In 1907, able-bodied people (mostly men) were flocking to Panama in search of work helping to build the long-promised Panama Canal. Along with the backbreaking work, the influx of workers also had to deal with malaria, mudslides, and a segregated social order that placed white Americans well above the people of color who worked hard to make their lives possible. This novel brings to life the atmosphere surrounding the Canal project, from the migrant workers to American doctors fighting against malaria to native Panamanians who struggled to balance their desire to earn money with their dislike of the not-quite-colonization of their country. It's a beautifully told meditation on progress and the impact it has on individuals instead of the world economy. Well worth a read.
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