Hagthorpe’s Bookshelf: The Pirate Coast
Last modified on 2009-11-02 20:04:02 GMT. 1 comment. Top.
Behold! The first riveting installment of Hagthorpe’s Bookshelf, a new feature of PDXYAR.org. Once per fortnight, Admiral Giles Seamus Hagthorpe MacGuffin will tickle yer fancy with his take on a pirate-themed book. In this article, the Admiral takes on Barbary pirates in Richard Zacks’ “The Pirate Coast”…
The Pirate Coast – Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines and the Secret Mission of 1805
Author: Richard Zacks
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Softcover: $5.95 – Powell’s Books
Take the story of Barbary pirates, add some proto-marines lead by William Eaton a disgruntled patriotic US diplomat and round out the tale with president Thomas Jefferson, who doesn’t want to start a war or worse, approve any of Eaton’s expenses.
Zacks (author of The Pirate Hunter) again informs and entertains in equal amounts with his own style of pop history. He engagingly spins the tale of a passionately patriotic William Eaton at odds with a frugal president Jefferson who is pre- occupied with retaining his office. The Pirate Coast opens with Barbary Pirates attacking the Mediterranean island of San Pietro. The resulting circumstances draw diplomat William Eaton into tightening spiral of political intrigue, abject incompetence within the US Navy and Eaton’s obsession with honor and getting financially reimbursed.
I am not certain if the overtones of The Pirate Coast are a reflection of today’s frustration with political duplicity, corporate greed and personal incompetence. I get the distinct impression that Jefferson would have outsourced the marines if he could have – apparently they were a cost center. However, the story is lively, entertaining and thoroughly referenced and documented. While Zacks is quite transparent as he peppers the story with his perception of the characters emotions, he is adamantly clear when citing historical fact. The story builds tension by alternating between the actions of the United States and those of the Barbary Corsairs, while carefully unraveling each of the characters’ pasts.
The only disappointment for me was the realization that all of people in this history are ultimately flawed and human. If you are looking for an idealized villain or hero, you may be disappointed, however the political intrigue is fascinating.
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