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Pirates: Terror on the High Seas-From the Caribbean to the South China Sea
Piracy has always provided a good opportunity for ruthless men to seek their fortunes. For the young man - very few older men went "on the account" - piracy offered a means of escape from the monotony of shore-based jobs and brought with it the added spice of treasure, definite danger and excitement, wine and women, and a chance to see the world. But it was a dangerous calling, and few took up active piracy for more than a the careers of some famous pirates like Blackbeard, Kidd, and Avery lasted no more than two or three years, and few, like Morgan or Drake, lived long enough to enjoy their plundered wealth.
From time immemorial there have been In the second millennium B.C., Phoenician merchant ships were preyed upon in the Mediterranean, and in the classical age of Greece, the islands of the Aegean were home to generations of pirates. In 78 B.C., young Julius Caesar was held for ransom by pirates. Much later, when Spanish conquistadores discovered astonishing quantities of gold treasure in the New World, this provoked two centuries of buccaneering on the Spanish Main - the Golden Age of Piracy. And on the other side of the world, the fabled riches of the East brought forth in the South China Sea the most formidable of all the world's pirates in both numbers and in cruelty. Nor has piracy ever died out; along the coast of Brazil, the west coast of Africa, and above all in the Malacca Strait - the greatest concentration of merchant shipping in the world - pirates still practice their ancient trade.
From time immemorial there have been In the second millennium B.C., Phoenician merchant ships were preyed upon in the Mediterranean, and in the classical age of Greece, the islands of the Aegean were home to generations of pirates. In 78 B.C., young Julius Caesar was held for ransom by pirates. Much later, when Spanish conquistadores discovered astonishing quantities of gold treasure in the New World, this provoked two centuries of buccaneering on the Spanish Main - the Golden Age of Piracy. And on the other side of the world, the fabled riches of the East brought forth in the South China Sea the most formidable of all the world's pirates in both numbers and in cruelty. Nor has piracy ever died out; along the coast of Brazil, the west coast of Africa, and above all in the Malacca Strait - the greatest concentration of merchant shipping in the world - pirates still practice their ancient trade.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1996
2 people are currently reading
330 people want to read
About the author
David Cordingly
19 books104 followersDavid Cordingly is an English naval historian with a special interest in pirates. He held the position of Keeper of Pictures and Head of Exhibitions at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England for twelve years.
David Cordingly organised several exhibitions at the National Maritime Museum, including Captain James Cook, Navigator and The Mutiny on the Bounty. One of these exhibitions was Pirates: Fact and Fiction, which became a critical and popular success, followed by a book of the same title, authored by Cordingly and John Falconer. Cordingly explored the subject further in his book Under the Black Flag: The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates. This was followed by Heroines and Harlots: Women at Sea in the Great Age of Sail (published in the U.S. under the title Women Sailors and Sailors' Women: An Untold Maritime History), expanding on a subject Cordingly had touched upon in Under the Black Flag in a chapter entitled "Women Pirates and Pirates' Women".
In 2002, Cordingly wrote an introduction to the republication of Captain Charles Johnson's 1724 book A General History of the Pyrates.
The Billy Ruffian: His Majesty's Ship Bellerophon and the Downfall of Napoleon, published in 2003, was longlisted for the 2003 Wolfson History Prize. It tells the story of an English warship, HMS Bellerophon, which played an important part in many battles and held captive the defeated Napoleon following the Battle of Waterloo.
Cordingly appears on the Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl DVD bonus features in a section called "Below Deck", a virtual tour of a pirate ship. This consists of several documentary shorts, hosted by Cordingly, comparing piracy fact and fiction along the same lines as Under the Black Flag.
Cordingly resides with his wife and family in Brighton, Sussex.
David Cordingly organised several exhibitions at the National Maritime Museum, including Captain James Cook, Navigator and The Mutiny on the Bounty. One of these exhibitions was Pirates: Fact and Fiction, which became a critical and popular success, followed by a book of the same title, authored by Cordingly and John Falconer. Cordingly explored the subject further in his book Under the Black Flag: The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates. This was followed by Heroines and Harlots: Women at Sea in the Great Age of Sail (published in the U.S. under the title Women Sailors and Sailors' Women: An Untold Maritime History), expanding on a subject Cordingly had touched upon in Under the Black Flag in a chapter entitled "Women Pirates and Pirates' Women".
In 2002, Cordingly wrote an introduction to the republication of Captain Charles Johnson's 1724 book A General History of the Pyrates.
The Billy Ruffian: His Majesty's Ship Bellerophon and the Downfall of Napoleon, published in 2003, was longlisted for the 2003 Wolfson History Prize. It tells the story of an English warship, HMS Bellerophon, which played an important part in many battles and held captive the defeated Napoleon following the Battle of Waterloo.
Cordingly appears on the Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl DVD bonus features in a section called "Below Deck", a virtual tour of a pirate ship. This consists of several documentary shorts, hosted by Cordingly, comparing piracy fact and fiction along the same lines as Under the Black Flag.
Cordingly resides with his wife and family in Brighton, Sussex.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 22, 2020
A very interesting read. Textbook in style, but well written and giving good coverage to piracy and pirates throughout history. Some sections are drier than others due to the different authors, but not so much that it gets tedious.
The section on modern piracy is a little out of date given that the book was published in the late 90's, making it over 20 years old, but that doesn't detract from the book at all.
A great place for a broad but well-researched overview of piracy and pirates, and a great starting place for further research.
The section on modern piracy is a little out of date given that the book was published in the late 90's, making it over 20 years old, but that doesn't detract from the book at all.
A great place for a broad but well-researched overview of piracy and pirates, and a great starting place for further research.
November 22, 2017
Great overview of the global history of piracy--while I was seeking something more in-depth, this was a nice read to start my research!
February 16, 2016
I bought this book back in 2001 and have read it quite a bit since. As other reviews have stated it's a bit textbook-like in style but that's because the information is thoroughly sourced. Despite that the writing is far from dry and is well worth reading through because of how interesting the subject is.
You'll also find pictures of pirate related artifacts and old maps along with illustrations that show where our current romantic notion of piracy came from. If I ever lost my copy of this book I would go out and buy another because despite having read and reread it many times it's a lot of fun to read.
The only negative thing I have to say about this book is that the section on modern piracy is outdated and seems a bit superfluous given it feels less thoroughly researched than the rest of the book. Modern piracy is a subject that deserves its own book which is why new editions should probably leave that section out altogether.
You'll also find pictures of pirate related artifacts and old maps along with illustrations that show where our current romantic notion of piracy came from. If I ever lost my copy of this book I would go out and buy another because despite having read and reread it many times it's a lot of fun to read.
The only negative thing I have to say about this book is that the section on modern piracy is outdated and seems a bit superfluous given it feels less thoroughly researched than the rest of the book. Modern piracy is a subject that deserves its own book which is why new editions should probably leave that section out altogether.
November 1, 2010
Good book - full of a LOT of information. However it IS more like a textbook so it took me longer than I would have liked (my fault not the books!) and the version I read IS 14 years old now, so the section on modern piracy is a bit out of date.
August 27, 2008
This was a slow book to read. However, Cordingly appears to have focused on stories that he could prove with multiple stories instead of rehashing some fanciful tales using dubious sources.
December 20, 2009
Pirates : terror on the high seas, from the Caribbean to the South China Sea / consulting editor, David Cordingly by David (consult. ed.) Cordingly (1998)
April 29, 2012
This book was a very enjoyable and informative read. A nice thorough slice of history. The modern pirate section is a little dated.
March 10, 2016
Content by differing authors varied far too widely in quality.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews