Book Description
A wonderful chronicle of thievery, murder, and torture on the high seas, all in a beautiful oversized book.


From the Back Cover
Piracy flourished in the early 18th century, producing many of the buccaneers whose legendary names have gripped our imaginations: Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, and Bartholomew Roberts, to name a few. Yet piracy on the high seas existed long before Blackbeard''s name struck terror in the hearts of merchant seamen - Julius Caesar was captured by pirates - and it remains a problem today. Modern pirates regularly attack vessels sailing through the South China Sea. The History of Pirates traces piracy from the seas of antiquity to the New World and beyond. It represents a thorough, authoritative, and memorable portrait of the fascinating world of pirates. Detailed maps bear vivid testimony to the far-ranging exploits of these capricious, often charismatic, and frequently bloodthirsty robbers of the high seas. (8 1/2 11, 192 pages, color photos, maps, illustrations) Angus Konstam was formerly Curator of Arms and Armour at the Tower of London, and was also Chief Curator at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West. Konstam''s vast knowledge of maritime history, and his study of countless manuscripts and historic objects, have helped to make this book a truly exceptional study. David Cordingly is the editor of A General History of the Robberies & Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates. He was on the staff of the National Maritime Museum in London for twelve years. He organized multiple exhibitions, including "Pirates: Fact & Fiction." Cordingly graduated from Oxford University, where he studied modern history, and received his doctorate from the University of Sussex.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Piracy flourished in the early 18th century, producing many of the buccaneers whose legendary names have gripped our imaginations: Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, and Bartholomew Roberts, to name a few. Yet piracy existed long before Blackbeard's name struck terror into the hearts of merchant seamen -- Julius Caesar was captured by pirates -- and it remains a problem today. Modern pirates regularly attack vessels sailing through the South China Sea. The History of Pirates traces piracy from the seas of antiquity to the New World and beyond. It represents a thorough, authoritative, and memorable portrait of the fascinating world of pirates. Detailed maps bear vivid testimony to the far-ranging expoits of these capricious, often charismatic, and frequently bloodthirsty robbers of the high seas.

Angus Konstam was formerly Curator of Arms and Armour at the Tower of London, and was also Chief Curator at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West. Konstam's vast knowledge of maritime history, and his study of countless manuscripts and historic objects, have helped to make this book a truly exceptional study.

SYNOPSIS

Piracy flourished in the early eighteenth century, producing many of the pirates whose names have gripped our imaginations: Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, and Bartholomew Roberts, to name a few. Yet piracy existed long before Blackbeard' name struck terror in the hearts of merchant seamen—Julius Caesar was captured by pirates—and it still exists today; boats sailing through the South China Sea are regularly attacked by modern-day buccaneers. The Complete Book of Pirates traces piracy from the seas of antiquity to the New World and beyond. It is a thorough, authoritative, and memorable portrait of the fascinating world of pirates. Detailed maps bear vivid testimony to the far-ranging exploits of these capricious, sometimes charismatic, and frequently bloodthirsty seadogs and highwaymen of the oceans. David Cordingly is the editor of A General History of the Robberies & Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates. He was on the staff of the National Maritime Museum, London, for twelve years, and organized such exhibitions as "The Art of the Van de Veldes" and the acclaimed and highly successful "Pirates: Fact and Fiction." Cordingly graduated from Oxford University, where he read modern history, and received his doctorate degree from the University of Sussex.

FROM THE CRITICS

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