The Great Frenchman's Folly (Panama Disaster 1)
Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford
Pushkin Industries
4.7 • 6.4K Ratings
🗓️ 16 May 2025
⏱️ 45 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Ferdinand De Lesseps, "the Great Frenchman", is convinced that he is the man to build the Panama Canal. No, he isn't an engineer and, no, he's never actually been to Panama before. But he managed to dig the Suez Canal, and everyone said that would be impossible too. How hard can it be?
For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com.
Get ad-free episodes, plus an exclusive monthly bonus episode, to Cautionary Tales by subscribing to Pushkin+ on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm. Pushkin+ subscribers can access ad-free episodes, full audiobooks exclusive binges, and bonus content for all Pushkin shows.
Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin
Subscribe on Pushkin: pushkin.fm/plus
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Pushkin. |
| 0:08.6 | You're listening to an I-Heart podcast. |
| 0:15.0 | She was a decorated veteran, a Marine who saved her comrades, a hero. |
| 0:21.1 | She was stoic, modest, tough, someone who inspired people. |
| 0:27.6 | Everyone thought they knew her until they didn't. |
| 0:32.7 | I remember sitting on her couch and asking her, is this real? Is this real? Is this real? Is this real? Is this real? |
| 0:39.1 | I just couldn't wrap my head around. What kind of person would do that to another person |
| 0:43.9 | that was getting treatment that was, you know, dying? This is a story all about trust |
| 0:52.0 | and about a woman named Sarah Kavanaugh. |
| 0:55.6 | I've always been told I'm a really good listener, right? And I maximize that while I was |
| 1:00.0 | lying. Listen to Deep Cover the Truth About Sarah, anywhere you get podcasts. And binge the entire |
| 1:08.2 | season right now, ad free with a Pushkin Plus subscription. |
| 1:13.1 | Head to the Deep Cover show page on Apple Podcasts or Pushkin.fm.com to sign up. |
| 1:21.8 | Run a business and not thinking about podcasting, think again. |
| 1:24.8 | More Americans listen to podcasts than add supported streaming music from Spotify and Pandora. |
| 1:29.0 | And as the number one podcaster, IHearts twice as large as the next two combined. |
| 1:33.1 | Learn how podcasting can help your business. |
| 1:34.9 | Call 844-844-I-Hart. 1886, a train near Paris. |
| 1:48.9 | Two men are sitting in silence. |
| 1:51.6 | One decides to strike up a conversation. |
| 1:55.2 | What's your line of work? he asks his fellow passenger. |
| 1:58.9 | It's a mundane, everyday question. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Pushkin Industries, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Pushkin Industries and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.