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Loading... Under the Black Flag: The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates (1996)by David Cordingly
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. A good overview of the history of pirates including those operating in the Indian Ocean. It also includes interesting facts about the authors who wrote some of the best known pirate stories ([author:Robert Louis Stevenson], [author:J.M. Barrie]) and how their portrayal of pirates helped secure the image of the swashbuckler that we identify with today. ( ) I picked this up to read by the pool when we traveled to Panama with friends. Contains a *ton* of history and information. Unfortunately, I felt swamped by information. I couldn't remember who was who or when was when. I can't help but wonder if it could've been a better book if the focus was narrowed to the most famous pirates.
The great merit of Cordingly's book is that he weaves together the story of what the pirates actually were with the narrative of how we came to see them as we do.
References to this work on external resources. Wikipedia in English (20)For this rousing, revisionist history, the former head of exhibitions at England's National Maritime Museum has combed original documents and records to produce a most authoritative and definitive account of piracy's "Golden Age." As he explodes many accepted myths (i.e. "walking the plank" is pure fiction), Cordingly replaces them with a truth that is more complex and often bloodier. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)910.45History and Geography Geography and Travel Geography and Travel Accounts of travel and facilities for travellers Ocean voyages, piratesLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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