"The Pirate Coast is a thrilling and fascinating book,
a historical page-turner with guts, glamour, and gore."
Anthony Swofford, best-selling author of Jarhead

"There has been a dearth of good material on the Barbary War and particularly on
Eaton's trek; Zacks has researched thoroughly, writes entertainingly and shows a
knack for sea stories and characterization. This is the book that Captain Eaton
has long deserved."Publishers Weekly

"Zacks does an expert job of explaining the diplomacy and machinations of the
U.S. government.Where Zacks excels is in his research, quipping asides and
loving grasp of the subject."Kirkus Reviews

After Tripoli declared war on the United States in 1801, Barbary pirates captured
three hundred U.S. sailors and marines. President Jefferson sent navy squadrons
to the Mediterranean, but he also authorized a secret mission to overthrow the
government of Tripoli. He chose an unlikely diplomat, William Eaton, to lead the
mission, but before Eaton departed, Jefferson grew wary of the affair and withdrew
his support.

Astoundingly, Eaton persevered, gathering a ragtag army, including eight U.S. Marines,
and leading them on a brutal march across five hundred miles of desert. After surviving
sandstorms, treachery, and near death from thirst, Eaton achieved a remarkable victory
on "the shores of Tripoli," as commemorated in the Marine Corps Hymn. His triumph
gained freedom for the American hostages and newfound respect for the young United
States, but for Eaton, the aftermath wasn't sweet. When he dared to reveal that the
president had abandoned him, Jefferson set out to crush him.

Richard Zacks specializes in offbeat history. He is the author of the best-selling History Laid Bare and of The Pirate Hunter, chosen by Time as one of the five best nonfiction books of 2002.

Raymond Todd is an actor-director in the theater, a poet, a jazz trombonist, and a documentary filmmaker who lives in New York.