HOW DO YOU MESS UP PIRATES AND THOMAS JEFFERSON???
First things first. I did not realize this was written by one of the Fox & Friends guys until after I paid money for it and got about a third the way through. The overall tone of the book is a bit racist and the writing could generously be called sophomoric.
The overall gist of the book and war is that American merchant ships were being attacked by pirates whenever they traveled towards the Barbary Coast. These pirates, whose resources outweighed the Americans, would seize the ships and enslave the crews until ransom was paid.
“Tired of Americans being captured and held for ransom, our third president decided to take on the Barbary powers in a war that is barely remembered today, but is one that, in many ways, we are still fighting.”
‘Merica- hating Muslims since its infancy.
Although enslaving civilians, or anyone for that matter, is always wrong. I’m not denying that.
Now, following the American Revolution, America didn’t have a Navy so they weren’t able to do much to stop the Barbary powers from continuing their reign of terror in the North African waters. However, when Jefferson was elected he was able to get Congress to authorize the construction of six ships which effectively began the American Navy.
Unfortunately Kilmeade is unable to stick the landing with this one and by landing I mean the last 200 pages of this 270 page book. He is more focused on how Muslims have always been evil than with relaying facts to his readers. Now, before you call me a Snowflake, here are a few more snippets for you to draw your own conclusions…
“The Barbary powers, with their mixture of greed, religious fanaticism, and self-interest, would not listen to reason.”
“asked how the Barbary states could justify “[making] war upon nations who had done them no injury.” The response was nothing less than chilling. According to his holy book, the Qur’an, Abdrahaman explained, “all nations which had not acknowledged the Prophet were sinners, whom it was the right and duty of the faithful to plunder and enslave.” Christian sailors were, plain and simple, fair game.”
Look this book has a pretty decent rating on Goodreads and an even better rating on Amazon but they are pretty split between people who couldn’t get over the childish writing style & racist undertones like myself and people who parrot Kilmeade’s sentiments that Muslims were awful in the 19th century & continue to be awful in the 21st century. My favorite reviews are written by those who operate under the “if you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all” school of thought so they compliment the cover.
Anyway, adjust your expectations according to your own personal views.