Happy New Year (a little over a week late)! I am starting out 2012 with a review of a work of historical fiction (sort of). This is a first for USHistoryFiles as all the reviews we have done so far have been works of non-fiction.
Fighting Bob, tells the story of Robert F. Stockton, Commodore in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Senator, and early proponent of steam-powered naval vessels. The book was written by his great-great-great grandson, Bob Stockton, who also served his country with a career in the U.S. Navy.
Fighting Bob, is written in an interesting style where the Commodore engages the reader with stories of his exploits. One almost forgets that one is reading fiction as the author does an excellent job in breathing life into the character of his great-great-great grandfather. Whether fighting pirates in the Mediterranean or leading American forces in the California Territory during the Mexican War, the stories are told with a real passion that brings the action to the reader. Overall, Fighting Bob is an entertaining and educational read that covers a time period little written about in American History.
The book also tells the story of an important individual in American History that has largely been left out of the textbooks. The Stockton family includes the Commodore’s father Richard who served in the House of Representatives and as a U.S. Senator, his grandfather (also Richard) served in the Second Continental Congress and was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. The Commodore has been honored by having naval ships (USS Stockton) named for him as well as the cities of Stockton, California and Fort Stockton, Texas.
