The day I sat down with this I was a little tired, and a few pages in, I started wondering whether I really wanted to read a 600 page history of the Panama Canal. But I hate to quit so I kept going--and I'm SO glad I did. This was terrific! I had no idea just how complex the process of building the canal was. I had no idea how close it came to being the Nicaragua Canal. I had no idea how fascinating the people involved were--it was a lot more than Teddy Roosevelt. I'm sorry that my country pulled something like the revolution in Panama to forward our own interests--but since we did, I have to confess it's a gripping story! The drama! The ludicrousness! That HAS to be the craziest revolution ever. Very good read.