Blackbeard - by Angus Konstam

Book Synopsis

A thorough, exciting examination of 18th-century pirate life, with wonderful details.
--Publishers Weekly

"Interesting and exciting . . . a thoroughly enjoyable chronicle of an interesting life and interesting era."
--Booklist

The definitive biography of history's most fearsome and famous pirate

Of all the colorful cutthroats who scoured the seas in search of plunder during the Golden Age of Piracy in the early eighteenth century, none was more ferocious or notorious than Blackbeard. As unforgettable as his savage career was, much of Blackbeard's life has been shrouded in mystery--until now.

Drawing on vivid descriptions of Blackbeard's attacks from his rare surviving victims, pirate expert Angus Konstam traces Blackbeard's career from its beginnings to his final defeat in a tremendous sea battle near his base at Ocracoke Island. Presenting dramatic accounts of the pirate's very effective tactics and his reputation for cruelty, Konstam offers a fascinating examination of the life and business of piracy and the lure of this brutal and bloody trade.

From the Back Cover

"Angus Konstam successfully combines a vivid account of a famous pirate with a richly detailed survey of his turbulent and brutal world."
--David Cordingly, author of "Under the Black Flag: The Romance and Reality of Life Among the Pirates"

"Angus Konstam's "Blackbeard" is more than the story of one pirate, much more. Konstam paints a wide canvas of Blackbeard and his life and times, of the whole sordid and frightening world of piracy. With writing that is at once elegant and accessible, he explores the rise of the 'Golden Age' of piracy, illustrating how simple merchant sailors and privateersmen could be drawn into the most bloody profession of all, and become enemies of the world. Using the pirate Blackbeard as a starting point, Konstam gives the reader a broad understanding of the world of 17th century piracy, from the lives of the men who sailed under the black flag to those who tried to stop them. "Blackbeard" is a great read - informed, scholarly, thorough, accurate and fun."
--James L. Nelson, author of the "Brethren of the Coast" Trilogy and "Benedict Arnold's Navy"

Review Quotes

* "..the fearsome role model for a new breed of screen pirates..." (The Scotsman, July 2006)

"...real pirate of the Caribbean..." (The Daily Mirror, July 2006)

About the Author

Angus Konstam is a widely published author who has written several books on piracy, including "The History of Pirates." A former naval officer and museum professional, he worked as a curator of weapons in the Tower of London and as the chief curator in the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida, before becoming a full-time historian and writer. An expert on weapons, shipwrecks, and piracy, he has advised several underwater archaeological groups (including the team working on Blackbeard's sunken flagship), and appears regularly on both the Discovery and the History channels. He now lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.