Many books will tell you that Theodore Roosevelt built the Panama Canal, but don't believe them; in fact it was working men and women from all over the world. In vivid prose, Julie Greene explains how they labored and lived and died, and what in the end they accomplished. In doing so she offers more real insight into the character and costs of American imperialism than any previous writer. This is a story to inspire awe and break your heart?a splendid book."?Fred Anderson