"This is the most authoritative and highly literate account of these
pernicious people that I have ever read."--Patrick O'Brian
"[A] wonderfully entertaining history of pirates and piracy . . . a
rip-roaring read . . . fascinating and unexpected."--Men's Journal
This rollicking account of the golden age of piracy is packed with vivid
history and high seas adventure. David Cordingly, an acclaimed expert on
pirates, reveals the spellbinding truth behind the legends of
Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, Sir Francis Drake, the fierce female brigands
Mary Read and Anne Bonny, and others who rode and robbed upon the
world's most dangerous waters. Here, in thrilling detail, are the
weapons they used, the ships they sailed, and the ways they fought--and
were defeated. Under the Black Flag also charts the paths of fictional
pirates such as Captain Hook and Long John Silver. The definitive
resource on the subject, this book is as captivating as it is supremely
entertaining.
Praise for Under the Black Flag
"[A] lively history . . . If you've ever been seduced by the myth of
the cutlass-wielding pirate, consider David Cordingly's Under the Black
Flag."--USA Today, "Best Bets"
"Engagingly told . . . a tale of the power of imaginative literature to
re-create the past."--Los Angeles Times
"Entirely engaging and informative . . . a witty and spirited
book."--The Washington Post Book World
"Plenty of thrills and adventure to satisfy any reader."--The
Philadelphia Inquirer
