Lost in the deep of Darien

Decades before the French failed and Americans succeeded at creating a path between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, the U.S. dispatched a 27-member expedition to what is now the Darien province of Panama to find a low mountain pass through which the oceans could be joined with minimal tunneling.

In this well-researched book, Balf describes how the search for the pass -- which would save sailors from having to round Cape Horn, one of the most storm-ravaged passages in seafaring -- quickly descended into chaos, starvation and even cannibalism.

From the first page to the last, Balf brings to life the harrowing ordeals of the explorers. After finishing this remarkable work, you may still be at the edge of your seat, reading the notes and epilogue, which are no less compelling. And you may want to reconsider your plans to hike the Darien Gap.

-- Scott Doggett