Customer Reviews

George W. Goethals: Panama Canal Engineer (Discovery Biographies)

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This book is for teenagers, it is presented in a very younguish context with illustration and large print. Amazon should actually classified as a children, teenagers reading material. Actually teenagers do not read this type of books anymore, I used to read them in the 70's. Very dissapointing considering I am a serious reader looking for info on a more detailed and technical manner.

I read this book to my seven-year-old because I wanted him to gain some appreciation for engineering and history while enjoying a good adventure story. This book could not have been more disappointing, or irritating. In unimaginative, stilted prose that lacks appeal even for the very young, this book manages to vitiate everything about the Panama Canal tale that is worth telling. Astonishingly, the author says nothing about the malaria and yellow fever and accidents that took a devastating toll (5,600) on a 70,000 man workforce. Instead we are treated to the happy spectacle of workers cheering and clapping for Goethals. The story also stresses Goethals regret at never having had a chance to fight in battle. A great message for seven years olds! (It left me musing that if he had joined his men in the trenches he could have at least "died for his country, or commercial shipping").

Most unaccountably, the book has dialogue like this: "I know now what wives are for! They are to help husbands feel important" And if that wasn't good enough, the author sees fit to repeat it again toward the end. The Discovery Biography series makes a big fuss about its editor, Dr. Mary C Austin, touted as an "outstanding reading educational specialist". Unless she proposes to turn elementary school children into ultra-right wing dullards, I can only imagine that she never actually laid eyes on this text.

I certainly wish I hadn't.

For a really exciting read, try A World Explorer:Henry Morton Stanley, written back in 1965 by Charles Graves

First of all, this series of biographies is meant for middle elementary aged children. I think the author did a good job of painting Goethals as (1) a worker who never quit, (2) a worker who wasn't afraid of leading by doing, and (3) a patriot who wanted to serve his country. These are all good traits that inspire youngsters. The language is simple. As for the review that claimed the book is sexist -- wow, that was such a minor part of this book, only someone who has their eye trained to it would pick it out as such.