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El caballo de oro
This novel's narrative follows the time between 1847 and 1855 when, during the fever pitch of the Gold Rush in California, the Panama Railroad Company constructed a line crossing the country. Recreating the exploits and mishaps of the workers, the story also illustrates the havoc wreaked by rampantly spread tropical diseases.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published June 30, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
December 23, 2022
Primera novela histórica que leo del autor panameño y solo puedo asegurar que cada minuto que invertí en el libro era justo lo que esperaba.
Un relato del cual no solo puedes aprender de los retos y obstáculos en la construcción del “caballo de oro”, sino también aprender sobre los eventos que marcaron la historia de un país, e inclusive, de una época. Perfecta lectura para disfrutar con el mes de la patria de Panamá.
Un relato del cual no solo puedes aprender de los retos y obstáculos en la construcción del “caballo de oro”, sino también aprender sobre los eventos que marcaron la historia de un país, e inclusive, de una época. Perfecta lectura para disfrutar con el mes de la patria de Panamá.
November 3, 2020
Novela e historia funciona das
El caballo de oro, es una novela histórica que logra humanizar los acontecimientos entorno a la construcción del ferrocarril que cruza a Panamá.
Esta novela describe la fiebre de oro de California, las dificultades del terreno para los rieles y ni hablar de la insalubridad. También el movimiento social y financiero que sufrió la empresa, traiciones, estafas y asociaciones. Una historia de amor enlazada entre tantas desgracias. No puedes evitar conectarte con los personajes que son tan humanos y luchadores en su propio estilo.
El autor supera mis expectativas y con un lenguaje hermoso y narrativo logra dibujar cada escena en mi mente.
Negociantes inescrupulosos, banda de pandilleros. Monstruos de ríos y hasta justiciero son parte de todo lo que envuelve esta obra.
La recomiendo mucho, y quien sabe, hasta desees subir al caballo de oro.
El caballo de oro, es una novela histórica que logra humanizar los acontecimientos entorno a la construcción del ferrocarril que cruza a Panamá.
Esta novela describe la fiebre de oro de California, las dificultades del terreno para los rieles y ni hablar de la insalubridad. También el movimiento social y financiero que sufrió la empresa, traiciones, estafas y asociaciones. Una historia de amor enlazada entre tantas desgracias. No puedes evitar conectarte con los personajes que son tan humanos y luchadores en su propio estilo.
El autor supera mis expectativas y con un lenguaje hermoso y narrativo logra dibujar cada escena en mi mente.
Negociantes inescrupulosos, banda de pandilleros. Monstruos de ríos y hasta justiciero son parte de todo lo que envuelve esta obra.
La recomiendo mucho, y quien sabe, hasta desees subir al caballo de oro.
July 3, 2017
Cuatro estrellas en su género. O sea, no es una novela magnífica desde cualquier punto de vista, pero, dentro de lo que llamo "de aventuras" es muy buena y entretenida. Me recordó de un libro que me encantaba de pequeña llamado Los mineros de Alaska.
El entorno de la aventura (construcción del ferrocarril de Pánama), además de tener interés histórico, es propicio para las más númerosas viscicitudes sin arriesgarse a ser un ejercicio de mera fantasía. Los personajes, especialmente sus defectos*, son muy creíbles.
Sí, también hay una mujer también protagonista pero es sólo lágrima, amores, maternidades y belleza rubia e ojos azules. Super aburrida.
Pese a su extensión, me lo zampé en pocos días. Perfecto para un vuelo interoceánico.
* Certeza absoluta de ser una raza superior.
El entorno de la aventura (construcción del ferrocarril de Pánama), además de tener interés histórico, es propicio para las más númerosas viscicitudes sin arriesgarse a ser un ejercicio de mera fantasía. Los personajes, especialmente sus defectos*, son muy creíbles.
Sí, también hay una mujer también protagonista pero es sólo lágrima, amores, maternidades y belleza rubia e ojos azules. Super aburrida.
Pese a su extensión, me lo zampé en pocos días. Perfecto para un vuelo interoceánico.
* Certeza absoluta de ser una raza superior.
September 9, 2024
Varias veces leyendo este libro me pregunté el por qué seguía leyéndolo. A pesar de que es un libro bastante lento para mi gusto, no puedo evitar pensar en la cantidad de investigacion que hizo el autor para poder crear este libro tan completo y lleno de información. El final siento que le dio un buen twist al libro. Si te gusta leer sobre historia este libro es para ti
May 2, 2023
Excelente novela sobre las vicisitudes que vivieron todos aquellos encargados de la construcción de la obra magna, el ferrocarril de Panama, o como era conocido, “El Caballo de Oro”.
Este es el tipo de libros que se debe leer en la escuela. A mi parecer un must-read para todo panameño/a.
El vocabulario de Juan David Morgan es de admirar.
Final Rating: 4.4
Este es el tipo de libros que se debe leer en la escuela. A mi parecer un must-read para todo panameño/a.
El vocabulario de Juan David Morgan es de admirar.
Final Rating: 4.4
August 15, 2022
I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed The Golden Horse. The subject matter wasn’t something I was that interested in (like many books for my Read the World Project, the priority is finding a book/writer from a country rather than choosing one I think I’d enjoy) and as it’s set in the 1800s, I thought the language used might make it a bit of slog to read. Happily, that wasn’t the case and The Golden Horse was very readable and the characters and the various hardships they faced were compelling too.
This is a fictionalised true story so there are real people as main characters as well as imagined ones that fill in the gaps and it was fun to google various characters to see if they fell in the real or made-up category. Either way, these people did something extraordinary in creating a working railway line across jungles, rivers and swamps. The fact that thousands of people – most of them poor and people of colour – died to make it happen and that The Golden Horse doesn’t shy away from that and the terrible conditions these people worked in makes the story better. It gives a voice to those who perished while still allowing you to marvel at a feat in engineering. Black people were shipped in from the Caribbean, the Chinese were lied to and thought they were being sent to work in America, then there was the Irish and the native Panamanians who came to work on the railway too. All these people allowed for the rich white American shipping magnets to finance and construct the railroad.
It’s somewhat unsurprising that not much has changed in 170 years as companies and shareholders would look for the cheapest option rather than the safest or more fruitful one in the long term. It was frustrating at time as more often than not the perspectives were that of those working on the railroads like the engineers who were on the ground and knew of the conditions and what would or wouldn’t work. Then the big bosses would send someone who promised to do part of the job cheaper who thought they knew best and didn’t listen to the wisdom of those who had been in Panama far longer. It’s always satisfying when those kind of people are proved wrong.
The Golden Horse is told in in a mixture of prose and diary entries. The diary entries are from John Llyod Stephens, a travel writer who became one of the representatives of the shipping company in Panama, and Elizabeth Benton Freeman, a woman who is first travelling to San Francisco to meet her military husband there but soon becomes connected to the railroad employees and captains of the ships she travels on. The proses is from a variety of different characters perspectives and you get to see pretty much every possible point of view on a subject or incident. I liked how characters mentioned in the beginning of the story came back throughout the novel. The Golden Horse spans over a decade as while the construction of the railroad is the focus, there’s investigations in the viability of such a venture year’s beforehand and it’s interesting to see how characters who you think were just mentioned in passing, or were just used as an example of some sort of event, ended up playing a bigger role than you could’ve imagined. It really is a cleverly plotted book.
The Golden Horse was another book of a snapshot of history that I knew nothing about. The characters and the various relationships are all compelling and I even liked the inclusion of a romance that I thought was doomed at the beginning but ended up being something quite sweet and lovely. Overall, The Golden Horse was an enjoyable and interesting read and one that I read far quicker than I thought I would.
This is a fictionalised true story so there are real people as main characters as well as imagined ones that fill in the gaps and it was fun to google various characters to see if they fell in the real or made-up category. Either way, these people did something extraordinary in creating a working railway line across jungles, rivers and swamps. The fact that thousands of people – most of them poor and people of colour – died to make it happen and that The Golden Horse doesn’t shy away from that and the terrible conditions these people worked in makes the story better. It gives a voice to those who perished while still allowing you to marvel at a feat in engineering. Black people were shipped in from the Caribbean, the Chinese were lied to and thought they were being sent to work in America, then there was the Irish and the native Panamanians who came to work on the railway too. All these people allowed for the rich white American shipping magnets to finance and construct the railroad.
It’s somewhat unsurprising that not much has changed in 170 years as companies and shareholders would look for the cheapest option rather than the safest or more fruitful one in the long term. It was frustrating at time as more often than not the perspectives were that of those working on the railroads like the engineers who were on the ground and knew of the conditions and what would or wouldn’t work. Then the big bosses would send someone who promised to do part of the job cheaper who thought they knew best and didn’t listen to the wisdom of those who had been in Panama far longer. It’s always satisfying when those kind of people are proved wrong.
The Golden Horse is told in in a mixture of prose and diary entries. The diary entries are from John Llyod Stephens, a travel writer who became one of the representatives of the shipping company in Panama, and Elizabeth Benton Freeman, a woman who is first travelling to San Francisco to meet her military husband there but soon becomes connected to the railroad employees and captains of the ships she travels on. The proses is from a variety of different characters perspectives and you get to see pretty much every possible point of view on a subject or incident. I liked how characters mentioned in the beginning of the story came back throughout the novel. The Golden Horse spans over a decade as while the construction of the railroad is the focus, there’s investigations in the viability of such a venture year’s beforehand and it’s interesting to see how characters who you think were just mentioned in passing, or were just used as an example of some sort of event, ended up playing a bigger role than you could’ve imagined. It really is a cleverly plotted book.
The Golden Horse was another book of a snapshot of history that I knew nothing about. The characters and the various relationships are all compelling and I even liked the inclusion of a romance that I thought was doomed at the beginning but ended up being something quite sweet and lovely. Overall, The Golden Horse was an enjoyable and interesting read and one that I read far quicker than I thought I would.
January 6, 2024
Novela histórica donde se logra un equilibrio entre los elementos ficcionales básicos para contar una historia y el afán de informar y documentar un hecho histórico. Tuve algunas molestias con la novela, molestias claro que son chocheras mías porque el libro está bien escrito.
La primera molestia sería el reclamo de estar leyendo solo la historia de los vencedores... Todo el libro es una recapitulación de cómo varios grandes nombres, de esos perdidos en la historia marítima de los Estados Unidos, tomaban decisiones 'heroicas' y 'épicas' sobre el istmo de Panamá, cual Colón conquistando nuevas tierras. Sentía un sinsabor cuando imaginaba todas las acciones y diálogos de este catálogo de héroes perdidos en el tiempo: James Baldwin, John Lloyd Stephens, William Aspinwall, George Law, Totten, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Ran Runnels (personaje salvaje casi mitológico y legendario), Thomas Hart Benton y su hija Elizabeth Benton Freeman. Nunca me sentí cercano a ellos (empresarios, abogados e ingenieros con los ojos llenos de progreso), salvo a John y Elizabeth que logran consolidar una familia a pesar de las adversidades del trópico y las carencias materiales. Sí hay algunos personajes, digamos, marginales y explotados, pero no superan la etiqueta de personajes secundarios y poco relevantes.
Otro sinsabor es la narración plana. Si bien el libro intercala entre un narrador convencional, la escritura de diarios y el uso de cartas dentro del relato, no hay nada que sorprenda al lector en términos estilísticos y formales. Todo sucede lógica y verosímilmente con tal de contar cómo fueron los hechos y las vicisitudes para construir la primera línea férrea que uniría al Atlántico con el Pacífico durante el descubrimiento de nuevos yacimientos de oro en California. A veces el texto pareciera un documento oficial de la Howland & Aspinwall y de la Panama Railroad Company.
Por otro lado, resalto toda la verosimilitud de la historia y la claridad para conectar e hilar todos estos hechos dispersos, y acaso perdidos y olvidados en algún museo, en la historia del Caribe, del istmo de Panamá, de la bolsa de valores de los Estados Unidos y hasta de la historia de Colombia. El olvido por parte del gobierno de la Nueva Granada es clave para comprender por qué para alcanzar la visión de progreso del XIX se tuvo que acceder a un millar de prácticas injustas, violentas y faltas de reflexión.
Espero que la lectura de este libro siga llenando vacíos históricos importantes, tal como me pasó a mí; sin embargo, también espero que desarrollemos la capacidad de mirar hacia el fango: todo proceso modernizador que apunta al progreso implica un millar de capas subterráneas que no debemos olvidar. En el istmo panameño, en su fango, cayeron miles de vidas obreras, miles de chinos, irlandeses, colombianos, americanos, entre otros tantos que llegaban buscando un nuevo horizonte, solo por la ambición de unir dos océanos.
Para terminar, esta novela bien podría compartir estantería con otros grandes de su género. Mientras lo leía no dejaba de pensar en obras como La vorágine, La casa verde, El sueño del celta, Los pasos perdidos, El siglo de las luces, entre otras.
La primera molestia sería el reclamo de estar leyendo solo la historia de los vencedores... Todo el libro es una recapitulación de cómo varios grandes nombres, de esos perdidos en la historia marítima de los Estados Unidos, tomaban decisiones 'heroicas' y 'épicas' sobre el istmo de Panamá, cual Colón conquistando nuevas tierras. Sentía un sinsabor cuando imaginaba todas las acciones y diálogos de este catálogo de héroes perdidos en el tiempo: James Baldwin, John Lloyd Stephens, William Aspinwall, George Law, Totten, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Ran Runnels (personaje salvaje casi mitológico y legendario), Thomas Hart Benton y su hija Elizabeth Benton Freeman. Nunca me sentí cercano a ellos (empresarios, abogados e ingenieros con los ojos llenos de progreso), salvo a John y Elizabeth que logran consolidar una familia a pesar de las adversidades del trópico y las carencias materiales. Sí hay algunos personajes, digamos, marginales y explotados, pero no superan la etiqueta de personajes secundarios y poco relevantes.
Otro sinsabor es la narración plana. Si bien el libro intercala entre un narrador convencional, la escritura de diarios y el uso de cartas dentro del relato, no hay nada que sorprenda al lector en términos estilísticos y formales. Todo sucede lógica y verosímilmente con tal de contar cómo fueron los hechos y las vicisitudes para construir la primera línea férrea que uniría al Atlántico con el Pacífico durante el descubrimiento de nuevos yacimientos de oro en California. A veces el texto pareciera un documento oficial de la Howland & Aspinwall y de la Panama Railroad Company.
Por otro lado, resalto toda la verosimilitud de la historia y la claridad para conectar e hilar todos estos hechos dispersos, y acaso perdidos y olvidados en algún museo, en la historia del Caribe, del istmo de Panamá, de la bolsa de valores de los Estados Unidos y hasta de la historia de Colombia. El olvido por parte del gobierno de la Nueva Granada es clave para comprender por qué para alcanzar la visión de progreso del XIX se tuvo que acceder a un millar de prácticas injustas, violentas y faltas de reflexión.
Espero que la lectura de este libro siga llenando vacíos históricos importantes, tal como me pasó a mí; sin embargo, también espero que desarrollemos la capacidad de mirar hacia el fango: todo proceso modernizador que apunta al progreso implica un millar de capas subterráneas que no debemos olvidar. En el istmo panameño, en su fango, cayeron miles de vidas obreras, miles de chinos, irlandeses, colombianos, americanos, entre otros tantos que llegaban buscando un nuevo horizonte, solo por la ambición de unir dos océanos.
Para terminar, esta novela bien podría compartir estantería con otros grandes de su género. Mientras lo leía no dejaba de pensar en obras como La vorágine, La casa verde, El sueño del celta, Los pasos perdidos, El siglo de las luces, entre otras.
June 29, 2018
Novela imprescindible para todo panameño. Una visión de las penurias que azotaron la construcción del Ferrocarril y las consecuencias sociales del auge comercial que trajo la Fiebre de Oro Californiana, exacerbando el sentimiento nacionalista y anti-yankee de los panameños.
July 17, 2021
Global Read 147: Panama
Though I learned a lot from this book, it felt more like a history book than a novel. It really told rather than showed. Plus there was a lot of casual racism and it wasn't clear it was only from the characters' points of view.
Though I learned a lot from this book, it felt more like a history book than a novel. It really told rather than showed. Plus there was a lot of casual racism and it wasn't clear it was only from the characters' points of view.
November 10, 2016
Interesting story with a wonderful background of building the first transcontinental railroad across Panama under very difficult conditions and circumstances. This could make great movie!
Read
November 29, 2021Literary Quote “The worst of all, and the most painful, is that for each rail at least two workers have died. "
This book taught me about some of the interesting facts of the construction of the Panama Railroad.
This historical fiction book is all about the building of the Panama railroad, between 1847 and 1855. Very interesting, with some interesting characters, Coronel Totten, John Stephens, James Baldwin, Randolph Runnels, and only one woman, Elizabeth, according to the author, the heroine, she was a very tenacious woman, although not one of my favourites.
The tenacity of the men building this railroad was impressive, bad weather, specially downpours, fever, insect bites, crocodile attacks, all add to the difficulties, but they soldier on, day after day, so many men and so much death, the workers came from many countries, even as far away as China.
The book not only covers the building of the railroad but a little of the gold fever in California, because of the transportation on how the gold diggers got to California, from New York to San Francisco, via the itsmo of Panama before the railroad and during its construction, the book also covers some details on funding for the railroad, (which was, for me the least interesting part,) and what happens during the construction, when loads of the workers fall ill and lots of them die, gangs of organized thieves and how they were dealt with them, which was one of the most awesome parts.
I don’t have a favourite character, but if I had to choose one Randolph Runnels, who, even though he doesn't have a large part, was a great addition to the novel. The part of the novel where he does his job is crude and violent. There is no one main character, but many important ones, each with his own strong part.
I read the book in Spanish. The language of the book is very good, easy to read. Detailed characters, with sufficient background information on each one to visualize them. As are the details of the era, location and work conditions, which really give you a clear idea of what happened during the construction. You can often feel the humidity, the rain on your body and see the hard work going on around you.
The main characters, and the building of the railroad are all true as is the mass suicide and the sale of the dead bodies for reaserch and very few parts are fiction, like the relationship of Elizabeth and John, but they are very well intertwined and if I didn’t know better (thanks to an email from the author with this detail) I would not even know it was fiction.
The ending…. This can often make or break a book. I was a little disappointed, but I decided to personally get in touch with the author Juan David Morgan, and he was very kind and cleared up a couple of details which totally made sense. I cannot go into detail about this as I do not want to give the ending away.
I was going to award this book 4 stars because of the details I mentioned earlier about the ending, but after a much appreciated aclaration from the author, and understanding that the book took a little over 2 years to write and another 6 months for the publication, I am now giving this book 5 stars.
This book taught me about some of the interesting facts of the construction of the Panama Railroad.
This historical fiction book is all about the building of the Panama railroad, between 1847 and 1855. Very interesting, with some interesting characters, Coronel Totten, John Stephens, James Baldwin, Randolph Runnels, and only one woman, Elizabeth, according to the author, the heroine, she was a very tenacious woman, although not one of my favourites.
The tenacity of the men building this railroad was impressive, bad weather, specially downpours, fever, insect bites, crocodile attacks, all add to the difficulties, but they soldier on, day after day, so many men and so much death, the workers came from many countries, even as far away as China.
The book not only covers the building of the railroad but a little of the gold fever in California, because of the transportation on how the gold diggers got to California, from New York to San Francisco, via the itsmo of Panama before the railroad and during its construction, the book also covers some details on funding for the railroad, (which was, for me the least interesting part,) and what happens during the construction, when loads of the workers fall ill and lots of them die, gangs of organized thieves and how they were dealt with them, which was one of the most awesome parts.
I don’t have a favourite character, but if I had to choose one Randolph Runnels, who, even though he doesn't have a large part, was a great addition to the novel. The part of the novel where he does his job is crude and violent. There is no one main character, but many important ones, each with his own strong part.
I read the book in Spanish. The language of the book is very good, easy to read. Detailed characters, with sufficient background information on each one to visualize them. As are the details of the era, location and work conditions, which really give you a clear idea of what happened during the construction. You can often feel the humidity, the rain on your body and see the hard work going on around you.
The main characters, and the building of the railroad are all true as is the mass suicide and the sale of the dead bodies for reaserch and very few parts are fiction, like the relationship of Elizabeth and John, but they are very well intertwined and if I didn’t know better (thanks to an email from the author with this detail) I would not even know it was fiction.
The ending…. This can often make or break a book. I was a little disappointed, but I decided to personally get in touch with the author Juan David Morgan, and he was very kind and cleared up a couple of details which totally made sense. I cannot go into detail about this as I do not want to give the ending away.
I was going to award this book 4 stars because of the details I mentioned earlier about the ending, but after a much appreciated aclaration from the author, and understanding that the book took a little over 2 years to write and another 6 months for the publication, I am now giving this book 5 stars.
June 30, 2025
Este libro sobre la construcción del ferrocarril de Panamá en el siglo XIX se encuentra catalogado como novela histórica. No dudo de que el autor debió realizar una vasta investigación histórica para construir su relato, sin embargo, considero que el texto que presenta en esta obra tiene mucho de ficción y que lo que pretende mostrar al lector como historia se diluye en el relato.
Una novela demasiado larga para mi gusto; varios de los personajes que aparecen en el curso de la historia poco aportan al desarrollo de esta. La construcción de los personajes me parece muy débil, muy poco creíble; son buenos o son malos, sin evidenciar los matices que representan al ser humano en toda su complejidad.
Es un libro fácil de leer, pero con una historia tan simplona que no logra cautivar al lector. No me cabe la menor duda de las dificultades que se tuvieron que enfrentar para la construcción del ferrocarril de Panamá; no obstante, más allá de describir estas peripecias, la novela de Morgan no ofrece mucho más, en términos literarios e históricos.
Una novela demasiado larga para mi gusto; varios de los personajes que aparecen en el curso de la historia poco aportan al desarrollo de esta. La construcción de los personajes me parece muy débil, muy poco creíble; son buenos o son malos, sin evidenciar los matices que representan al ser humano en toda su complejidad.
Es un libro fácil de leer, pero con una historia tan simplona que no logra cautivar al lector. No me cabe la menor duda de las dificultades que se tuvieron que enfrentar para la construcción del ferrocarril de Panamá; no obstante, más allá de describir estas peripecias, la novela de Morgan no ofrece mucho más, en términos literarios e históricos.
July 2, 2025
Con este libro viajamos a la Panamá de mediados del siglo XIX momento en que surge la idea de diseñar y poner en marcha un ferrocarril transoceánico que unirá ambos océanos a través del istmo, mucho antes incluso de la construcción del Canal de Panamá
Me ha parecido una lectura muy interesante sobre todo por la ambientacion selvática y lluviosa de la zona, conocer como surgieron los planes de construcción, la ambición y muchos errores que se cobraron tantas vidas humanas y como se generó todo un mercado por la afluencia de gente debido a la fiebre del oro en California con la que algunos aprovecharon la oportunidad de negocio
En medio de todo una historia de amor que no me aportó gran cosa pero que el autor resuelve junto con el final del libro de forma redonda
son esas historias que siempre se recuerdan con el pasar del tiempo
Me ha parecido una lectura muy interesante sobre todo por la ambientacion selvática y lluviosa de la zona, conocer como surgieron los planes de construcción, la ambición y muchos errores que se cobraron tantas vidas humanas y como se generó todo un mercado por la afluencia de gente debido a la fiebre del oro en California con la que algunos aprovecharon la oportunidad de negocio
En medio de todo una historia de amor que no me aportó gran cosa pero que el autor resuelve junto con el final del libro de forma redonda
son esas historias que siempre se recuerdan con el pasar del tiempo
May 29, 2019
I really liked the historical accuracy of this book, and its descriptions of the natural beauty of the Isthmus, the horrors of the diseases and deaths which accompanied the Panama Railroad project, and the engineering and human challenges encountered. The characters based on actual participants were great; I did not find the story of the female lead character, Elizabeth Stephens, to be engaging. As an intermediate/advanced Spanish student, I found the Spanish clear and fairly easy to read.
May 24, 2025
Existem muitas maneiras de se contar uma história. Nesse livro, o autor não se arrisca, é direto e nunca mostra os fatos, preferindo contá-los. Não é meu estilo preferido, só que o que mais me incomodou foi o fato de o autor ter uma história incrível nas mãos e preferir contá-la sob a ótica dos poderosos e vencedores. A construção da ferrovia trouxe consigo um drama humano enorme, com gente trazida de diferentes partes do mundo (Colômbia, Jamaica, Irlanda, China), que morreram para que a obra se realizasse. Ainda assim, o autor foca no “drama” e no amor de um casal privilegiado, e nos “visionários” empreendedores que, desde seus escritórios em Nova York, “lutaram contra as adversidades” para que seu sonho (e seus lucros) se realizassem. E o pior de tudo nesse enfoque é a maneira racista como ela é apresentada.
Ainda assim, duas estrelas pelo contexto histórico apresentado.
Ainda assim, duas estrelas pelo contexto histórico apresentado.
July 27, 2020
Increíble como se mezcla tanta historia para hacer un libro que cualquiera puede disfrutar. Si no hubiera vivido viendo el ferrocarril, hubiera pensado que el libro terminaría diciendo que no lo habían logrado. El esfuerzo que tomó definitivamente valió la pena y es una historia que merecía ser contada.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2020
A spotlight on a period that seems familiar, the California gold rush, but from a fresh perspective, the building of the Panamanian isthmus railway. It brings to life the extraordinary human struggle involved. I think a livelier translation is needed to do justice to this novel.
February 20, 2023
Novela melancólica, al principio lenta pero eventualmente llega a cautivar al lector.
Recomendada para quienes quieran saber un poco más de la fantástica historia de Panamá y el rol de los Estados Unidos en ella.
Recomendada para quienes quieran saber un poco más de la fantástica historia de Panamá y el rol de los Estados Unidos en ella.
September 14, 2025
Muy buen libro. Me sorprendió lo bien escrito que está como novela histórica, la trama y los hechos reales que se enlazan para hacer un libro que no dan ganas de soltar. Buenísimo! Definitivamente voy a leer mas libros del autor
January 19, 2026
Narra las vicisitudes, triunfos y derrotas durante la construccion del primer ferrocarril interoceánico en Panamá a mediados del siglo 19.
Morgan hace el recuento de esta parte de la histora mezclando caracteres reales con ficticios y al final logra una obra bastante entretenida.
Morgan hace el recuento de esta parte de la histora mezclando caracteres reales con ficticios y al final logra una obra bastante entretenida.
November 20, 2018
Reading the world of books: Panama
May 8, 2019
Increadible story, about resilience and some real challenge that many pioneers have faced and probably still do. Very well written and captivating.
June 18, 2019
Gran obra
Muestra la tenacidad que se requiere para construir una gran obra de ingeniería, que es la obra q precede al canal.
Muestra la tenacidad que se requiere para construir una gran obra de ingeniería, que es la obra q precede al canal.
January 28, 2024
muy interesante e intrigante
Para los amantes de ficción histórica y también la historia verdadera de America Latina, este libro es una novela que no deben perderse.
Para los amantes de ficción histórica y también la historia verdadera de America Latina, este libro es una novela que no deben perderse.
June 9, 2016
This is just an interesting book all around. Good story lines, good characters, and it brings you closer to events that changed the world, the U.S. and definitely life in Panama.
Caballo de Oro traces the lives of people and the problems involved in a near-impossible feat: filling in with solid earth the boggy, pest-sanctuary isthmus of Panama in order to lay down a railroad line.
Morgan (the author) recalls a bands of ruffians that would mercilessly kill in ambushes just to get their hands on some of the wealth passing through; he brings you characters such as the sheriff who was mysteriously put on a clean-up-your-life God-sent mission by a prophetic reverend and livens up the painstaking progress of a prod through the swamp by detailing the behind-the-scenes intrigues in the board room of the Aspinwall company that built the line.
It cannot be overlooked that this historic novel also sets you up to understand Panama today.
The Spanish is not difficult, although, obviously, the author has good vocabulary. With a decent dictionary by your side a non-Spanish native can really enjoy it.
This seems to be a well-known book in Panama and is considered a very good read.
Caballo de Oro traces the lives of people and the problems involved in a near-impossible feat: filling in with solid earth the boggy, pest-sanctuary isthmus of Panama in order to lay down a railroad line.
Morgan (the author) recalls a bands of ruffians that would mercilessly kill in ambushes just to get their hands on some of the wealth passing through; he brings you characters such as the sheriff who was mysteriously put on a clean-up-your-life God-sent mission by a prophetic reverend and livens up the painstaking progress of a prod through the swamp by detailing the behind-the-scenes intrigues in the board room of the Aspinwall company that built the line.
It cannot be overlooked that this historic novel also sets you up to understand Panama today.
The Spanish is not difficult, although, obviously, the author has good vocabulary. With a decent dictionary by your side a non-Spanish native can really enjoy it.
This seems to be a well-known book in Panama and is considered a very good read.
July 10, 2021
Este libro me ha conmovido bastante.
La historia del ferrocarril construido para unir el Atlántico y el Pacífico a mediados del siglo XIX en el istmo de Panamá.
Toda la locura resumida en sus páginas.
Capítulo aparte, como colonense, leer lo que implicó la creación de la ciudad de Colón (que en ese momento era Aspinwall, en honor al director de la empresa).
También sirve como una reflexión de fondo sobre el corto placismo endémico que poseemos en la región.
La historia del ferrocarril construido para unir el Atlántico y el Pacífico a mediados del siglo XIX en el istmo de Panamá.
Toda la locura resumida en sus páginas.
Capítulo aparte, como colonense, leer lo que implicó la creación de la ciudad de Colón (que en ese momento era Aspinwall, en honor al director de la empresa).
También sirve como una reflexión de fondo sobre el corto placismo endémico que poseemos en la región.
May 21, 2016
Te envuelve, hace que viajes al pasado panameño y tengas una visión de futuro. Escrita en un lenguaje claro donde los dialogos te adentran en la psiquis de los personajes. Recomendadisima.
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