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The Republic of Pirates
Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down
Colin Woodard
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Synopsis |
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In the early eighteenth century a number of the great pirate captains, including Edward "Blackbeard" Teach and "Black Sam" Bellamy, joined forces. This infamous "Flying Gang" was more than simply a thieving band of brothers. Many of its members had come to piracy as a revolt against conditions in the merchant fleet and in the cities and plantations in the Old and New Worlds. Inspired by notions of self-government, they established a crude but distinctive form of democracy in the Bahamas, carving out their own zone of freedom in which indentured servants were released and leaders chosen or deposed by a vote. They were ultimately overcome by their archnemesis, Captain Woodes Rogers—a merchant fleet owner and former privateer—and the brief though glorious moment of the Republic of Pirates came to an end.
In this unique and fascinating book, Colin Woodard brings to life this virtually unexplored chapter in the Golden Age of Piracy.
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Praise |
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"Woodard's book explains how this fragile democracy came about, and why the pirates who populated it were actually better suited for such organization than their legends would have us believe."--Alexandria Gazette-Packet
Alexandria Packet-Gazette,
"This breezy, fast-moving book is filled with exciting action and colorful characters. It will provide general readers and those with a special interest in the period much enjoyment."
Booklist,
"[C]hallenges what we think we know about these ruffians, dispelling notions of dictatorial rule aboard ship in favor of an image of egalitarianism."--Boston Magazine
Boston Magazine,
"Using archive material from England, Spain, and the Americas, Woodard tells the real story, brief as it was, of the Caribbean pireates as they fought nature and empire."--Denver Post
Denver Post,
"Disregard Robert Louis Stevenson's rowdy buccaneers, the Disney factory's lively rascals and those musical lads from Penzance: Here are the real pirates of the Caribbean, and the facts are as colorful and exciting as fiction."
Kirkus Reviews (starred review),
"Fascinating... beyond rip-roaring adventure stories from the distant past, [the book offers] an opportunity to understand pirates as they truly were--and to be grateful that the worst of them, at least, are gone."--New York Times Book Review
New York Times Book Review,
"It's a rollicking tale, filled with rich details of the lives of men who, for their own personal gain, challenged the spread of empires."
Times-Picayune (New Orleans),
"[C]ontain[s] passages that are absolutely riveting, sometimes for their high-seas action, sometimes for their wicked illumination of life aboard an antiquated vessel at sea for months on end."--Toronto Star
Toronto Star,
"While American piracy extends from the 1600s until almost the end of the 19th century, the real heyday was the brief span 1715 to 1725 that Colin Woodard covers brilliantly in THE REPUBLIC OF PIRATES. This is the first incisive look at the world of Blackbeard, Stede Bonnet, Anne Bonny, and their compatriots, and it illuminates as never before one of the most storied yet misunderstood episodes in our past."
Willliam C. Davis, author of The Pirates Laffite,
"Narrative history at its best."
Winston-Salem Journal,
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Biography |
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COLIN WOODARD writes for the Chronicle of Higher Education and is the author of The Lobster Coast and Ocean’s End. He lives in Portland, Maine.
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General Subjects |
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Biography & Autobiography- Adventurers & Explorers
History- Caribbean & West Indies/General
Biography & Autobiography- Criminals & Outlaws
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Rights Details |
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Serial/Audio: Harcourt
Performance/UK/Translation: Jill Grinberg Literary Management
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Rights Information |
Harcourt Books
An imprint ofHarcourt Trade Publishers
A
Harcourt Education Company
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