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Blackbeard
Edward Teach – ‘Blackbeard’-is one of the legends of the so-called ‘golden age of piracy’. There have been so many accounts of his short, bloody career that it is hard to see him and his times in a clear historical light. This new study looks for the man behind the legend, and it gives a vivid insight into the nature of piracy and the naval operations that were launched against it.
The narrative focuses on the roles played by the Governor of Virginia Alexander Spotswood who masterminded the pursuit of Blackbeard, and Lieutenant Robert Maynard of HMS Pearl who led the pursuit and finally cornered Teach and his crew and, after a vicious fight, saw him killed.
In vivid detail, it reveals how the hunt for Blackbeard was orchestrated, how he was tracked down, and the parts played in the drama by the larger-than-life leading characters in this extraordinary story.
This freshly researched study of the pursuit of the notorious pirate and his crew - and of the final fight in which Blackbeard lost his life - makes compelling reading.
The narrative focuses on the roles played by the Governor of Virginia Alexander Spotswood who masterminded the pursuit of Blackbeard, and Lieutenant Robert Maynard of HMS Pearl who led the pursuit and finally cornered Teach and his crew and, after a vicious fight, saw him killed.
In vivid detail, it reveals how the hunt for Blackbeard was orchestrated, how he was tracked down, and the parts played in the drama by the larger-than-life leading characters in this extraordinary story.
This freshly researched study of the pursuit of the notorious pirate and his crew - and of the final fight in which Blackbeard lost his life - makes compelling reading.
- GenresNonfictionPiratesHistory
192 pages, Hardcover
First published November 12, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 17, 2021
“Criminals have come and gone over the centuries but Blackbeard’s legend and fame have managed to live on…”
BLACKBEARD
Thank you, NetGalley, Craig Cabell, Graham A. Thomas, Allan Richards, and Pen & Sword Naval for the opportunity to read this book!
Blackbeard is about the hunt for the world’s most notorious pirate and is written by Craig Cabell, Graham A. Thomas, Allan Richards. If you have followed me for long, then you know I can’t pass up anything about pirates. Edward Teach, also known as Blackbeard is one of the most legendary pirates of all. We know he existed but the concrete details about his life still remain a mystery. We know he was cunning and that he may have gone by several names such as Edward Teach, Blackbeard, Edward Thatch, Edward Tack, etc… It is said that Blackbeard began his career as a privateer before embarking on his journey as a pirate. One of his most famous moments includes the Blockade of Charles Town (which is speculated to happen because Blackbeard needed medicine for his crew). But the most famous part about him is probably his death.
Unfortunately, despite all the books written about Blackbeard–it is still mostly speculation. The most common resource these authors use is Captain Charles Johnson and he has his own mystery as well. Many have speculated that he could also be Daniel Defoe. The first part of this book is quite slow and I can’t tell you how many times “we will look at this in more detail later” is written in the beginning. I did like how they address the myths surrounding him. Most of the events of his life have been embellished and a lot of the resources we have are not reliable and have bias. But it is always a pleasure to see other characters like Calico Jack and Charles Vane make an appearance.
I did appreciate how the author’s discussed the governor’s bias of trying to stop the pirates when they themselves killed off Indigenous peoples and enslaved people. It begs the question, who is the real villain?
It is difficult to write a book on such a mysterious character in history without the proper resources. My favorite nonfiction about pirates has to be Colin Woodard’s The Republic of Pirates, but this book definitely has its positives as well. I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.
BLACKBEARD
Thank you, NetGalley, Craig Cabell, Graham A. Thomas, Allan Richards, and Pen & Sword Naval for the opportunity to read this book!
Blackbeard is about the hunt for the world’s most notorious pirate and is written by Craig Cabell, Graham A. Thomas, Allan Richards. If you have followed me for long, then you know I can’t pass up anything about pirates. Edward Teach, also known as Blackbeard is one of the most legendary pirates of all. We know he existed but the concrete details about his life still remain a mystery. We know he was cunning and that he may have gone by several names such as Edward Teach, Blackbeard, Edward Thatch, Edward Tack, etc… It is said that Blackbeard began his career as a privateer before embarking on his journey as a pirate. One of his most famous moments includes the Blockade of Charles Town (which is speculated to happen because Blackbeard needed medicine for his crew). But the most famous part about him is probably his death.
Unfortunately, despite all the books written about Blackbeard–it is still mostly speculation. The most common resource these authors use is Captain Charles Johnson and he has his own mystery as well. Many have speculated that he could also be Daniel Defoe. The first part of this book is quite slow and I can’t tell you how many times “we will look at this in more detail later” is written in the beginning. I did like how they address the myths surrounding him. Most of the events of his life have been embellished and a lot of the resources we have are not reliable and have bias. But it is always a pleasure to see other characters like Calico Jack and Charles Vane make an appearance.
I did appreciate how the author’s discussed the governor’s bias of trying to stop the pirates when they themselves killed off Indigenous peoples and enslaved people. It begs the question, who is the real villain?
It is difficult to write a book on such a mysterious character in history without the proper resources. My favorite nonfiction about pirates has to be Colin Woodard’s The Republic of Pirates, but this book definitely has its positives as well. I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.
August 22, 2021
It still surprises me, after all these years, how little we actually know about arguably the most famous pirate of them all. The three authors tackle all the facts and possibilities that they can extract from the remaining texts, letters, and news articles of the time period when Blackbeard reigned. Sadly, Edward Teach - or Tach, or Thach - is someone whom we may never truly know. Someone we do know a lot of is Spotswood: the man who organized Blackbeard's defeat. Whereas you come into this story to read about the Pirate Legend, Spotswood stands out as an equally interesting figure. He breaks all sorts of laws to achieve his mission. It's fascinating to watch someone bend the rules so far and then to see them live an ordinary life, after all, is said and done.
My family owns a house in Charleston. While we walked in the Downtown area, someone pointed out the original stones in the Market area and told me Blackbeard walked these streets. Reflecting on what I read, it is possible but unlikely Blackbeard himself set foot in Charleston. Members of his crew certainly did. The mention of Blackbeard in the Charleston area revolves around his Blockade of the port. We do know he spends a large amount of time in North Carolina. Did I walk the same streets as the fabled Pirate? There's no evidence here to say I did, but not enough to say it is entirely impossible.
I would recommend both Pirate Killers and Blackbeard to people who want quick reads that are also intelligent and thoughtful. The few complaints I see on the text revolve around the repeated references to Johnson's History of Pirates. I would argue that Thomas, Cabell, and Richards used this because of Israel Hands' testimony over the accounts of Blackbeard. He was one of Blackbeard's crewmates. This is unlike The Black Count by Tom Reiss where you are forced to read large portions of Dumas' biography of his father only to be told that Dumas was embellishing or lying the whole time. Sure, Johnson does embellish *some* stories but it's the nature of the testimony that is vital. Our authors acknowledge that. Read it all, I say. Maybe someone can revisit Tinniswood for me and tell me I'm misguided. I'll give a second chance for Pirates.
My family owns a house in Charleston. While we walked in the Downtown area, someone pointed out the original stones in the Market area and told me Blackbeard walked these streets. Reflecting on what I read, it is possible but unlikely Blackbeard himself set foot in Charleston. Members of his crew certainly did. The mention of Blackbeard in the Charleston area revolves around his Blockade of the port. We do know he spends a large amount of time in North Carolina. Did I walk the same streets as the fabled Pirate? There's no evidence here to say I did, but not enough to say it is entirely impossible.
I would recommend both Pirate Killers and Blackbeard to people who want quick reads that are also intelligent and thoughtful. The few complaints I see on the text revolve around the repeated references to Johnson's History of Pirates. I would argue that Thomas, Cabell, and Richards used this because of Israel Hands' testimony over the accounts of Blackbeard. He was one of Blackbeard's crewmates. This is unlike The Black Count by Tom Reiss where you are forced to read large portions of Dumas' biography of his father only to be told that Dumas was embellishing or lying the whole time. Sure, Johnson does embellish *some* stories but it's the nature of the testimony that is vital. Our authors acknowledge that. Read it all, I say. Maybe someone can revisit Tinniswood for me and tell me I'm misguided. I'll give a second chance for Pirates.
October 31, 2021
Edward Teach aka 'Blackbeard' is probably one of the first pirates that people can name and his legend seems as strong as ever. Who was the real man? Was he a ruthless buccaneer or a master of propaganda? This book examines the evidence for the man behind the legend, & what led to his downfall & death.
Like most people I would imagine, I only knew of Blackbeard's name & next to nothing about the man himself. This book has been extensively researched, however, there is such a paucity of confirmed evidence about the man, that much of the book was taken up writing about other characters such as his fellow pirate captains, & the man who eventually orchestrated his capture & death. After reading this, I don't feel that I know much more about Blackbeard than before. I think this was heightened by writing the chapters in subjects rather than chronologically, which become confusing at times. It was an interesting read but Blackbeard only takes up half of the subject matter.
Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Pen & Sword, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
Like most people I would imagine, I only knew of Blackbeard's name & next to nothing about the man himself. This book has been extensively researched, however, there is such a paucity of confirmed evidence about the man, that much of the book was taken up writing about other characters such as his fellow pirate captains, & the man who eventually orchestrated his capture & death. After reading this, I don't feel that I know much more about Blackbeard than before. I think this was heightened by writing the chapters in subjects rather than chronologically, which become confusing at times. It was an interesting read but Blackbeard only takes up half of the subject matter.
Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Pen & Sword, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
August 28, 2021
4.5 rounded to 5
This is a meticulously researched history of "Blackbeard" aka Edward Teach, who became the most infamous pirate ever known. The book takes a close look not only of Blackbeard but pirating in general, the man (Spotwood) who eventually brought Blackbeard down, the sociological and historical forces that not only allowed pirating to proliferate but that encouraged it. My only gripe is that the authors work their way backwards to Blackbeard, starting with Spotwood and those around Blackbeard who lay the foundation not only for what allowed him to succeed but what eventually spelled his doom. As someone not familiar with Blackbeard, I kind of wanted to get to the action a bit quicker! That said, anyone interested in the history of pirating should find this book entertaining and informative.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the authors Craig Cabell, Allan Richards, Graham A Thomas for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #Blackbeard #NetGalley
(I'm getting a message that the ISBN is not on Goodreads)
This is a meticulously researched history of "Blackbeard" aka Edward Teach, who became the most infamous pirate ever known. The book takes a close look not only of Blackbeard but pirating in general, the man (Spotwood) who eventually brought Blackbeard down, the sociological and historical forces that not only allowed pirating to proliferate but that encouraged it. My only gripe is that the authors work their way backwards to Blackbeard, starting with Spotwood and those around Blackbeard who lay the foundation not only for what allowed him to succeed but what eventually spelled his doom. As someone not familiar with Blackbeard, I kind of wanted to get to the action a bit quicker! That said, anyone interested in the history of pirating should find this book entertaining and informative.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the authors Craig Cabell, Allan Richards, Graham A Thomas for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #Blackbeard #NetGalley
(I'm getting a message that the ISBN is not on Goodreads)
August 22, 2021
NB: free copy received for honest review
This account of the life, career and death of the notorious pirate Blackbeard is somewhat complicated by the fact that we don't actually know who he was or what his real name might be. The authors are at pains to make clear that any account of the pre-pirate days of Edward Teach (as his name is most commonly given) is working on supposition and rumour.
So instead, they focus on his career, to the extend it is known, and the circumstances of his final defeat and death. They also spend a lot of time on the man who ordered the mission to destroy him, and the validity of said mission. It was, technically, wholly illegal and even an act of war between colonies. But given that Blackbeard was a notorious pirate and the mission was a success, what could have ended the man's career turned out to be a smart move.
This was an interesting read but it is somewhat undermined by how little we actually know of Blackbeard.
This account of the life, career and death of the notorious pirate Blackbeard is somewhat complicated by the fact that we don't actually know who he was or what his real name might be. The authors are at pains to make clear that any account of the pre-pirate days of Edward Teach (as his name is most commonly given) is working on supposition and rumour.
So instead, they focus on his career, to the extend it is known, and the circumstances of his final defeat and death. They also spend a lot of time on the man who ordered the mission to destroy him, and the validity of said mission. It was, technically, wholly illegal and even an act of war between colonies. But given that Blackbeard was a notorious pirate and the mission was a success, what could have ended the man's career turned out to be a smart move.
This was an interesting read but it is somewhat undermined by how little we actually know of Blackbeard.
May 11, 2022
I was excited to read a book about Blackbeard, but this is not what I was expecting. While we do not know a lot about Blackbeard himself, aside from legend and the few references that we have - most is based on conjecture and theory.
I was a bit disappointed with this read. There is some great information there, but some of it is rather boring and it was slogging through, but there are areas of the book that just grab you and keep you engaged.
Toss up on this one - interesting many areas, but still dull in others.
I was a bit disappointed with this read. There is some great information there, but some of it is rather boring and it was slogging through, but there are areas of the book that just grab you and keep you engaged.
Toss up on this one - interesting many areas, but still dull in others.
October 7, 2021
We've all heard of Blackbeard, right? But how much do we actually know about him? This book aims to give us the clearest picture possible, and does a great job of solidifying Blackbeard, pirating in general, and the era. I did find it heavy going at times, but that's only to be expected when so much research has gone into a book. Fascinating stuff.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
August 23, 2021
An outstanding look at one of the most feared and successful pirates of his time. The story is packed with action and explains in great detail the effort to capture this notorious pirate. This makes a great read for the historian and pirate fans.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 31, 2021
Interesting but quite hard to sit and read all in one sitting like I usually do. I don't read many books on pirates so I thought I would try this one, I just wish it could have held my attention longer.
September 5, 2017
A Lot longer than I would have liked ... it went on and on ,,,
October 2, 2019
Better off reading a history of pirates as this book leans on that so much.
June 1, 2023
Wow, What a character Blackbeard was, worth a read for a name Edward Teach / Blackbeard that is still well known over 300 years later…The man, The mystery….This book sheds light
August 17, 2021
Can be summed up quite easily as “We don’t know for a fact anything about Blackbeard so we are going to repeat ourselves constantly and make guesses and not give any actual facts because no one knows any.”
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews