Overview

An epic novel of the construction of the Panama Canal, casting light on the unsung people who lived, loved, and labored there, by Cristina Henr�quez, acclaimed author of The Book of Unknown Americans It is said that the canal will be the greatest feat of engineering in history. But first, it must be built. For Francisco, a local fisherman who resents the foreign powers clamoring for a slice of his country, nothing is more upsetting than the decision of his son, Omar, to work as a digger in the excavation zone. But for Omar, whose upbringing was quiet and lonely, this job offers a chance to finally find connection. Ada Bunting is a bold sixteen-year-old from Barbados who arrives in Panama as a stowaway alongside thousands of other West Indians seeking work. Alone and with no resources, she is determined to find a job that will earn enough money for her ailing sister's surgery. When she sees a young man--Omar--who has collapsed after a grueling shift, she is the only one who rushes to his aid. John Oswald has dedicated his life to scientific research and has journeyed to Panama in single-minded pursuit of one goal: eliminating malaria. But now, his wife, Marian, has fallen ill herself, and when he witnesses Ada's bravery and compassion, he hires her on the spot as a caregiver. This fateful decision sets in motion a sweeping tale of ambition, loyalty, and sacrifice. Searing and empathetic, The Great Divide explores the intersecting lives of activists, fishmongers, laborers, journalists, neighbors, doctors, and soothsayers--those rarely acknowledged by history even as they carved out its course. Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

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Reviews

"""[A] pitch-perfect novel."" -- ""Publishers Weekly (starred review)"" ""[A] rich, evocative slice of life from a little-known chapter of history."" -- ""Readers Digest"" ""A compassionate and insightful historical epic."" -- ""Literary Hub"" ""A gorgeous bit of storytelling...[and] a deeply meaningful, character-driven narrative that brings momentous history to new life."" -- ""Barnes&Noble.com"" ""Golden Voice narrator Robin Miles's...lovely, warm voice illuminates the action by adopting varied accents and wildly different personalities...Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award."" -- ""AudioFile"""

Author Information

Cristina Henr�quez is the author of several books and has been longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and was a finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. Her writing has appeared in the New Yorker, The Atlantic, and elsewhere. She earned her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and is a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Robin Miles is a veteran of Broadway, classical plays, television, and film. She is an AudioFile Golden Voice, having won numerous Earphones Awards, ALA awards, and Audie Award nominations.

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