The Shores of Tripoli

Lieutenant Putnam and the Barbary Pirates

By: James L. Haley

Narrated by: Paul Boehmer

Length: 15 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

The first novel in a brilliant new series by award-winning historian James L. Haley, featuring young midshipman Bliven Putnam as he begins his naval service aboard the USS Enterprise.

It is 1801, and President Thomas Jefferson has assembled a deep-water navy to fight the growing threat of piracy, as American civilians are regularly kidnapped by Islamist brigands and held for ransom, enslaved, or killed, all at their captors' whim. The Berber States of North Africa, especially Tripoli, claimed their faith gave them the right to pillage anyone who did not submit to their religion.

Young Bliven Putnam, great-nephew of Revolutionary War hero Israel Putnam, is bound for the Mediterranean and a desperate battle with the pirate ship Tripoli. He later returns under the legendary Commodore Edward Preble on the Constitution and marches across the Libyan desert with General Eaton to assault Derna - discovering the lessons he learns about war and life are not what he expected.

Rich with historical detail and cracking with high-wire action, The Shores of Tripoli brings this amazing period in American history to life with brilliant clarity.

©2016 James L. Haley (P)2016 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“The history is thoroughly researched, the fiction inventive, the style at once easygoing and rapid.... This is a marvelous and richly enjoyable novel, and the intended series to follow promises to do for the American Navy and the Marines what C.S. Forester and Patrick O’Brian did for the Royal Navy.... More, please.” (Wall Street Journal)

“James L. Haley has taken the naval adventure genre to places it has not gone before, filled with strong, believable characters who nearly jump of the page, deeply researched details of life both here and abroad...and a powerful, sweeping view of one of the seminal events in the early history of our country...a rollicking good time.” (Brian Kilmeade, author of Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates)

“It's a rare novelist who has a commanding grasp of history, and it's a rare historian who has an intuitive understanding of how to bring fictional characters to life. Fortunately for us readers of the Shores of Tripoli - and (please!) of the next book about Lieutenant Bliven Putnam - James L. Haley fuses historian and novelist into a spellbinding storytelling whole. There could be no better captain to sail this ship.” (Stephen Harrigan, best-selling author of The Gates of the Alamo and A Friend of Mr. Lincoln)

Great story on the barbary pirate war

Great story about the barbary pirate war. I enjoyed it. Follows history very well. I would recommend this book.

Excellent, worthy alongside CS Forester and O’Brian

A very enjoyable historical fiction work with characters that are real, adventurous, identifiable and heroic, all set in accurate fact. The writer knows when to delve deep into detail to set a mood and knows how to keep the characters interesting and their relationships compelling and relatable. This book, story and main character always kept my attention and wanting more. Reading by the voice actor was very well done and contributed to the enjoyable atmosphere. Highly recommend this book and audio version for anyone interested in the genre, especially wanting adventure of the early American Navy, the Tripolitan pirates and greatly neglected characters of Naval history. Well done.

truth of love and war

This classic made me reminisce about my time in the Navy that include its duty, the adventure, the fellowship and infighting with shipmates, the people we left behind, and the love of being on that deep blue water.

And So, our Navt begins!L

Loved it. Like a History class, but better. r
Read people doing real things.. Thanks.

Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood?

I’m not sure if it’s the writing or the narration, but it was often agonizing for me to listen to. Half the time I felt like I was listening to Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood

Enjoyable Listen!

It has a little bit of everything...tumultuous times, a little romance, and even a little humor here and there.

I enjoyed hearing about the historical aspects, such as how food was preserved during these times and just how different life was.

The narration is excellent with a variety of tones, pitches, and dictions so you can really tell the characters apart. Paul Boehmer has a very theatrical voice and reminds me of being at a Broadway play.

I love it!

Thoroughly enjoyable tale of the 1st Barbary war

A fascinating account of the operations if the fledgling US Navy. The author has obviously done extensive research and integrated it deftly into a superb Naval action tale.

Great yarn

Good combination of fiction and history of the war and Mediterranean history. Language and narrative are well done

The shores of Tripoli

A very interesting book also a lot of history in it,to view the time of 200 years ago.

Fun

Not quite Patrick O’Brian, but loads of fun. I might consider it for YA before O’Brian. I will read all the rest.