Ever since reading Patrick O'Brian's depiction of the battle between the USS Constitution and the HMS Java in "The Fortune of War," I've wanted to learn more about the United States's own naval history from that period. Finally, Toll's "Six Frigates" has arrived, and it's exactly the sort of book I was looking for. Unlike O'Briens overblown prose with multiple compound/complex sentences, Toll is able to capture the essence of the time and war with primarily simple sentences, limited, to no use, of the subjunctive and a small number of pictures (the previously never-been-seen-before photo of the Earl of Bathurst leading the British attack in only his boxers was worth more than 1,000 words). Toll's work is marvellously full-flavored and towers over the works of OBrien and the work of his communist son-in-law stepson Nikolai Tolstoy like a three-decker over a ship's longboat.

The author has taken what should have been a fascinating and elegant story and turned it into a disjointed catalog of events. For the history buff who wants to understand what role America played in the late age of fighting sail, this book is an excellent resource. However, if you are looking for the personal touch, gripping tales and tightly woven prose, look elsewhere. It is certainly well researched, and the author brings in a lot of political points that provide the background to this fascinating piece of American history, but he misses some obvious points that should have been made, such as the factor the choice of wood made in the effectiveness of the ships, or where many of the American sailors got their training. Worth getting for anyone who wants to learn about this era, but a more tightly woven story would have helped immensely.

Six Frigates, was an intriging account of our young country deciding to build
world prestige one ship at a time. There was no money in the treasury to spend
on ships and only a few ship designers and two shipyards. Every seagoing nation,
England, France, Spain and the Tripolitian Pirates had a better navy than Thomas
Jefferson's U.S.A. History was well written between the covers of Six Frigates.
You don't have to be a black shoe sailor to thoroughly enjoy this book.

With recent global concerns bout the resurgence of piracy, a couple of chapters in here would shed some interesting light upon the subject! Very well written naval history, packed with lots of insights on concurrent American politics and culture. A history book that reads almost like a Clancy novel (except not so long). I expect to read it again.

Extremely well researched and written. Just the right amount of detail. Not only presents the birth of the U S Navy, but ties this into all the political and economic issues of the period. Briliant narrations of key battle scenes. Highly recommend to lovers of early American history.

It's like going back in time..and getting impressed into hellish Naval service. The book is loaded with rich history of our great country. I demand that you read it or else you shall be flogged!!

It really was a pleasure to read Ian W. Toll's narrative. It moves gracefully from one subject to another, and ties them together to make the larger picture quite clear. The many asides help convey a better understanding the people and their motives. Sailors whistled for wind perhaps because they were superstitious, but also because that simply was how things were done. At any rate, it always worked, eventually. To young officers, there was no death so horrible as dishonor. Combine that with the tedium of inaction and close quarters, and they are prepared to duel at the least provocation.

One section that is especially elucidating is the account of the Chesapeake-Leopard affair. Clearly there was nothing spontaneous or arbitrary about the attack. Here the sequence of events unfolds, and the rage of a British admiral is revealed, if not justified.

The frigate battle accounts generally are detailed and unromanticized. A few of them could leave a reader with a queasy feeling. The disappointing exception is the Constitution-Java engagement. Here the author moves the two ships within gun range, but then shops it out by quoting two pages from a Patrick O'Brian novel.

I recommend that the reader watch the author closely because it appears that no one else did. It could use another editing pass. There are quite a few syntactical errors. He never does commit on Royal Navy designations, using "HMS" and "the HMS" with roughly equal frequency. A greater concern is the factual errors and inconsistencies. For example, Cockburn and Ross land at Benedict, Maryland and march east, which would mean that they led their forces away from Washington and into the Patuxent River. Inexplicably, the final chapter describes Herman Melville's "Billy Budd" as a story set on an American warship. It was a Royal Navy ship. Most of these editing lapses are minor, but there should not have been so many. Also, the book is dearly in need of maps.

Many of the comments in the epilogue amount to recommended reading, some of which I mean to pursue. I also hope to see more from Toll. His observations are insightful, and he tells an exciting story.

This is THE BOOK to read on the foundations of the U.S. Navy from its early history through the war of 1812. The author does an outstanding job of describing this period blending the military, economic, and political situations. We often forget that, world-wide, this was a relatively small war as Napoleon had been trouncing through Europe during most of this time. It is well written. I had a hard time putting it down once I started. If U.S. History is your thing then this is a must.

After the Revolutionary War the small Continental Navy was disbanded in an effort by the fragile republic to remain free from standing armies. However, with the predations of pirates and privateers upon the merchant vessels and shipping interests, it soon became clear that a navy was essential. At the urging of John Adams, President George Washington authorized the building of six frigates - United States, President, Congress, Constitution, Constellation, and Chesapeake (Washington simply chose the first names on the list he was given, pg 61) - in a time when the British Royal Navy was the undisputed ruler of the seas.

Shipbuilder Joshua Humphreys was chosen to design the frigates and came up with a plan that accommodated many of the advantages of ships that were both larger and smaller than frigates typical of the time. And although the ships were all built in different shipyards, what resulted were strong ships which performed surprisingly well in the Quasi-War with France, the conflicts with the Barbary pirates of Africa, and against Britain in the War of 1812. The captains and admirals involved are discussed, such as Truxton, Bainbridge, Decatur, Hull and Rodgers, and they and their exploits and accomplishments come alive in wonderful detail, and many nations - especially Britain - were forced to come to terms with the idea of another nation with a strong sea presence.

I was thoroughly surprised by how engaging and readable this book is - I honestly had not expected much from a "history of the founding of the U. S. Navy." But full credit goes to Ian Toll (a financial analyst and political aide, of all things!) for an outstanding and well-researched book that makes an otherwise little-known part of history come alive. I found the content and style every bit as compelling as David McCullough's books. From the brutality and violence of sea battles to the political rivalries and economic challenges, the history is placed into proper context to allow the reader to understand the forces behind the decisions and the historical impact. I was almost sad to see this book end and hope Mr. Toll can repeat his magic with more books.

Six Frigates was recommended to me as a must-read. Acting on that recommendation, I bought the book, hoping it would be all that it was touted as being. To my delight, it was. As the title suggests, it outlines the founding of the US Navy with few triumphs, significant failures, and charismatic personalities.

The ships and the men whose names are both etched in history lived up to their reputations at times - and often didn't. Never the less if the history of the time, if the lure of the origin of the US Navy grabs your interest, I suggest that you will not be disappointed by reading this book.

I'm a retired officer in the US Navy.

This review covers the audio version, which is a wonderful "listen."

I second the many favorable reviews that highlight the compelling stories Ian Toll has put together in this history of the infant US Navy. (I also second the reviewer who says there's nothing really new here, but sometimes a new storyteller is needed to fire the imagination again.)

Toll's impressive research and narrative, however, is slightly marred by the reader. Stephen Lang is generally very good (we loved him as Pickett in the film Gettysburg), and he certainly is enthusiastic and, for the most part, precise in his reading. But knowledgeable listeners, and certainly mariners, will occasionally cringe.

Men of good will can disagree on whether it is more accurate to pronounce the words topmast, ratline, topsail, topgallantsail, studdingsail, and leeward, as: topmist, ratlinn, topsil, t'ganssel, studs'l, and looward. I certainly think so.

But there can be no toleration for hearing about the leadsmen casting the lead as "leedsmen" casting the "leed." (It's the lead--as in the element Pb, pronounced "led"--because that's what it's made of, mate.) Likewise, incredibly, "boh-sprit" for bowsprit (though Lang corrects himself later). It might be pedantic to mention that Bladensburg is pronounced with a long "a" sound, but are place names still extant so hard to get right?

The worst example is the "pursuer's cabin" raided by drunk and defeated seamen, a complete botch of "purser's cabin," which makes lots more sense.

If you can tolerate these abominations without driving off the road, I heartily recommend Toll's book on audio for your commute.

Stephen Lang does an excellent job reading this abridged account of the history of the US Navy. Do not hesitate to spend the money on this book on CD if you have any interest in the early days of our country and/or the US Navy. Politics, Pirates, and heroes make up this great book that is written (and told) in a way that makes you feel proud to be an American.

Very enjoyable reading. If you know about historical seafaring it is interesting, if you know absolutely nothing about the subject it will be even more interesting and is written in a style that makes the subject interesting to all readers.

I recommend the book as it offers a good narrative of not only the frigates, but a look into the drivers behind the establishment of the ships, US Navy, and insight into early US history. It is entertaining while being informative, bringing information to light that I believe most readers will find both interesting and possibly new.

When I finished the book I searched to see if the author had written other works I could read, I believe that action alone says something about the quality of this book.

I thought this book was an enjoyable read, for several reasons.

_ Toll describes how powerful and intimidating the British Navy was around 1812, and why (crew highly trained in fast gunnery, aggressive leadership). It's amazing to read how well the fledgling US navy did against them in early battles, and why (technical skill, training, audacity/bravery of leadership, innovative ship design).

_ Toll does a good job describing how the upstart US nation was suffering from British naval impressment and barbary pirates in the Mediterranean, both of which gave rise to an interest in forming the US Navy.

_ I didn't realize how strong the opposition was against raising and supporting a navy -- the Jeffersonian republicans wanted no part of it. Later, however, they decided that the US Navy had acquitted itself well and was worthy of continued support.

_ The US shipbuilders, especially Joshua Humphreys, were innovative in the design of these unusually large frigates made with southern live oak, which was very strong. These frigates were built in different shipyards, and some handled better than others, but the concept was so successful that the British later imitated it.

_ I typically think of army battles as the more horrific type of warfare. The accounts of the battles in this book show how gruesome and terrible naval battles can be.

_ Theodore Roosevelt became fascinated with the history of the founding of the US Navy during his student days at Harvard; he even wrote a book about it. Later, as president, he convinced congress to invest heavily in expanding the navy.

I've only scratched the surface of this book. It's full of great stories that link this topic, which at first seems such an obscure corner of history, with so many larger events in American history that followed. Great stuff.

Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy I've read many books on the beginnings of the US Navy over the years and this is without a doubt the most detailed and amoung the very best I've read. I highly recommend it to all history buffs and Naval History Enthusiasts as well. The author does a fine job of character development and it is apparent that he has done a very thorough and extensive job of research. While this is no Sunday Afternoon page turner the action reports make the reader feel like he is right there and can almost smell the gunpowder. Bravo Ian Toll!
JIM FLYNN

About two years ago I was talking with a friend about favorite books and at the end of that discussion, we agreed to make a list of our 50 favorite books and exchange the list. This was quite a challenge because I am an avid reader--non-fiction mostly--and have read many good ones. Since then I have read two books that have forced me to kick another two off my top 50. The first was River of Doubt by Candice Millard--the story of Teddy Roosevelt's trip down a tributary of the Amazon--and the second was Six Frigates. Not only is the latter great history of a little understood period, but a gripping story told with great skill by an author who has done a tremendous amount of research. At this time in our own history I am saddened by the revelations coming from the Wall Street crowd. Ian Toll, who is described as a Wall Street analyst, is an author emerging as a bright light in that den of thieves. He tells many poignant stories of the men who fought our nation's first sea battles and I am still agonizing over the fate of Stephen Decatur, a true American hero.

Excellent historical perspective of the US in its early history. Easy to read and kept my attention all the way through.

This is truly a must read. While I am not in the field of naval history, it is an area of keen interest for me. This book was very well written with the perfect balance of detail and prose; it provides all the benefits of a top shelf history text and all the entertainment of a good war novel. I couldn't put it down!

A helpful little book that sheds some light om the foundation of the US navy. I recommend it!

/Torbjörn Jerlerup

The information in this book has been covered by many...but rarely if ever so clearly and informatively. This is a terrific review for anyone interested in American naval history.

It appears that some of the reviewers are well versed in the subject, but for someone who has decent knowledge of early American history but zero education on the military, like me, this book delivers a readable, rich characterization of the time. My father in law is a retired US Navy officer, so I felt like I owe him the courtesy of reading this book.I can barely sail a milk carton, but was still fascinated by the detailed, jargon-filled battle scenes. This book is approachable, well researched, and an excellent example of historical writing.

This is really the history of the US Navy from the end of the Revolution to the end of the 'War of 1812'. It's the story of the growth of a service dealing with a niggardly Congress and trying to get 'respect' of the rest of the world. The new US was considered an upstart by the strongest navy in the world (His Britannic Majesties) and an anomaly to the Barbary Pirates of North Africa.

Toll has done a monumental job in reading through the Navy Archives of both the US and Britain, and many of the newspapers of the contemporary times. He has developed new details as to the character of the early men who ran the Navy and commanded its' ships. He does his best when describing battles and the problems of getting Congress to understand the usefulness of a 'deep water' fleet. He suffers when he over- describes the provisioning and outfitting of the ships and the recruiting of sailors.

Reading some pages was like looking at a list from a Chandler's shop and should have been put in notes. Some of the quotes are overly long and not completely relevant to the theme he is elaborating. He is best when he gives us the 'rest of the story' on some of the people who pass through tangentially but are important to the story. All in all a good presentation (just not a great one).

Zeb Kantrowitz

This is a very well written and researched book. It gives just enough historical background to help you put the events of the book into context, but not so much that you are overwhelmed. There are many action packed sequences that were "page turners" for me. Anyone interested in US history or naval battles will really like this book. My 23 year old son and my 92 year old dad both enjoyed it as well.

Derivative and a revionist history in an area already well covered. Toll also has a distinctly "liberal" slant to much of his discussion of politics. Try Richard Zacks Pirate Coast and other non-fiction on the origins of the U.S. Navy.

The author did considerable research. Not only do we get a great history lesson but we get a story that keeps us involved. Wonderful reading.

I enjoy naval history and have read enough, including of this period, to recognize something delightfully different in Toll's approach to his subject. Actual naval engagements are well described and the creation of nautical forces is examined in most fascinating terms. It is amazing that we quite possibly may have never created any significant warships during this period. This state of affairs is well described both in terms of political differences and frugal allocation of resources to a shipbuilding industry creating major men of war for the first time

I thoroughly enjoyed Ian Toll's history of the ships that quickly established the Navy's tradition for excellence. Toll has the gift of a great story teller. Wonderfully researched, beautifully written and told in prose dotted with the nautical expressions that have become staples of our language,this work is highly recommended to anyone who loves history, adventure and great prose. Well done.

This is one of those History Books that is a great read, like a well written novel with an epic storyline and cast of characters. At times, the battle actions read like a Patrick O'Brian novel and in addition to the Naval warfare, it is a great account of the early Republic, its leaders, and the world as it then existed.

Ian Toll crafted a masterpiece of historical writing in this book. At least I liked it!!! It sometimes reads like fiction, but consistently bears the weight of historical fact. "Six Frigates" presents an intruiging picture of the interplay between the economic, political, and military considerations that led to a critical decision-point during the vulnerable fledgling years of the USA between the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.

During the first part of the book we join the Founding Fathers as they engage in hot debates over whether to invest limited federal funds in an extrememly expensive ship-building program. Why build ships? And why only six? What good could six ships do? At the time the US merchant fleet, one of the largest in the world, was experiencing harassment and losses to pirates based along the north coast of Africa in the Mediterranean Sea...the Barbary pirates.

And so a decision was made to build 3 heavy frigates and 3 lighter frigates. Toll provides detail about the planning and building of the ships. The materials used and the manner of construction combined to make these six frigates some of the strongest ships afloat, and helps the reader to understand how the USS Constitution eventually earned the knickname "Old Ironsides."

Once the ships were built some of them were dispached to the Mediterranean Sea to project US military power during a little known period of US History...the Tripolitan War with the Barbary Coast pirates. These engagements provided the military action made famous in the US Marine Corps song with the refrain, "From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli." (Just in case you were wondering.)

Not many years later another war loomed with England, the country with the mightiest and most efficient navy in the world...they had 300 ships of war, and the USA had only six dedicated warships. Yikes!

Nevertheless, war broke out and the frigates went to war to protect the merchant fleet from English warships and to protect American sailors from being forcibly pressed into British naval service. Toll provides excellent insights and paints vivid pictures of war during the age of sail. I knew life was rough aboard those ships, but until I read this book I had never developed a clear mental image of the combination of courage, terror, and extreme damage that resulted from naval engagements.

The British navy took great pride in being the ruler of the seas, and they had a long and glorious history of overpowering their adversaries with the combined skill of sailing prowess, gunnery efficiency and accuracy, and bold courage. Toll provides excellent narrative of single ship to single ship engagements between British and American vessels. Imagine the shock and awe that ensued when an American frigate bested and captured a British frigate! Both ships were a shambles, but the British ship was brought into port and the American captain and crew were natioal heroes...there were give parades, balls, feasts, and so on.

Another aspect of life under sail that I never before understood was the beating these ships took, not only during battle but also from the elements. I was amazed as Toll described the type and frequency of refitting that sailing warships needed. Read for yourself and find out for yourselves.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys military history or even sea tales like those told in the Horatio Hornblower saga or in books by Patrick O'Brien.

This is clearly a 5 star product. No question about it.

Well written and entertaining book. As an avid sailor I particularly enjoyed reading this book. Beautiful sentences. Rich and full of history. Well researched. The type of book that I was sorry when I had finished it as I yearned for more. Highest recommendation.

I had absolutely no idea that the US Navy had such a rough and uncertain start. Nor did I realize the scale of our efforts against the Barbary pirates of North Africa.

Just read it.

This book not only discusses the founding of the United States Navy, but it also briefly touches on the political climate of the times, covering both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 (the Second War of Independence). If you are a history buff, you would be hard pressed to find a book more insightful, more educational, and more complete. While this book is more of a historical analysis of the 6 original frigates that formed the early American Navy, it is written in a style this is far from dry. In the back of the book, is a breakdown of historical dates of significance, and I found myself wondering how I got through such a thick book so quickly!

America has had a navy since the American Revolution. General Washington's Continental Army prevailed in that conflict. Ian W. Toll writes that in contrast, "The Continental Navy, with few exceptions, was a wasteful and humiliating fiasco." Only a few decades later, however, by the War of 1812, the United States Navy was a formidable and respected force. Toll has masterfully presented the history of those decades in _Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy_ (Norton). This is Toll's first book; he is a former financial analyst and political speechwriter, but it is big, authoritative, and often exciting. It nicely ties the inchoate navy to the political philosophy of the new nation, and to the world events which compelled America, often reluctantly, to take to the seas in warships. Despite its size, annotations, and enormous bibliography, because of its concentration on personalities and action, Toll's book is less the dry history of the naval theorist than it is the thrilling nautical tales from Patrick O'Brian. (In fact, in compliment to that accomplished storyteller, Toll has incorporated a page of the Jack Aubrey novel _The Fortune of War_ into his account of the 1812 battle between the frigates _Constitution_ and _Java_.)

The colonists had always been enthusiastic about making their fortunes from the sea or commerce upon it, but after the Revolution, they had almost nothing that could be called a navy. They also did not have the Royal Navy to protect their merchantmen. So when American merchant vessels come into the Mediterranean, they were at risk from the pirates of the Barbary states, but when the nation started seriously considering a navy, there was no naval tradition to go by and there were no easy or predictable answers; many argued against having a navy altogether. The continuing capture of vessels by the pirates, however, caused President Washington in 1794 to sign into law the purchase of six innovative warships. Jefferson was the first to deploy the navy into war, against the pirates. The expedition was the first of many victories for the _Constitution_ and the beginning of the reasons that the world needed to take notice of the new nation as a naval and international power. The second great conflict covered here is the War of 1812, fought against the huge and powerful British Navy over its confiscation of American merchant shipping, and its impressment of American sailors into British service. The commanders of the U.S. vessels were too brash to accept the aura of invincibility that the Royal Navy had as its due, and in three single ship duels, the sort of thing at which the British were champions, the Americans got clear victories. The war changed the way the world thought about the United States and how it thought about itself. Churchill wrote that there remained anti-American sentiment in England for several years, "... but the United States was never again refused proper treatment as an independent power." It was only after the war of 1812, Toll reminds us, that Americans started speaking of the United States in the singular rather than in the plural.

Toll is exceptional at showing how human personalities and foibles made a difference in peculiar ways. The first British ambassador to the United States reported in 1803 with disgust that he, while wearing full diplomatic regalia, was received by President Jefferson "standing in slippers down at the heels ... in a state of negligence actually studied." The diplomatic acrimony over this and other slights only ended when war wiped them out. Toll asks, "Could a pair of slippers come between nations?" There are many pages devoted to superstitions. Whatever comfort against fate the superstitions might have given sailors, plenty were positively unhealthy, like the belief that bathing was dangerous because it might wash away your good luck, or that tattoos were protection against venereal disease. Even more surprising are the sections on dueling, which remained popular among hotheaded young American officers long after it was abandoned in other quarters. "The junior naval officer, done up in his high standing collar and gold lace, was as testy and vain as a fighting gamecock," Toll writes, and if a war was not handy, he was eager to show his honor in front of the pistol of a fellow officer. "Not surprisingly, the frequency of dueling appears to have been inversely related to the frequency of naval combat." Any excuse might do; one midshipman took offense when another entered the wardroom with his hat on, and challenged him. Toll even pays a historian's compliment to Teddy Roosevelt, who wrote _The Naval War of 1812_ during his off hours from college and law school; the work on the book gave Roosevelt lessons used "... in the course of his remarkable career as an American statesman and a devoted imperialist." One page after another in this fine history yields curious facts, thrilling scenes of battle, and grim depictions of battle's toll.

This was a wonderful story of an oft forgotten period in American history. It translated well to audio, and the audio quality was excellent. If you are a fan of American history, or naval history, or want to understand current world affairs in context this is a must have.

A superbly written account of America's Federal Period, the years following the adoption of the Constitution in 1789, and the founding of the United States' Navy. Author Ian Toll's comprehensive and clear presentation of the political and economic issues of the time frames the story in a background makes it much more than a naval history. Meticulously researched and delivered with an atmospheric and captivating writing style that really brings the period to life.

Excellent read. Author has the right touch when it comes to how much detail he adds. Very interesting to learn about the politics and the economics of our young country that lead to the continual funding/defunding of the first naval ships. Really well done descriptions of some of the naval engagements. Hard to imagine a time when England ruled the seas with 800 warships and we had ...none.

I'm a naval war buff, I'll admit. I was willing to be pleased by this book, and I was. Great information on the creation of our navy, the political fueding behind it, and the end result. Not only is it a great book to read for the fascinating description of the ships, but getting a glimpse at the political scene during the early decades of our navy and how it almost exactly mirrors our current situation. Well worth the money.

Ian Toll's remarkably objective analysis of the Early Republic Navy gives him a position, to me, alongside Theodore Roosevelt. Anyone worth his naval salt will certainly understand that that is something not to be taken lightly. Those with more than a passing interest in the early U.S. Navy will know that Roosevelt's "The Naval War of 1812" is the outstanding, and standard, work of analysis of the sea actions on the subject, superseding anything published before, or since (and Roosevelt's compendium was released in 1882)--until now. The passage of time will demonstrate, I believe, that Ian Toll's book will assume a place alongside Roosevelt's classic and exceed it in some instances, not the least of which is the overall scope and dimension of "Six Frigates." While Roosevelt enthralls us with the details, maneuvers and minutiae of the 1812-1815 naval actions, both on the oceans and on the lakes, Toll goes several steps further and places the frigates' sea war in a national and even international context. He effectively does this by consolidating the kind of background information that both enhances and defines our understanding of such salient aspects of the times as the political implications of the 1812 war (and others), the often haphazard "catch-as-catch-can" administration of the Navy Department and something of the personalities, egos and the consequent squabbles that evolved from the inevitable conflicts of those egos among the firebrand captains of the early Navy. What makes Toll even more instructive is the "lead-up" to the 1812 war in which he demonstrates how the early Navy, featuring its original six frigates--Constitution, United States, President, Congress, Constellation, and the luckless Chesapeake--cut its teeth, politically through the Congressional debates over the actual need for a Navy, to an actual baptism of fire in the naval operations against the French in the 1798-1801 Quasi War (mostly in the Caribbean), and even more significantly, in the Mediterranean Barbary Wars of 1801-1805 and 1815. All of this is necessary context leading up to what, for me, is the "main event" of the period covered, that being the performance of the young Navy against the overwhelming numerical superiority of the Royal Navy. Mahan's work on the 1812-15 conflict over a century ago is valuable principally from the perceptions and analysis of the diplomatic context provided, while, as noted, Roosevelt concentrates mostly on the tactical details of individual battles. Toll effectively blends the best elements of each of these approaches, thus producing a volume that is highly satisfying to both the serious historian and researcher like myself, or the reader perhaps venturing into these waters for the first time. Finally, and of equal criticality, Toll both emulates and amplifies the hallmark of Roosevelt with the sheer weight of his objectivity, both in his analysis of, and his tactical descriptions of, the various battles. This objectivity, with the necessary accompanying detail, is found throughout the book, most particularly in Toll's analysis of Constitution's famous action with HMS Java, and the defeat of Chesapeake by HMS Shannon, my two favorite frigate actions of the war and, not coincidentally the two sea battles described in such impeccable style by Patrick O'Brian in "Fortune of War", the sixth book in the Aubrey-Maturin series. I am pleased to see that Mr. Toll takes equal delight in the writings of the late P.O'B, for O'Brian's fictional discussions of these two naval actions follows the strict letter of the manuscript records, logbooks, official reports of both the victors and the vanquished and the court martial testimony in both instances--all roads down which Toll has clearly, and extensively, traveled. I have studied virtually every printed account known to man of the famous actions of the Six Frigates and thought there was little else to learn. Toll, however, has managed to enlighten us yet further and has done so engagingly, compellingly, and with readable, intelligent prose that will ultimately place his work among the pantheon of learned works of the early American Navy. This is naval history at its best, supported with telling authority through immaculate documentation and annotation. This kind of careful research thus affords Six Frigates with the whiff of credibility comparable perhaps to the pungent whiff of gunpowder from the long 24s on the gundeck of Constitution in her epic duels with Guerriere, Java, Cyane and Levant.

A very good story told in a recording that could have been done better. Ian Toll has written a very enjoyable and instructive account of the first six frigates built by the U.S. Navy. Laymen like myself with an interest in the Age of Sail, the Quasi-War with France, the Barbary Pirates, and the War of 1812 should enjoy it. A nice book to listen to on your way to visit USS Constitution. Mr. Toll covers bits of the political background of events, snapshots of key figures, and recounts of many of the famous actions of these frigates. He says enough about each of those topics to be interesting and to keep the story going by quickly. It can be appreciated without constant reference to a map which is very nice since most of us purchase audio books for times during which reading is impractical. The reader speaks at a good speed and is clearly understandable although some of the early chapters are read in a monotonous tone. The audio recording leaves much to be desired, however. Most of us purchase audio books for times during which reading is impractical. For me, that is exercising on the treadmill. So any issues with the recording tend to be quite a nuisance. Most of the chapters start in the middle of a track, making it clumsy to find a stopping and restarting point. The last track on each CD starts and runs for several minutes of nothing before finally switching to the next CD - it distracts you into doing something and then resumes the reading on the next CD just before you could do anything. The audio level is not consistent between many tracts, requiring frequent readjustment of the volume. The first audio book I purchased had at least two bad tracks on the second CD but it was exchanged for me with one that worked. It is a great story but don't expect the quality of its recording to match.

"Six Frigates" is a real keeper. It will grace my bookcase for a long time. Being an engineer, I like the technical details of how something was built and of course, how it was used. "Six Frigates" contained just enough of the technical details to keep your interest. One of the interesting themes of the book is the way it relates to the present day situation in Iraq, and how history repeats itself. When will today's politicians learn? We can't keep paying tribute to the terrorists of the world.