Black Flags, Blue Waters: The Epic History of America's Most Notorious Pirates

Only a few chapters in but it’s a good book. Was as described and in good condition.

As one who greatly enjoyed (and learned from) Eric Jay Dolin’s previous books on whaling (Leviathan), the American fur trade (Fur, Fortune, and Empire), lighthouses (Brilliant Beacons), and (especially) the China trade (When America First Met China), I have been looking forward to his new book on American piracy. Black Flags does not disappoint.Like many, my knowledge of pirates was based primarily on movies (Disney, Peter Pan, etc.) and works of fiction (Treasure Island, etc.). I knew very little about the “real story” of piracy and its role in Colonial American history. Black Flags provides a fascinating introduction to the growth and decline of the “piracy industry,” with a focus on its (often colorful) participants. The reader will learn about the not-so-glamorous, often violent, realities of the lives of those who were involved in this trade off the coast of America during the seventeenth and early eighteenth century.Dolin is a great story teller, with an ability to blend tales of individual pirates with an explanation of the reasons for the growth of piracy during the colonial era. He explains how and why piracy became a viable (though not always profitable) way of life for many, and the evolving attitudes about the role of pirates on American life. As a New England resident, I was surprised to learn about the amount of pirate activity in this region during the Colonial period, and the often symbiotic relationship between pirates, government officials, and the citizens of the American colonies.Black Flags is first rate scholarship, and Dolin is to be commended for his impressive research, given the lack of first-hand accounts of those involved in pirate activities. Unlike studies of whaling or naval history, pirates rarely (if ever) recorded their activities in logbooks or journals. The pirate industry certainly produced no Melville, no Richard Henry Dana, to provide an “inside look” at the daily life aboard pirate ships. Yet, the author has been able to put together a fascinating description of the lives of pirates – and the reasons for their involvement in the trade.Black Flags is richly illustrated throughout with copies of old prints and engravings of the people, places, and ships described in the text, along with numerous maps. In summary, Dolan’s book is a fascinating, entertaining look into the realities of a topic many know of – but typically know little about. Highly recommended!

This is a pretty good book. It’s the book you expect it to be. It’s well researched and extremely thorough. You really do get a feel for what life was like in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean ports where pirates were based. You learn about the “Golden Age” of piracy. You learn what life was like on board their ships. You learn a great deal about their governance and inter-relationships. The details of ships’ hulls, rigging, and sailplans are all there. The booty, the rum, the sea fights, the trade routes, the wrecks; they’re all there too. Toward the end are the trials and the hangings. Quite a few hangings, actually, interspersed with the sermons of preachers hoping to spare the pirates’ souls as they faced their maker. For the reader interested in following up with independent study, there are forty-six pages of footnotes and three of bibliography. Unfortunately, the author relays all of this information in a monotone which underserves the topic. His is a voice which drones on and on. Even gunpowder and whores fail to register above a hum. To his credit, the author is effective in conveying his empathy for the African slaves which often counted as pirate chattel, and the slave trade is accurately portrayed as savagely inhumane. Overall, the prose may not be clever, but it’s still a pretty good book.

A fun recount of Pirate history and characters. I was surprised that the fledgling United States (new world at the time) was so intricately involved with piracy. Fun read!

This was a great read! No way could I have been a pirate! I enjoyed reading about the life of a pirate. I have gone to several pirate museums, and Black Flags Blue waters, really helped to explain information I saw, and really helped my understanding on a recent pirate museum. I even surprised my husband and friends with my new knowledge- Thank you Eric Jay Dolin for expanding my knowledge! Realty interesting read. I enjoyed how the pirate movies were mentioned in this book. Great read before (or after) visiting the Caribbean and East Coast.

There was mold in the pages and the front cover had slight damage. Great book but when I buy a new book I expect it to be new.

Just as described! Fast shipping! Thank you!

The author did his homework and put together an interesting read about pirates. Because pirates didn't follow any distinct timeline, you can at times get a bit confused. He shows that pirates didn't only plunder in the warm climate of the Caribbean but all along the east coast.

Great book on pirates. The addition of Red Sea Pirates plundering the Indian Ocean from Madagascar to the Arabian Sea is a nice addition to the regular Pirate tales. Also interesting is the general democratic decision making that required majority votes on each decision as to where to go and which nationality of ships to target. The typical review of the Pirates code including how the booty was divied up among all crew is a great understanding of ships operations. Great Summer read.

Quien diría... los piratas el gran invento de los ingleses.Me gusta este libro. Así como con los Vikingos, este tema por años busque algún libro que ahondará en el tema. Lo recomiendo ampliamente

Great book and well detailed.

This was a brisk read. Not that it was brief but it was informative and entertaining. It does not dwell too long on any single pirate but is more encyclopedic in nature. There is a lot of information without bogging the reader down in too much detail. A perfect summer read for those who want to know the key pirates in the Americas and what pirating life was like. Sometimes less is more and this author is an expert at telling a tale without dragging on and on . It delivered what I was looking for, an overview with a lot of interesting facts, and a lot of pirates!

Arrived very quickly and in perfect condition. A truly fascinating book, rich with true pirate history. Well written and highly enjoyable.