John Paul Jones: America's First Sea Warrior (Bluejacket Books)

This fresh look at America's first sea warrior avoids both the hero worship of past biographies and the inaccurate and denigrating views of more recent accounts. Writing from the perspective of a naval officer with more than thirty years of experience and a seaman with a lifetime of sailing know-how, Callo examines Jones' extraordinary accomplishments by going beyond a narrow naval context to establish him as a key player in the American Revolution. He also analyzes his relationships with such civilian leaders as Benjamin Franklin. How Jones handled those often difficult dealings contributed to the nation's concept of civilian control of the military. The author also focuses on the fact that Jones was the first serving American naval officer who emphasized the role the Navy could play in the rise of the United States as a global power.