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erich_weyant's review against another edition
5.0
Why don’t we do a better job of highlighting the contributions of John Paul Jones as a member of the founding generation? Like Henry Knox or Nathaniel Greene, he was instrumental in the establishment of one of the branches of our armed forces. Like Hamilton, he was an immigrant who took up the cause. He was a protege of Benjamin Franklin. He was anti-slavery and even had a courtly relationship with poet and freed slave Phyllis Wheatley. He was unfairly passed over by the often infuriatingly inept Continental Congress, but he didn’t turn traitor like Benedict Arnold. He was the prototypical 18th century rake in his romantic life. And, oh yeah - he TOOK THE FIGHT TO THE BRITISH - harassing the English coast, attempting to take towns hostage and tangling with the British Navy! This is a great overview of his life and exploits. Evan Thomas does an excellent job of reviewing his life and career, managing to avoid hagiography by employing just enough criticism of his subject. Highly recommended.
rbarker's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty good book. Learned a lot. I know more than I did before.
nucleareaction's review against another edition
4.0
Must be the ultimate name, as 2 people have it and are awesome. Also, the queen of Russia was kind of a slut.
spinnerroweok's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't know much about John Paul Jones before I read this, and apparently all of that was fiction. So, I learned about him. The naval battle between the Bonhomme Richard and the Serapis was very well written and as fascinating a naval battle as I have ever read. I also like how Jones would tweak the British by sneaking into England and taking silver tea sets. Or how he was able to freely travel through England because the propaganda wanted posters made him look like a crazed bearded pirate and not the gentleman he appeared to be in real life. But in the end, America gave him the shaft like it does with many of its heroes. RIP John Paul Jones.
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