Geotechnical Instrumentation P Book

Author Greene brings to life the society that developed in the Canal Zone from 1904 - 1914 and ends with a brief discussion of the aftermath of the Canal's opening. I haven't read McCullough's acclaimed book, but as I understand its content, Greene scopes out a totally different area. She does not focus on the engineering, financing or politics of its inception. Her concern is the life of the people, thousands of people, who built the canal.

Workers came from all over the world. An impressive table at the end documents this. They worked long and hard for their employer the ICC, an agency of the US government. Why and how did these faceless thousands sign up to go there? How did they live? What did they eat and wear? How did they sleep? What of their families? What about the fatalities? What were the ICC's personnel policies?

Greene describes the ICC's structure of gold and silver employees. She shows how the resulting caste system affected individuals and how individuals of both the gold and silver groups and others in the outside world felt about it.

Beyond the Zone's society, Greene introduces the larger issues. While the ICC's personnel policies are not acceptable today, were they enlightened for their day? What of the people of Panama, how did they feel about this endeavor? Were there movements for change?

The book ends with a short discussion of the construction's aftermath, yesterday and today. While contemporary attitudes and values no longer support a labor system based on race and gender rankings, the author shows how the work stata persists under the radar screen. A cruise ship, flagged in Panama, to whom the US has ceded the territory, embeds a similar system.

This is an excellent book. The author has a big topic but she is disciplined. Her balance between structure and anecdote is excellent. She initiates a discussion on many large topics that loom today. While its topic will not appeal to everyone, I highly recommend this book.