The book was well put together and was a smooth read with lots of information, but was not overwhelming.

The thesis that the enslavement of captured white men who sailed under the new US flag, is so horrible that war is necessary. But he neglects to state that there were 893,602 enslave blacks in the US at the same time. Thomas Jefferson is no hero, he was a slaver. The author here seems to be saying “don’t fret when the enslaved are not white” he doesn’t even mention those 893,602 enslaved in the US - some by Jefferson.

Very interesting part of early American history that was not taught in my schools. A good learning experience.

Informative and captivating

It was absolutely a great read and a wonderful history lesson for every American. It's also interesting to note that until we established a global naval presence our new country had little credibility. That hasn't changed in the subsequent centuries......Thank God our new President sees that as crucial to our safety & survival.....

I give the authors credit for shining a light on a little known chapter of American history that is nonetheless pivotal to our country's development. The story, however, is detailed more like a high school text than an adult non-fictional work. There are a lot of chronological details but little of the color and breadth of the individuals and events depicted. It must be acknowledged that a more complete version of these events would not likely find a publisher in our modern-instant gratification-culture. So I'll salute the authors for their efforts at motivating more people to a greater appreciation of how we became the United States of America, and believe that the future holds a more nuanced version of this epoch.

I'd never heard of these early American conflicts before reading this book. I found it easy to read, interesting, and informative. If only I could get our HS kids to read this; it could spark their interest in these fascinating events of our nation's founding and early years...

I really wanted to like both this and "George Washington's Secret Six" by the same authors. They are important and engaging episodes in American history. However I found both books to be rather superficial, written with less sophistication than a high school history textbook. The historical personalities are presented as one dimensional and the description of events lacks the detail that would draw a reader in. The complex issues that arise, such as diplomacy versus military action, were not really engaging in a thought-provoking way. Overall the writing and story telling was just too simplistic.

Wow ! Truly puts together the begining and the current 2016 worldwide events. Brings to light the honorable brave men that blazed the path to America's freedom and the capacity to help all who want to live a prosperous life as free women and men. A must read for anyone that can ( read)

My only criticism is that it had to end! A great read. And as retired naval officer I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about our "birth". Thanks.