Sidekick: Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War That Changed American History - Sidekick

by Bibliomaniac

This sidekick offers everything you need to enjoy this book!
 
You'll find:
 
Author Background
 
Chapter Summaries
 
Biographies that bring to light the lives of important historical figures
 
And a commentary that:
 
Elaborates on the effect the First Barbary War would have on the United States' growth
 
And places the events of the book in a wider historical context
 
Disclaimer: This book serves as an accompaniment to the bestseller "Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War That Changed American History" by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger. It is meant to broaden the reader's understanding of the book and to offer some insights which can easily be overlooked. You should order a copy of the actual book before reading this.

34 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 17, 2016

Reviews

[Arlene Starr · Rating 5 out of 5]

THOMAS JEFFERSON AND THE TRIPOLI PIRATES
Originally I didn't pick this book to read, but got it by mistake. I went ahead and read it and am glad I did. If you want to learn a little bit about our country's beginning, after it had gained it's independence this is a good one. In addition to seeing politics played out, you will read some stories about men of determination and courage with the odds against them for victory.
America was struggling with an almost non existent Navy and few ships. It was struggling with shipping merchandise and passengers safely through the Barbarian stretch of ocean while paying tribute to Tripoli for hopes of safe passage. With tributes escalating, piracy and hostages being taken, etc Jefferson the 3rd president decided to take on the Barbary powers in war. This story tells about those involved in helping. The story includes failures as well as victories. Events were immortalized in the opening stanza of the Marine's Hymn, From the Halls of Montezuma/To the Shores of Tripoli..." the US Navy finally ended the hostage taking and tribute payments in 1815.

[Zørch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I highly recommend that before you delve into reading this book, you first read at least the first few pages of the acknowledgments section. It explains why I felt that thought the author introduced me to an area of American History that somehow our public schools never talked about, it did so in a divisive narrative, supporting neo-conservative perspectives on why the world is as it is today, and why they believe America should continue to behave with a chip on our shoulder, particularly towards a society that has religious beliefs different from American Christianity. So sad.
Nonetheless, I did appreciate taking a tour of events early in US history that I was completely unaware of. For that, I am glad I read it.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I knew this story but there is far more to it than I realized.

This is a story about the (forced) creation of the U.S. Navy. It also hints at how the marines became, well.. the marines. But most of all it is a story of how the U.S. first became a force to be reckoned with in the world.

It's well written and a pretty easy read.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A chapter of American history that I'd never heard about before!

[Lawrence Grey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of history that I knew nothing about until reading this book - it was a bit slow going but interesting history lesson and free from the local public library

[Patricia Delaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full of history and information.

[William · Rating 3 out of 5]

While many of the historical details were interesting this popular history was disappointing in the relatively low reading level in which it is written. This is directed at junior high or high school level. Too much of the story line gets twisted in difficult sentence structure and restating of previous points that make the reading repetitive to distraction. There is some exaggeration regarding the final impact of events and a religious assertion that is factually incorrect. I thought the previous publication on Washington's spies was much better.

[Marian T]

Fascinating piece of our history, relevant even today. It seems only Americans have a short memory of our history.

[Marilyn]

Learned some history I hadn't heard of before.

[Butch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read and a nice tome for history buffs.