Matthew Parker

The Panama Canal was the costliest undertaking in history; its completion in 1914 marked the beginning of the “American Century.” Panama Fever draws on contemporary accounts, bringing the experience of those who built the canal vividly to life. Politicians engaged in high-stakes diplomacy in order to influence its construction. Meanwhile, engineers and workers from around the world rushed to take advantage of high wages and the chance to be a part of history. Filled with remarkable characters, Panama Fever is an epic history that shows how a small, fiercely contested strip of land made the world a smaller place and launched the era of American global dominance. From the Trade Paperback edition.

The Epic Story of the Building of the Panama Canal

Panama Fever

Jeni Enjaian

I almost gave this book a three star review but held off because it was just the narrator of the audiobook brining the rating down. I am very thankful to be listening to a different audiobook now with a much better narrator. (A British accent usually solves everything.) This narrator also stopped, cleared his throat and backtracked to the beginning of the sentence before continuing. That probably has more to say about the editing director than the narrator but still. 
I also have to admit that when I first started listening to this audiobook I was rather distracted and did not hear much of the foundational text. (Thus another reason that I am giving it the benefit of the doubt.)
Additionally, I had to stop comparing this book to McCullough's (which I still think is better) before I could write a decent review.
This author spent a lot of time on the social and cultural aspect of building the bridge which was absolutely fascinating. It did verge just a bit on the macabre with the descriptions of the death and distraction from disease and work-place accidents. 
The author clearly did his research, a whole bunch by the looks/"listens" of each chapter. He definitely knows his stuff. 
While he takes his time and sometimes too much gets included on the page, I definitely recommend this book.

Traces the construction of the canal linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and its opening in 1914, describing the human cost in terms of the harsh working conditions and epidemics, and the resulting medical breakthroughs that would transform medicine.

Panama Fever The Epic Story of the Building of the Panama Canal

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