Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Couldn't decide between one or two stars... Thought I would error on the side of charity since I just finished Pulitzer prize winning author David McCoullough's John Adams, so I'm spoiled by his research and mature writing. Right out of the gate, had to quibble with the authors. They are completely inaccurate on Jefferson according to McCoullough. Authors rightly remark that New Englanders and Federalists were for a Navy, while Southerners and Republicans were not - this, while arguing that Jefferson was FOR the Navy. Makes no sense. Jefferson was a Southerner, a Republican and very much against a US Navy since he feared it would be used to make war on the French during the French revolution. Certainly, he was against it before he was for it, which would have been an interesting insight to include. John Adams, on the other hand, was a New Englander and a Federalist. In fact, he is the recognized founder of the Navy. He was for the Navy 100% the whole time, though he recognized funding was a problem and agreed with Jefferson that stop gap measures might be in order until Congress authorized one. It was Adam's lifelong quest to maintain a standing Navy, though he was against a standing Army. Oddly, the authors continue to give George Washington credit for the Navy through the early 1800's until Jefferson is president, ignoring that George Washington was dead and that John Adams was president for those four years. In addition, George had actually helped dissolve the Navy thinking it would draw us into international conflict. If you are going to simplify and generalize, at least get it right. Sloppy and inaccurate!