The path between the seas.

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?