“The Corsair Prince, or A Story of the War with Tripoli” is set in the early 19th century, and tells of America’s efforts to stamp out the pirates of Tripoli who preyed upon American merchant ships in the Mediterranean Sea. While the novel is mostly fictional, some parts are factual. The second half provides details of the First Barbary War. Of special interest is the important role played by William Eaton, a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. After recruiting a force of nine U.S. Marines, 70 Greek mercenaries and about 200 Egyptian Mamelukes, Eaton marched his army from Alexandria, Egypt, across the barren Libyan Desert, to Derna, a subject city of Tripoli. The Battle of Derna took place on 27 April 1805. Even though the garrison of the pirate city greatly outnumbered his own force, Eaton was able to take the city after an assault of only two and a half hours. This victory over the pirates was a major factor in forcing the Pasha of Tripoli to end the war and release American hostages. The novel is certainly well worth reading, especially as it includes an account of the first U.S. military victory on foreign soil.