Osprey Trade Editions : Pirates!

This book paints an accurate picture of the pirates, like Blackbeard, Henry Morgan, Captain Kidd, Calico Jack Rackham, Anne Bonny and Mary Read, who sailed in the waters of the Caribbean and off the American coastline during the 'golden age' of piracy between 1660 and 1730. It separates fact from fiction and shows that the life of a pirate was nasty, brutish and short (with one or two notable exceptions). It traces the origins of piratical activity in the 16th century and examines the Boucaneer (Buccaneer) culture in Jamaica and Hispaniola. It details what drove individuals to a life of piracy, how they dressed, their weaponry, the ships they used and the codes by which they operated eg. disciplinary procedures, division of booty, etc. Whether viewed as villains or victims the Pirates were a major threat to shipping and commerce in the western Atlantic for more than 70 years. Angus Konstam exploits his professional maritime background to the full in this book, which is superbly illustrated by Angus McBride.