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178 reviews for:
Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War That Changed American History
Don Yaeger, Brian Kilmeade
3.26 AVERAGE
178 reviews for:
Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War That Changed American History
Don Yaeger, Brian Kilmeade
3.26 AVERAGE
informative
medium-paced
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
adventurous
fast-paced
Bought this book not realizing the right wing bias/slant couched in the writing. A perusal of the folks who recommend this book should have tipped me off (Donald Rumsfeld!)
I was familiar with the piracy in the Mediterranean during the early history of our country and wanted to know more. The book read a little like an encyclopedia with the enumerations of the various battles. I feel like I got the outline of the conflicts, but no more than I did from reading an antique book on the subject.
I wish the John Adams series on HBO had touched on the history of the conflict!
This is an excellent review https://jacksonianamerica.com/2017/12/14/review-of-kilmeade-and-yaegers-jackson-book/
And I quote from the article: " Given the comparisons made between Jackson and Donald Trump and given the solid base of viewers who would buy anything put out by one of the FNC personalities, I wonder why the co-authors didn’t work that angle more. They hint at it in ch. 13 when they describe Jackson: “He wasn’t a complicated man . . . He was a man who could be fired by anger. Jackson hadn’t been much of a student . . . His intelligence was not book-learned; he operated on instinct and experience.” All of that could apply to Trump. But they then undermine what could have been a powerful argument for the Jackson-Trump comparison by writing that his “orientations” were “duty to country . . . ; duty to God; and duty to family,” none of which appear to be at the top of Trump’s list of loyalties (310). If I had been their marketing consultant, I would have made the connection as blatantly as possible and talked about Jackson’s mistreatment of minority groups, his disregard for congressional authority, and, most importantly, his magnificent hair."
I was familiar with the piracy in the Mediterranean during the early history of our country and wanted to know more. The book read a little like an encyclopedia with the enumerations of the various battles. I feel like I got the outline of the conflicts, but no more than I did from reading an antique book on the subject.
I wish the John Adams series on HBO had touched on the history of the conflict!
This is an excellent review https://jacksonianamerica.com/2017/12/14/review-of-kilmeade-and-yaegers-jackson-book/
And I quote from the article: " Given the comparisons made between Jackson and Donald Trump and given the solid base of viewers who would buy anything put out by one of the FNC personalities, I wonder why the co-authors didn’t work that angle more. They hint at it in ch. 13 when they describe Jackson: “He wasn’t a complicated man . . . He was a man who could be fired by anger. Jackson hadn’t been much of a student . . . His intelligence was not book-learned; he operated on instinct and experience.” All of that could apply to Trump. But they then undermine what could have been a powerful argument for the Jackson-Trump comparison by writing that his “orientations” were “duty to country . . . ; duty to God; and duty to family,” none of which appear to be at the top of Trump’s list of loyalties (310). If I had been their marketing consultant, I would have made the connection as blatantly as possible and talked about Jackson’s mistreatment of minority groups, his disregard for congressional authority, and, most importantly, his magnificent hair."
An exciting slice of history presented in a captivating way!
America had just won its Independence and was struggling to establish its trading business and earn respect from the world powers of the time. Pirates from the Muslim nations of Tripoli, Tunis, Algeria and Morocco plagued the waters of the Barbary Coast off North Africa, capturing merchant ships, enslaving the sailors, and thinking themselves right to do so because they were waging war against the Christian nations as the Koran instructed. This was getting costly for the young America and Thomas Jefferson and certain other patriotic Americans decided to do something about it. A show of force and blockade by new armed US vessels proved useless as the pirates used their smaller ships and trickery to avoid it and then mock the Americans.
Bashaw Yusef of Tripoli proved a cunning and formidable enemy. The capture of American sailors necessitated careful and embarrassing bargaining, even as more heartening military measures were bring formed. Through Jefferson's tenure as a Secretary of State and then as the 3rd President, America's first navy was born and took to the seas in defense of American interests. The Marines were founded and were immortalized in the marches through African deserts "to the shores of Tripoli." Together, land forces, including Bashaw Yusef's brother the rightful ruler of Tripoli, and naval forces forced a surrender and secured a lasting peace in the region. Drawbacks like prissy Captain Valentine Morris, Captain William Bainbridge who gave up both the George Washington and Philadelphia, and selfish Consul Tobias Lear didn't stop Consul William Eaton in Tunis, Captain Richard Dale, Commander Edward Preble, adventurous Lieutenant Stephen Decataur, and more American heroes who starred in these delicate, frustrating times.
Still more amazing is the success America had, even with numerous occasions when things went wrong. Once such instance was when the mighty Navy warship Philadelphia ran aground and was captured. Stephen Decatur led a daring midnight raid that set it afire and dealt a mighty blow to Tripoli. Then an attempt to destroy the Tripolitan ships in their harbor with a ship filled with explosives touched off prematurely and the crew sailing it was killed. The force of combined American military, Marines, rebel Tripolitans under Bashaw Yusef's brother, and Bedouins who joined on the way, faced water and food shortages as well as treacherous guides in their miserable trek through the desert. But they made it to the coast, they fought as a team, and they achieved victory.
America had just won its Independence and was struggling to establish its trading business and earn respect from the world powers of the time. Pirates from the Muslim nations of Tripoli, Tunis, Algeria and Morocco plagued the waters of the Barbary Coast off North Africa, capturing merchant ships, enslaving the sailors, and thinking themselves right to do so because they were waging war against the Christian nations as the Koran instructed. This was getting costly for the young America and Thomas Jefferson and certain other patriotic Americans decided to do something about it. A show of force and blockade by new armed US vessels proved useless as the pirates used their smaller ships and trickery to avoid it and then mock the Americans.
Bashaw Yusef of Tripoli proved a cunning and formidable enemy. The capture of American sailors necessitated careful and embarrassing bargaining, even as more heartening military measures were bring formed. Through Jefferson's tenure as a Secretary of State and then as the 3rd President, America's first navy was born and took to the seas in defense of American interests. The Marines were founded and were immortalized in the marches through African deserts "to the shores of Tripoli." Together, land forces, including Bashaw Yusef's brother the rightful ruler of Tripoli, and naval forces forced a surrender and secured a lasting peace in the region. Drawbacks like prissy Captain Valentine Morris, Captain William Bainbridge who gave up both the George Washington and Philadelphia, and selfish Consul Tobias Lear didn't stop Consul William Eaton in Tunis, Captain Richard Dale, Commander Edward Preble, adventurous Lieutenant Stephen Decataur, and more American heroes who starred in these delicate, frustrating times.
Still more amazing is the success America had, even with numerous occasions when things went wrong. Once such instance was when the mighty Navy warship Philadelphia ran aground and was captured. Stephen Decatur led a daring midnight raid that set it afire and dealt a mighty blow to Tripoli. Then an attempt to destroy the Tripolitan ships in their harbor with a ship filled with explosives touched off prematurely and the crew sailing it was killed. The force of combined American military, Marines, rebel Tripolitans under Bashaw Yusef's brother, and Bedouins who joined on the way, faced water and food shortages as well as treacherous guides in their miserable trek through the desert. But they made it to the coast, they fought as a team, and they achieved victory.
The fact that I finished this book is more reflective of my stubbornness than the quality of the book.
This book is painfully American-centric and rampant with Islamophobia, it fails to consider the context of the conflict and is only capable of viewing America in a positive light. It feels far too similar to American propaganda, the audiobook was lacking (at best), and the only thing of value I learned from this book is that I need to check the author of a book before I read one in the future.
This book is painfully American-centric and rampant with Islamophobia, it fails to consider the context of the conflict and is only capable of viewing America in a positive light. It feels far too similar to American propaganda, the audiobook was lacking (at best), and the only thing of value I learned from this book is that I need to check the author of a book before I read one in the future.
A good bit of history to refresh on, and very relevant to today. Muddling in Africa/Middle East! US intervention to depose rulers! my favorite quote from this book is by John Adams: "We ought not to fight them at all unless We determine to fight them forever". Lololololol 200 years later look where we friggin' are.
informative
fast-paced
informative
medium-paced
adventurous
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced