The Pirate Coast - Anne's thoughts

I was a little disappointed by this book. I had heard lots of good things about the author and the book in particular - and they both fell short in my opinion. The history was fascinating. I always am so amazed at how little I know about the past. I can't imagine having to deal with the irregularity of correspondence/communication as they did. I love that I now know why the line "from the shores of Tripoli" is in the Marines hymn. And I am dying to try writing a letter in lime juice and seeing if I can really read it when the letter is exposed to heat. (If you receive a blank letter from me in the next couple of months, you'll know I have been experimenting.)

The characters in this book were aggravating. At times, I felt so incredibly sorry for William Eaton. Other times, I couldn't believe how irritating he could be. I despised Lear for most of the book. And I was surprised at my feelings toward Thomas Jefferson. Was he really that annoying/manipulative or was that the author's agenda? Or maybe that is just politics in general?

The beginning of the book was really hard for me to get through as I felt that way too much background information was given. Even once the story line picked up, I found myself skimming through the extra stuff to get to the point. It seemed like the author would tell you what was happening and then tell you again what was happening through quotes/letters/personal accounts. At times, things felt a bit redundant.

My favorite part of the book was during the searching for Hamet and the trek to reach Derne. Again, once I dug through the extra info, I enjoyed reading about the struggles of communication, supplies, and money. I found myself wondering where all the money could have possibly come from and was amazed at how many people willingly extended credit to Eaton on just his character alone. (I guess credit companies today extend credit to just about anyone, so it really isn't that different.) As with any treks across a desert, I can't believe the hardship of traveling through endless heat and the stamina that it required.

Overall, it was an okay book. I feel a bit smarter. Plus the irony of reading about pirates in the early years of our country and hearing about pirates on the news last week, attacking in just about the same way made the book a little more interesting.