At one point in this book, the authors state that the subject, Richard Willis (Will) Jackson, was an optimist by nature. This is by far the biggest understatement I have read in a book in a long time.

Will Jackson’s seafaring life is a chronicle of a man who sees hardship and refuses to quit or wallow. At one point, the ship he is serving on is smashed on a small, uninhabited island in the middle of the Pacific. This is bad news. Very quickly, natives from another island come upon the wreck and help the crew. This is good news! Fast forward a little bit and Will is ultimately left behind by the entire crew with some elderly natives. Don’t worry, this isn’t a spoiler. It is only the first three pages of the book. Will would have many more adventures. I won’t spoil them.

This is a quick read with a lot of crazy stories. Any reader will find this book easily accessible, well written, and enjoyable.

A fascinating adventure about Richard Willis Jackson, the son of Andrew Jackson. What a life for a young man, sailing the high seas all over the world. I see history lessons and geography lessons from this book, especially for middle school/high school students. This book is well researched and describes action at sea and historical events in America and abroad. So much potential for a learning experience. Thank you for a very wonderful read!