Specify Appertaining To Books Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U. S. Navy
| Title | : | Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U. S. Navy |
| Author | : | Ian W. Toll |
| Book Format | : | Hardcover |
| Book Edition | : | Special Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 560 pages |
| Published | : | October 17th 2006 by W. W. Norton Company (first published October 2nd 2006) |
| Categories | : | History. Nonfiction. North American Hi.... American History. War. Military Fiction. Military. Military History. Naval History |
Ian W. Toll
Hardcover | Pages: 560 pages Rating: 4.32 | 4974 Users | 393 Reviews
Commentary Conducive To Books Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U. S. Navy
How "a handful of bastards and outlaws fighting under a piece of striped bunting" humbled the omnipotent British Navy. Before the ink was dry on the U.S. Constitution, the establishment of a permanent military had become the most divisive issue facing the new government. Would a standing army be the thin end of dictatorship? Would a navy protect American commerce against the Mediterranean pirates, or drain the treasury and provoke hostilities with the great powers? The foundersparticularly Jefferson, Madison, and Adamsdebated these questions fiercely and switched sides more than once. How much of a navy would suffice? Britain alone had hundreds of powerful warships. From the decision to build six heavy frigates, through the cliffhanger campaign against Tripoli, to the war that shook the world in 1812, Ian W. Toll tells this grand tale with the political insight of Founding Brothers and a narrative flair worthy of Patrick O'Brian. According to Henry Adams, the 1812 encounter between USS Constitution and HMS Guerriere "raised the United States in one half hour to the rank of a first class power in the world." 16 pages of illustrations; 8 pages of color.
Details Books In Pursuance Of Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U. S. Navy
| Original Title: | Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy |
| ISBN: | 0393058476 (ISBN13: 9780393058475) |
| Edition Language: | English |
Rating Appertaining To Books Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U. S. Navy
Ratings: 4.32 From 4974 Users | 393 ReviewsCriticism Appertaining To Books Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U. S. Navy
I devoured Ian Tolls first two books about the naval war in the Pacific during World War II, so I thought Id try his earlier book about the earliest days of the United States Navy. I dont know if you have any interest in early American history or in naval warfare, but if you do, this is a great read. Toll is one of those historians who can bring history to life like a good novel, and that is no easy task. He covers the era made famous by the musical Hamilton, but adds some layers to the storyI give this one 3.75 stars. An engaging early history of the US Navy, great for those who enjoy battles fought by sailing ships in the 18th and 19th centuries (fans of Patrick OBrian will enjoy references to OBrians accurate portrayal of the battle of the USS Constitution v HMS Java). Over a few hundred lively pages, we see the US Navy evolve from a minuscule laughingstock in the 1790s to the badass fighting force that won more naval battles than it lost against the greatest naval power in the
The subtitle, "The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy" is a misnomer. The Continental Navy established during the American Revolution gets short shrift. Toll in a few lines disposes of sad tale of 13 frigates, 11 of which were destroyed or captured by the British in the course of the Revolutionary War. American Revolutionary naval hero John Paul Jones ("I have not yet begun to fight!") gets 19 lines--British Napoleonic War admiral Horatio Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar gets much
There is something in all of us that thrills to the sea. The vast oceans cover 70% of Earth's surface, eternal and everchanging. They are the highways of the world's commerce, the source of a great power's strength and prosperity, and a site where desperate battles fought, and heroic deeds done. In a swift and deeply sourced history, Toll brings alive the character of the period, and the role of the American Navy at the dawn of this country. The Navy is specified in the constitution, but a naval
The early history of the US navy's frigates, and their successes against the French, the British and especially the Barbary pirates were a staple of history classes when I was in public schools. This is an unabashedly US-centric view of those events. It's a history, though, not a celebration and makes no bones about how mixed the record was in the end. The most interesting parts to me were not the battles (which I generally remembered) but the logistics--the political, financial and engineering
4.5 stars (I could probably be talked into 5)This book was awesome. It wasn't just a book about 6 ships; it was American history thru that lens. It is exciting and kept me engaged the whole time. Well written and researched. The only deduction (if there is one) is something Toll explains in the beginning. He can't spend the whole book describing nautical terms so he doesn't unless it's really important. So a lot of the time I didn't quite know what he was talking about. I still don't know what a
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