Cristina Henríquez at The Harvard Bookstore on Finding Humanity Through Historical Fiction

On March 6, critically acclaimed author Cristina Henríquez transformed The Harvard Bookstore into a sacred space to discuss her new novel, “The Great Divide.” The novel is about the construction of the Panama Canal and the intersecting lives of individuals who are often ignored by historical accounts. Henríquez and her readers engaged in an intimate exchange, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that was reminiscent of two friends conversing over coffee. Henríquez shared anecdotes from her summers spent sitting by the Panama Canal as a young girl, offered insight into her writing process, and emphasized the importance of uncovering humanity within historical fiction. The seats were filled by locals, friends, and avid readers who were eager to hear from Henríquez after waiting ten years for her new release. Many even brought with them her last novel, “The Book of Unknown Americans,” in hopes of getting their copies signed.

Henríquez opened the night with a confession. Although many assumed she had been working on the book for 10 years, she actually had the idea for the work 20 years ago, with the actual writing process only spanning five years. All she knew was that she wanted to write about the Panama Canal, but felt that, at the time, she didn’t have the experience to write it.

“I think I didn’t have the writerly skills, no actually, the humanity maybe. Like I hadn’t had enough time in the world to write that story yet,” Henríquez said.

Henríquez builds the core of the novel around unraveling the stories of those who were involved or whose lives were touched by the construction of the Panama Canal. As a half-Panamanian, Henríquez felt that she was able to use this book to connect with her heritage and family. She sought to find out what Panamanians were feeling during the transformation of their country and the reason why many weren’t involved in the project. While most books delve into the political intricacies of the project or highlight the mastery of the engineering involved in the canal, Henríquez set out to write about the human element buried underneath these stories.

“As a fiction writer, I think what I’m always looking to do is explore our human impulses, and why we do the things we do and what it’s like to be alive,” Henríquez said. “What was it like to be alive during the time that the Earth was being transferred in this monumental way?”

As the night progressed, Henríquez touched upon her research and writing process which culminated in the novel that she fondly describes as “a love letter to Panama.” Her process had no clear organization to it, from filling notebooks with random ideas to Zoom calls with scholars whose work specialized on the Panama Canal, and even visiting the Canal Library in Panama. By reading a variety of books on the history of the Panama Canal, Henríquez exhibited an inspiring dedication that allowed her to craft narratives of life at that time.

Kaysha Corinealdi, author of “Panama in Black,” attended the event in support of Henríquez, as both of them are writers connected to Panama. She praised Henríquez for her reading and ability to tell such wonderful stories.

When asked what had made her attend the event that centered on a work similar to hers, Corinealdi said, “My goal was to support writers that are trying to certainly write about Panama but also get these histories across that are beyond the typical narrative that people understand about the canal.”

Before ending the night, Henríquez delivered a captivating reading from her novel, focusing on the character of Francisco, a fisherman who stars in one of the many storylines found in the book. The room was left in awe of her talent; her ability to capture even the smallest details transported the audience directly into Francisco’s life. If anyone in the audience had not picked up her book yet, they certainly would have been compelled to do so afterward.

Henríquez immersed the audience into her world as a historical fiction writer who continues to learn about herself and the power of fiction.

“As opposed to many other art forms, I think the great benefit of fiction too is that it allows us interiority and this window into people’s consciousness that you can’t otherwise get,” Henríquez said. Her powerful words and experience encouraged others to simply sit down and write their stories, in hopes of bringing to life the voices of those that are often erased.

—Staff writer Maria F. Cifuentes can be reached at maria.cifuentes@thecrimson.com.