The Golden Age of Piracy

Given this book's title, readers may automatically suspect that it is just another volume regurgitating the familiar stories related to Caribbean buccaneering in the seventeenth century. That would be a mistake; buccaneers are in this book, but it is a series of articles touching on many aspects of early modern piracy.--Robert C. Ritchie The Journal of American History From historical accounts to today's pop culture, this volume paints a broad picture of piracy during its 'Golden Age.' It is a fascinating study of how pirates were viewed by their contemporaries and their impact on politics and economies through time. The Golden Age of Piracy is a provocative, scholarly, and entertaining book on a topic we only think we know about.--Charles R. Ewen coeditor of Pieces of Eight: More Archaeology of Piracy Just when you thought the Age of Depp was waning, along comes The Golden Age of Piracy. This superb collection harnesses the best and most innovative scholarship on Atlantic piracy, ranging from the real and material to the pirate's troubled public image. Historians, literary scholars, and economists all weigh in on why piracy took off in American waters after the English seizure of Jamaica and why it was largely suppressed within a few generations. . . . There is something here for everyone, more than enough to inspire a new cinematic franchise.--Kris Lane author of Pillaging the Empire: Global Piracy on the High Seas, 1500-1750