David Cordingly je uznávaným anglickým námorným historikom a poprednou autoritou v oblasti pirátstva. Svoju rozsiahlu prácu venuje skúmaniu romantiky a reality života na mori, odhaľujúc historické fakty skrývajúce sa za mýtmi a legendami. Jeho diela ponárajú do životov námorníkov a do úloh žien v námornej histórii, pričom vždy stavia na dôkladnom výskume a pútavom rozprávaní. Cordinglyho analýzy ponúkajú čitateľom hlboký vhľad do fascinujúceho sveta námorných dobrodružstiev a kľúčových historických udalostí.
The image of the pirate is one that has never failed to capture the imagination, but behind the melodramatic portrayals of such villains as Long John Silver, with wooden leg and eye-patch, lies a much harsher reality. This book is the first port of call for anyone keen to separate the fact from the fiction.
Examines the popular image of pirates in modern times and compares it with the real world of pirates, who were more often murderers and thieves than romantic heros.
For this rousing, revisionist history, the former head of exhibitions at England's National Maritime Museum has combed original documents & records to produce a most authoritative & definitive account of piracy's Golden Age. As he explodes many accepted myths (i.e. walking the plank is pure fiction), Cordingly replaces them with a truth that is more complex & often bloodier. 16 pages of photos. Maps.