Ian W. Toll

Six Frigates

The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy

“A fluent, intelligent history ... give[s] the reader a feel for the human quirks and harsh demands of life at sea.”—New York Times Book Review

Before the ink was dry on the U.S. Constitution, the establishment of a permanent military became the most divisive issue facing the new government. The founders—particularly Jefferson, Madison, and Adams—debated fiercely. Would a standing army be the thin end of dictatorship? Would a navy protect from pirates or drain the treasury and provoke hostility? Britain alone had hundreds of powerful warships.

From the decision to build six heavy frigates, through the cliff-hanger campaign against Tripoli, to the war that shook the world in 1812, Ian W. Toll tells this grand tale with the political insight of Founding Brothers and the narrative flair of Patrick O’Brian.

“Sweeping in scope, full of vivid descriptions ... solidly grounded in the diplomatic landscape ... a masterly work.”—Houston Chronicle

“Wonderfully atmospheric account, brilliantly researched, full of stirring action and rich with the scent of the sea.”—Simon Winchester, author of The Professor and the Madman

Ian W. Toll has been a Wall Street analyst, a Federal Reserve financial analyst, and a political aide and speechwriter. Six Frigates is his first book. He lives in San Francisco, California.