Written within the zeitgeist of a post 9/11 America, this book commits the fallacy of equating the deeds of the past with those of the present. Whether the publishers decided to claim these series of actions against the Barbary Pirates as a war on terror for the sake of capitalizing on the afore mentioned zeitgeist or not, is very questionable, and sets expectations that the book is unable to fulfill, in that in the end we can clearly see that more than being a war on terror, it was a war on extortion.
This was the first book that I ever read concerning this conflict. As far as the narrative goes, it is an easy read, whereby the author relates these historical events in broad terms, which allow the reader to follow along without the often over-researched and unnecessary grinding of details that add little to the narrative.
If you are looking to be introduced to this conflict, then this book could serve as a good starting point; however, if you are looking for a more in-depth narrative and analysis that is more concerned with explaining this war from a historical perspective that does not depend on the present to justify it, you will do well to look elsewhere.
Thanks for the heads up Gustavo.
Looks like one I could miss then.