After Panama's tropical diseases and torrential rains kill thousands and stifle progress, the French and their Suez Canal champion Ferdinand de Lesseps flee the isthmus in defeat. Soon John Stevens--tenacious Great Northern Railroad builder--jumpstarts U.S. efforts. Making the conquest of malaria and yellow fever his first priority, Stevens helps Dr. William Gorgas eradicate disease-carrying mosquitoes. To remove dirt faster than mudslides can refill the excavation, Stephens strengthens and redesigns Panama's railroad system. But how can Yankee ingenuity and dogged determination possibly move mountains?
