The book is constructed on two main theses, the first revolving around the relevance of the Barbary wars in the freeing of the American population and in its formation as stable and confident people. The second thesis focuses on the Tripolitan war played in the formation of the modern American Navy. However the general history courses place little emphasis on the wars against the Barbary States, the naval forces commemorate them and recognize the role they played in the formation of the modern U.S. Marine. A third specification which could be made relative to the book is that, however not implicit, it also presents the historical conflict between the American and Islamic forces, relating as such to a contemporaneous matter, which is not as new as one could think.

"Wars of the Barbary Pirates: To the Shores of Tripoli,...

Navy and Marines" is written in a columnist form, creating the idea of a newspaper article. This not only makes it easier to read, but it could also suggest the connection between the past and present events; it could pin point the effects that past events have upon the present and it could also relate to the fact that if the American troops had not won the conflict, the world today would be different.