Many books have been written about the history of the American navy, but this one is of particular excellence. While truly a scholarly work, this book contains many attributes of a historical novel. Any reader with an interest in either the U.S. Navy or early American history will find it hard to put down. Toll begins his story with a review of the Continental navy and its limited value during the American Revolution, then moves seamlessly into the post- revolutionary period. America’s colonial experience and the needs of the newly formed nation had a direct effect on the founding of a navy
