The Pirate Coast : Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines, and the Secret Mission of 1805 (Hardcover)

from JBD1

A somewhat clunky writing style dogs this book throughout, even though the story Zacks sets out to tell is remarkably interesting. While Jefferson rates mention in the subtitle (hey, his name sells books, I guess) naval agent provocateur William Eaton is really at the center of the book, along wi...

from varielle

The only thing you hear in school is how the young United States faced down the Barbary Pirates. That's not what happened! Zacks details the double-dealing, loathesome tactics that passed for high diplomacy surrounding the attempted rescue/ransom of American sailors held as slaves by the Bashaw o...

from ebnelson

Though it's not strikingly well-written history, Zacks is able to convey the events, characters, and motives well enough to ensure that the pay off at the end is not only stunning, but carries a surprisingly emotional wallop. By focusing more on General Eaton than on pirates or Jefferson, The Pir...

from co_coyote

I've always heard of the Barbary pirates, but I didn't have much of an idea of what people were talking about. This is a nicely paced tale of the Barbary pirates and what Thomas Jefferson and the American Congress decided to do about it. It is possible the term "foobar" came into use around this ...

from bookwoman247

In the early 19th Century, the ruler of Tripoli, (modern day Libya), had been exacting tribute from the West. Nations who refused to comply had their ships attacked by Barbary pirates, their cargos stolen, and the passengers and crew held as slaves for ransom. In 1805, the U.S. naval ship Philade...