up again because I really did want to do some prep reading before we enjoyed the cruise

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I have just started reading this book and find the 1st section a breeze. All the comments deterred me from starting to read the book. I was unsure if I wanted to complete a Panama canal transit but the book has whetted my appetite.

 

To be fair, I read in small chunks and at my pace; slow and steady.

 

Annie

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I did not mean to deter any person(s) in our cruise board community from reading The Path Between the Seas. The goal of my post was to seek assurance that I was not alone. I continue to read the book.

 

Does anybody have any movie recommendations re the Panama Canal?

 

 

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I am currently at the American section of the book. My hubby is still slogging through the French portion.

We are both readers, him even more so than I yet he is having the most difficult time between the two of us.

 

I think it may have to do with the interest level people have in the very detailed behind the scenes history. I am fascinated by the times, their knowledge, as well as the politics which affected the world then, & how it has influenced our modern world.

 

I do 20-30 minutes a day & don't worry about precise pronunciation;)

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  • 4 weeks later...

I just finished it this morning; I am definitely a reader, but usually fiction. Anyway, I set a goal of at least one chapter per day. LOL, felt like I was back in college. But I am so glad that I read it prior to our cruise this Fall. I had no idea of the complexity of the history of building the Panama Canal.

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We have just booked a Panama full transit for early Jan 2019. I've had the book for a while and have yet to open it -- DH is a historian and enjoyed it. I've watched a few videos about the canal I recollect the Nova and National Geographic ones being good. Think History Channel also has one.

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Yes, it's chewy. Yes, it's fact-heavy. Yes, it can take a while.

Keep at it. Coming to realize and understand just what it took to complete the canal will be quite breathtaking after you have completed it.:)

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We have just booked a Panama full transit for early Jan 2019. I've had the book for a while and have yet to open it -- DH is a historian and enjoyed it. I've watched a few videos about the canal I recollect the Nova and National Geographic ones being good. Think History Channel also has one.

 

 

Another pretty decent vid is from PBS's American Experience, The Panama Canal. You can watch it on youtube at the link below. One of the interviewees is Matthew Parker who wrote Panama Fever another good book which is a bit shorter and not quite as in depth as McCullough's "book of record".

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-CaBIKTl4M

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  • 3 months later...

listened to it on 24 CDs a few years back when I was still working and commuting for over an hour each way every day. Seems like it took a month, but lots of good info. Prompted us to book a full transit, which we will be doing on HAL in Mar of '18

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  • 5 weeks later...

I started it last week and the first hundred or so pages are somewhat tedious, but provide a valuable background. I am now in the French construction period and find the book more interesting as I move forward. My canal transit will be in a January on the Windstar Star Breeze, and this book will make the experience more interesting and meaningful!

 

 

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Edited by billrco90278
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Also started reading it last week. Panama Canal cruise is in May. I should be done by then. It is a rather looooooong book. :o

 

No doubt that "The Path" is the book of record and is definitely worth the read, just in case that doesn't satisfy you in your Canal quotient, there are some others out there as well. Panama Fever by Matthew Parker is worth a look as well. The Panama Canal, The Invisible Wonder of the World by Ron Armstrong is an excellent pictorial collection of what is now mostly underwater. The author traveled to West Point to sift through Col. Goethals' collection of construction day photos and presents them in the form of a southbound transit. I thought I had seen every construction picture ever taken... not even close! If you are looking for something a bit more topical pick up a copy of Richard Detrich's Panama Canal Day. There are a number of editions available, the earlier ones were either a "North" or a "South" edition, as far as I know the one I mentioned is the most current.

 

 

If you want to go the video route, then there always is A Man, A Plan, A Canal, Panama narrated by McCullough. While it is a bit dated, it certainly has some great archival footage. A little more 21st century is PBS's American Experience, The Panama Canal is worth a look as well, I found a fair copy of it here;

 

Look forward to some of your great photo coverage.

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No doubt that "The Path" is the book of record and is definitely worth the read, just in case that doesn't satisfy you in your Canal quotient, there are some others out there as well. Panama Fever by Matthew Parker is worth a look as well. The Panama Canal, The Invisible Wonder of the World by Ron Armstrong is an excellent pictorial collection of what is now mostly underwater. The author traveled to West Point to sift through Col. Goethals' collection of construction day photos and presents them in the form of a southbound transit. I thought I had seen every construction picture ever taken... not even close! If you are looking for something a bit more topical pick up a copy of Richard Detrich's Panama Canal Day. There are a number of editions available, the earlier ones were either a "North" or a "South" edition, as far as I know the one I mentioned is the most current.

 

 

 

 

 

If you want to go the video route, then there always is A Man, A Plan, A Canal, Panama narrated by McCullough. While it is a bit dated, it certainly has some great archival footage. A little more 21st century is PBS's American Experience, The Panama Canal is worth a look as well, I found a fair copy of it here;

 

 

 

Look forward to some of your great photo coverage.

 

 

 

Oh wow.... thank you for all that.

 

 

 

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