Seized
Seized
By Max Hardberger
Broadway Books, 2010, ISBN 978-0-7679-3138-0, US $25 / Can
$29.95
Nicholas Brealey, 2010, ISBN 9781857885569,
£9.99
The subtitle for this book is “A
Sea Captain’s Adventure
Battling Scoundrels and Pirates while Recovering Stolen Ships in the
World’s
Most Trouble Waters.” Hardberger is a
ship captain, as well as a pilot, maritime lawyer, and teacher (among
other
jobs). While Seized includes glimpses
into the man and his personal life, it primarily recounts his
adventures
extracting freighters illegally seized from their owners, beginning
with the
first bulk carrier he retrieved in 1987.
His travels take him from Louisiana to Haiti, Belize, East
Germany, Russia, Greece, and other locales. Each has its own murky
waters and
life-threatening dangers through which Hardberger navigates –
revolution,
Russian mafia, and possible imprisonment to name but a few. The
foreword does disclose
that names and places have been changed to protect the innocent and
guilty
alike.
While pirates are mentioned in the subtitle, only one
incident comes close to meeting the definition of maritime piracy. Seized is a riveting account of the
seamier side of maritime shipping and the men willing to risk their
lives to
help others. Amid the daring rescues, the author reveals the life of
seamen,
the world in which they live, and the dangers they face.
Read an Excerpt
Read
an Interview
Review Copyrighted ©2010 Cindy Vallar
Commodore Abraham Whipple of the Continental Navy:
Privateer, Patriot, Pioneer
By Sheldon S. Cohen
University Press of Florida, 2010, ISBN 978-0-8130-3433-1, US
$69.95
Often overlooked in studies of
the American Revolution are
the war’s naval aspects. Merchantmen were converted to warships, while
eleven
of the thirteen states established “navies” of their own. One of the
first men
to enter the fray was Abraham Whipple of Rhode Island. His experience
as both
master of merchant vessels and captain aboard privateers earned him a
spot
first in Rhode Island’s maritime force and later in that of the
Continental
Congress. Two years prior to the opening salvos at Lexington and
Concord,
Whipple participated in the capture and destruction of HMS Gaspee,
a British ship that pursued smugglers along the New England
coast. When his naval and maritime careers ended, he became a pioneer
farmer in
Ohio.
Most people have probably never heard of Whipple, but Cohen
aims to rectify the omission with this full-length biography. He
explores the
man and those he interacted with, as well as the times in which Whipple
lived.
Presented chronologically, this account also corrects previously
published
inaccuracies and exaggerations about him.
The book is divided into six chapters:
- Rhode
Island Beginnings
- The
Passage from Peacetime to Rebellion, 1763-1775
- Whipple’s
War, at Home and Abroad, 1775-1778
- War’s
Fortunes and Misfortunes, 1779-1783
- Postwar
Discontentments, 1783-1789
-
Final
Years in Ohio, 1789-1819
and
includes an extensive section of chapter notes and an
in-depth bibliography of primary and secondary sources, as well as the
repositories where information about Whipple can be found. The detailed
index
permits readers to easily gain access to pertinent information.
Interspersed
throughout the book are maps and illustrations pertaining to the time
period.
While the biography is easy to read, the retelling of each
voyage becomes tedious at times, even though many contain kernels of
worthwhile
seafaring knowledge. One strength of the book is Cohen’s adeptness at
situating
the man within his time period and explaining how the events of the day
affected
Whipple and others, especially mariners. The author’s reliance on
primary
documents further enhances this life story.
Commodore Abraham
Whipple is an informative, complete accounting of a man who can be
considered one of our nation’s founding fathers. The price, however,
puts the
book out of the hands of casual readers. Library and history
collections pertaining
to Rhode Island, the American Revolution, and maritime history will
find this
an invaluable resource.
Review
Copyrighted ©2010
Cindy Vallar
Outlaws! Adventures of Pirates, Scoundrels, and Other Rebels
By Laurent Maréchaux
Flammarion,
2009,
ISBN 978-2-0803-0107-9, US $45 / Can $54 / UK £27.50 / €40
No one is born an outlaw. They
are made. These are the
individuals whom the author showcases in this coffee table book. No
matter what
classification they fall into, each lived outside the law. Each
suffered an
untimely death of a mother or father at a young age or experienced a
tragic
event that altered forever his or her outlook on life and the world
around
them. Although we know these men and women broke the law, they
fascinate us.
According to the author, “We should not…rush to judge the errant ways
of these
idealistic vagabonds. They deserve our recognition. Without them, the
maps of
this world would be less colorful, our taxes and rights would be less
human,
democracy…would be lacking in imagination, and our eternal quest for a
better
world would be nothing but an outmoded fancy.” (page 10)
Divided into six groupings, the book introduces readers to
the familiar and the stranger, the distant and the near past, the
western and
the eastern. Each section begins with a short introduction that makes
the
reader ponder the rightness or wrongness of these individuals’ actions
and
those of society. Either a color or black-and-white, full-page portrait
of the
individual outlaw introduces us to him or her. Other illustrations
accompany
the text, which talks about this person’s life and death over four to
six
pages.
Of particular interest to readers of Pirates and Privateers
is the section titled “The Black Sail and
the Call of the High Seas.” The author begins with a quote from
Alexandre
Exquemelin, the buccaneer surgeon who wrote The
Buccaneers of America:
Alive
today, dead tomorrow, what does it matter whether we hoard or save. We
live for
the day and not for the day we may never live.
This perfect quote neatly sums up the pirates’ philosophy.
Few readers may be familiar with the first outlaw showcased, Jehan
Ango, but one
of the corsairs who sailed for this shipowner and privateer was Jean
Fleury,
the first to capture a Spanish treasure galleon. The other pirates
profiled
are: the Barbarossas; Sir Francis Drake; François l’Olonnais;
Bartholomew
Roberts; Edward Teach; Anne Bonny, Calico Jack Rackham, and Mary Read;
Olivier
Mission, the Monk Caraccioli, and Thomas Tew; and Ching Shih. A page
from
Drake’s 1598 log is reproduced, as are several period maps. While an
earlier
profile discusses Robin Hood as both fictional and real, the same does
not
occur in the summary about Olivier Mission, whom many historians
believe to be
fictitious.
Another person of interest to pirate enthusiasts appears in
the section “Desert Devils,” for one of Renaud de Châtillon’s
occupations was
that of pirate. His name, like others, may not be familiar to readers,
but
others will be: Henry David Thoreau, Jesse James, Billy the Kid,
Calamity Jane,
Richard Francis Burton, Lawrence of Arabia, Bobby Sands, and Bonnie and
Clyde.
The book concludes with notes and a bibliography.
Outlaws! is an
intriguing book and even the cover art taunts the reader to look
inside. This
is a well-rounded, international collection of those who lived on the
fringes
of society. Each account is compelling and fascinating. The quotes that
begin
each chapter are well chosen and thought provoking. The author himself
is
something of a rebel so he knows whereof he writes.
Perhaps the quote that begins the “City Hoodlums and Urban
Gangs” section best clarifies the outlaw and sums up this book:
Some
will turn me into a hero, but there are no heroes in crime. There are
just men
who…are marginal, and who don’t respect laws because laws are made for
the rich
and powerful. – recorded testament of
Jacque Mesrine
Under
the Bloody Flag
Under the Bloody Flag: Pirates of the Tudor Age
By John C. Appleby
History
Press, 2009,
ISBN 978-0-7524-4851-0, US $34.95, CAN $38.95, £20.00
In theory, pirates
were criminals, the enemies of all mankind who faced execution if
caught; in
practice, they were often maintained by seafaring communities and
protected by
local officials or rulers. This sentence from the introduction of Under the Bloody Flag encapsulates what
this book is about. While the House of Tudor ruled England, theory
became
muddied by the issuance of letters of reprisal and letters of marque
and the
fine line the bearers sometimes walked between that which was legal
piracy and
that which was not. Professional navies as we think of them hadn’t yet
formed,
so to gain the power and prestige desired, monarchs walked an equally
wavy line
between theory and reality.
Accompanied by illustrations, maps, and an
index, this book’s
time period – 1480s to 1603 – is divided into six chapters:
1.
War
and Maritime Plunder from the 1480s to the 1540s
2.
Pirates
and Rebellious Rovers during the 1540s and 1550s
3.
Pirates,
Privateers and Slave Traders from the later 1550s to the later 1560s
4.
Piracy,
Plunder and Undeclared War during the 1570s
5.
The
Profession of Piracy from the mid-1570s to 1585
6.
War,
Reprisals and Piracy from 1585 to 1603
Among the many resources the author
consulted in compiling
this account of maritime piracy and privateering are archival records
of the
High Court of Admiralty, State Papers, and a variety of primary and
secondary
works.
Appleby’s objective is to “provide a
narrative of English
piracy and sea roving from c. 1485 to
1603”, which he admirably achieves and, in the process, skillfully
shows the
complexity of the period and both its effect on the pirates and their
effect on
nations, particularly England. Within these pages readers will
encounter
well-known pirates/privateers (Martin Frobisher and Francis Drake) and
those
not so famous (Henry Strangeways and John Callice). The final chapter
also
touches upon Grace O’Malley and John Ward, whose piracies were directed
against
England.
Although
the
narrative of this scholarly work sometimes plods along, Under
the Black Flag examines a period of English piracy rarely
touched upon in any detail. For those fascinated with the Tudor period,
this is
a worthy tome to add to one’s collection.
Review
copyrighted ©2009
Cindy Vallar
Maritime
Taiwan: Historical Encounters with the East and the West
By Shih-Shan Henry Tsai
M.
E. Sharpe, 2009,
ISBN 978-0-7656-2329-4, $27.95
At different times in history the
Dutch, Chinese,
English, French, and Japanese have all interacted with Taiwan because
its
strategic location and rich resources make it an important part of
maritime
trade in Asia. These contacts have been both to the benefit and
detriment of
those who call this island home. Through the incorporation of primary
and
secondary resources encompassing all these peoples, the author recounts
the
history of Taiwan and how the interactions with these interlopers
affected
those who lived here.
Condensed into nine chapters, the
book discusses
the rulers of Taiwan during the seventeenth century – Dutch, Spaniards,
and
Koxinga; trading networks with Southeast Asia and China; the
consulates,
trading firms, and Presbyterian churches the British introduced; the
arrivals
of the French, Americans, and Japanese on Taiwan’s shores; and the
effects of World
War II and postwar incursions on the island. Of particular interest to
fans of
the Age of Sail are the interactions between the Taiwanese and the East
India
companies of Europe, and to pirate aficionados, Koxinga and others.
The
author’s intent
is to convey “the island’s deep and far-reaching relationships with
such
historically seaborne nations as Holland, Britain, France, Japan, and
the United
States.” (page 17) He admirably achieves that goal. The addition of
maps,
tables, and illustrations enhance this journey into Taiwan’s maritime
history,
while a detailed index allows readers to easily locate needed
information. A
wealth of additional resources is also included in the bibliography and
chapter
notes. For anyone interested in maritime history in Asian waters or the
establishment of East India companies’ trading posts, Maritime
Taiwan is an excellent starting place.
Review
copyrighted
©2009 Cindy Vallar
The
Pirate Code
The Pirate Code: From Honorable Thieves to Modern-Day Villains
By Brenda Ralph Lewis
Lyons
Press, 2008, ISBN 978-1-59921-455-9, US $19.95 / CAN $21.95
This book presents the history of piracy
from ancient times
through today. In between those two periods, the author examines
Vikings,
Barbary Corsairs, and Caribbean
pirates.
Black-and-white illustrations accompany much of the text, and
quotations from
primary source materials are interspersed throughout the narrative.
Boxes
highlight particular items tied to subjects presented in the text.
Source information for quotations is
provided, but isn’t
always complete. There are no footnotes and the bibliography lists only
ten
resources. While the book contains many facts not included in other
piracy
books, there are also a few questionable facts. For example, the author
writes,
“They were Ishaq, Aruj, Ilyas, and the most famous of them and
apparently the
youngest, Khair ad Din (c.
1480-1546), who was known to Europeans as Barbarossa or Red Beard.”
Aruj was
known by this moniker long before Khair ad Din, who dyed his beard red
to honor
his dead brother and thus acquired the name Barbarossa, just as his
brother had.
Lewis also claims young boys on pirate ships were given the task of
setting
“fire to their own ship” once pirates acquired another vessel. Although
there
were a few boys amongst pirate crews, they were a rarity, and she fails
to
provide documentation to support this claim of them firing a ship – a
fact I’ve
never come across in a decade of researching pirates.
Another questionable aspect of the book is
the misplacement
of the chapter on pirate democracy. It precedes the chapters on the
Buccaneers
of the 17th century and the Golden Age of Piracy, yet it discusses
Bartholomew Roberts, John Phillips, George Lowther, and a few others
from the
18th century.
Readers also need to be aware that there
are a few gaps in
what is incorporated into this book. When discussing Asian piracy,
Lewis makes no mention of the pirate confederation under Cheng and
Cheng I Sao’s
leadership in the early 19th century – a force so powerful it nearly
destroyed the Chinese imperial navy. Yet the chapter on ancient piracy
is one
of the most readable and well presented overviews readers will
encounter.
If you’re looking for a useful starting
point to learn about
piratical history, The Pirate Code is
worth reading.
Review
copyrighted © 2009
Cindy Vallar
The Pirate’s Pocket-Book
Edited by Stuart Robertson
Conway, 2008, ISBN 978-1-84486-077-70, £9.99
Divided into five chapters, each explores some
aspect
of Caribbean piracy from the mid-seventeenth through the early
eighteenth
century. The first concentrates on the buccaneers, from their origins
through
William Dampier. Among the particular rogues featured are
François
L’Ollonais, Bartolomeo el Portugue, Rock the Brazilian, and Henry
Morgan.
Chapter two explores the golden age, introducing readers to the likes
of
Henry Avery, William Kidd, Alexander Dolzell, Samuel Bellamy, Woodes
Rogers,
Alexander Selkirk, and Charles Vane. Edward Teach, Stede Bonnet,
Richard
Worley, Calico Jack Rackham, Anne Bonny, and Mary Read appear in the
third
chapter, “Heroes and Heroines: The Heyday of Piracy in American
Waters.”
Chapter four is devoted to Bartholomew Roberts, while the fifth chapter
focuses on George Lowther, Ned Low, and the suppression of piracy. It
ends
with a look at Jean Laffite and pirate victims. A bibliography,
glossary,
and index round out the tome.
This book isn’t your typical history book. It is
primarily
contemporary accounts – some written by these sea raiders, others from
newspapers and broadsides – combined with a narrative that sets up each
passage and provides continuity from start to finish. Illustrations,
both
color and black-and-white, complement the book. Some excerpts, though,
come from secondary sources written by Captain Johnson and Charles
Ellms.
The problem with including the latter is Ellms’ book, The Pirates’
Own
Book, is primarily a work of fiction, so some information provided
on Jean Laffite is inaccurate. The typeface is small, which makes it
difficult
to read.
The first sentence of the introduction – “Where
the majority
of men will go about their business lawfully, there will always be
members
of society who take a different path” – encapsulates the history of
maritime
piracy yet succinctly defines a pirate in terms that equally define any
person who breaks the law. Although the romantic imagery of pirates is
mentioned, this book adheres more to examining pirates without
rose-colored
glasses.
Alluring as the pirate’s profession
is, we
must not forget that it had a seamy side, and was by no means all rum
and
pieces-of-eight. And there is something repulsive to a generous nature
in roasting men because they will not show you where to steal hogs.
(page 9)
For those whose budgets don’t permit them to purchase
British
Piracy in the Golden Age: History and Interpretation, 1660-1730
edited
by Joel H. Baer, this is a wonderful addition to any pirate library.
Review copyrighted © 2009 Cindy Vallar
Pirate Arrrt!
Pirate Arrrt!
By Rob Mcleay
Ulysses Press, 2008, ISBN 978-1-56975-663-8, US $14.95
Subtitled “Learn to Draw Fantastic Pirates,
Treasure Chests,
Ships, Sea Monsters and More,” this book provides insight into drawing
pirates, their enemies, extras, and the pirate world. Mcleay opens with
directions on perspective, generating ideas, and basics a potential
artist
needs in order to follow Pirate Arrrt! instructions. In chapter
two he covers facial expressions, heads, and character angles, while
the
next chapter focuses on the various crewmembers that populate a pirate
ship. Among the enemies you’ll find cannibals, members of the royal
navy,
magpies, sea monsters, zombie monkeys, and skeletons. The chapter on
extras
includes treasure chests, jewelry, weapons, faces and hair, hooks, eye
patches, peg legs, and tattoos. The final chapter explores features of
pirate havens, such as forts, dungeons, islands, and ports. While many
drawings appear in black and white, two spreads of color depict
finished
pirate artwork.
This book is geared toward people with a serious
interest
in an art career, rather than children or doodlers. It’s advertised as
being for children, but the audience is more for young adult or adult
because
of the language and complexity of the designs. The reader needs to have
some familiarity with drawing before opening this book, but those
artists
who do will find a chest full of treasure that will help them draw
delightful
rogues and their world.
Visit
the artist
Review copyrighted © 2009 Cindy Vallar
Documentation of the Indians of
the
Florida Keys & Miami 1513-1765
Documentation of the Indians of the Florida Keys
&
Miami 1513-1765
By Gail Swanson
Infinity Publishing, 2003, ISBN 0-7414-1638-7, US
$12.95
This book combines a chronology with historical
articles
on the early history of the Florida Keys and Miami over a period of 252
years. Part one summarizes historical documents, which are divided
according
to whether they were written in the sixteenth, seventeenth, or
eighteenth
century. Eleven of these summaries concern pirates, and the entries
vary
from a single sentence to more than a page in length. The first one
appears
in 1565 and concerns John Hawkins when four of his ships anchored at
the
Dry Tortugas. At the end of part one are maps, illustrations,
photographs,
and facsimiles of original documents pertaining to the information in
the
entries. Included in this collection is documentary evidence of a large
gathering of pirates at Key West in 1681.
The second half of the book is devoted to
miscellaneous
articles. Each begins with a short introduction that identifies the
translator
and/or explains sources for the information contained in the article.
Of
particular interest to pirate readers are “Looking for Sir Francis
Drake”
and “The Maravillas: Sunken Treasure, Salvors, Pirates and the
Florida
Keys Indians.” There is also an extensive section of endnotes after the
articles.
Many documents pertaining to the early history of
Florida
are written in Spanish, some of which are located in foreign archives
not
readily available to most readers. This compilation and explanation
provides
people interested in Floridian, Native American, or piratical history
with
a single source that is easily read and accessible.
Read
an excerpt and view documentation
Review copyrighted © 2009 Cindy Vallar
The Enduring Journey of the
USS Chesapeake
The Enduring Journey of the USS Chesapeake
Navigating the Common History of Three Nations
By Chris Dickon
History Press, 2008, ISBN 978-1-59629-298-7, US $21.99
The USS Chesapeake was one of the six
original
frigates built for the United States Navy. Launched on 1 December 1799,
she set sail on 22 May 1800. She patrolled the Caribbean during the
Quasi-War
with France and participated in the blockade on Tripoli. Neither of
these
postings were remarkable, but in June 1807, the frigate made her first
mark on history.
When Britain was at war, she needed men to man her
naval
vessels. Unable to entice men to willingly join, the navy used press
gangs
to force men to serve aboard the ships. Once the United States gained
its
independence from Britain, it wasn’t easy to tell who was an English
sailor
and who was American. Sometimes British seamen jumped ship and signed
aboard
American vessels where the pay and conditions were better. Documents to
prove American citizenship were easily faked, so the British began
stopping
American ships and checking for British sailors. This was what happened
in June 1807 soon after the Chesapeake put to sea. HMS Leopard
fired on her, then sent an officer and men to board the Chesapeake
and seize four men they claimed were British seamen.
Commodore James Barron, captain of the Chesapeake,
faced a court martial. He was cleared of all charges except that of
“neglecting
on the probability of an engagement, to clear the ship for action.” He
was suspended without pay for five years. One of those who sat in
judgment
of him was Stephen Decatur. The animosity between these two men would
eventually
result in a duel.
Relationships between America and Britain
continued to
simmer until war broke out in 1812. The following year, the Chesapeake
encountered HMS Shannon. In the ensuing brief but bloody
battle,
252 men were killed or wounded and the American frigate was captured.
But what happened to the USS Chesapeake?
This is
the astounding journey that Dickon reveals in a readable format
accompanied
by an abundance of photographs and illustrations. Firsthand accounts
are
interspersed with the narrative to form a more complete story of this
frigate
from her birth to her demise. A fascinating examination of what became
of this early American naval vessel and some of the men who fought on
her
decks to protect our independence.
Visit
the Enduring Journey
Visit
the USS Chesapeake
Review copyrighted © 2009 Cindy Vallar
Patriot Pirates
Patriot Pirates
The Privateer War for Freedom and Fortune in the American
Revolution
By Robert H. Patton
Pantheon Books, 2008, 978-0-375-42284-3, US $26.00,
CAN
$30.00
Every school child in America studies the
Revolution,
but Patriot Pirates reveals a side that is often overlooked or omitted
from that instruction. Patton admits from the start he was never
impressed
with this particular conflict until he began delving into privateering.
The thirteen colonies didn’t really have a navy and George Washington
was
thwarted time and time again.
The emergence from that hodgepodge of
some
of the most intrepid mariners in American history highlights the
strategic
element of Revolutionary privateering, for they would spearhead what
became
a massive seaborne insurgency involving thousands of privately owned
warships
whose ravages on the enemy dwarfed those of the fledgling United States
Navy.
Within the pages of this book, Patton explores the
War of
Independence from this perspective. He doesn’t concentrate on a
particular
port city, but presents the events in chronological sequence from
various
places of import at different times. The story unfolds in Machias,
Maine
in 1775 with the incident involving the Gaspee. From there
readers
visit Boston, Providence (Rhode Island), Brooklyn, Barbados, Penobscot,
New London, Newfoundland, Portsmouth (England), and Guadeloupe. Not
only
does he show how these daring privateers helped win the war, he also
examines
the economics and how what these patriot pirates did impacted society
and
the conflict at large.
Patriot Pirates is a fascinating assessment
of
the role privateers played in the American Revolution. Readers meet the
mariners, statesmen, and merchants whose daring, ingenuity, and
patience
were invaluable to gaining independence. A few of are well-known men
like
Benjamin Franklin and John Paul Jones, but the majority are people
rarely
mentioned in history books. Once you read this book, you’ll never think
of our forefathers’ struggle against tyranny in quite the same light.
Book review Copyright ©2009 Cindy Vallar
Treasure Wreck
Treasure Wreck: The Fortunes and Fate of the Pirate
Ship
Whydah
By Arthur T. Vanderbilt II
Schiffer, 2007, ISBN 978-0-7643-2739-1, US $19.95
Told tales of the pirate ship Whydah and
her captain,
Samuel Bellamy, as a child, Vanderbilt decided to explore the primary
documents
of the 1700s and discover the truth behind the legend of this pirate
and
the wreck of his ship off the coast of Cape Cod. The book opens with
the
tale of the 1643 Spanish fleet that encountered a hurricane and William
Phips’ determination to locate the missing treasure that disappeared
beneath
the waves. Stories of his successful find spurred many, perhaps
including
Bellamy, to follow in Phips’ footsteps.
As is true with many pirates, Bellamy’s origins
remain
elusive until he steps onto the historical stage in 1716. Just the year
before another treasure fleet had sunk off the coast of Florida, and
Bellamy
decided to attempt to reclaim some of the silver that was lost. Legend
says he left to gain his fortune before he returned to reunite with the
love of his life, Maria Hallett, but she has remained as mysterious as
Bellamy’s life prior to his sailing. (That Halletts lived on Cape Cod
is
documented, but no record of Maria has yet come to light.)
Bellamy hooked up with Paulsgrave Williams of
Newport,
Rhode Island, and while they initially searched for the sunken bounty,
the sea was reticent to divulge her secrets. They eventually teamed up
with Benjamin Hornigold and began plundering ships. One of these was
the Whydah,
and once their fortunes were made, they sailed north for home. But a
fierce
storm blew up off Cape Cod, and the ship sank, taking all but a handful
of men with her to their graves. Although many contemporaries attempted
to recover the sunken treasure, little was found.
No book on Bellamy and the Whydah would be
complete
without the story of Barry Clifford and his crew discovering the
shipwreck.
The original edition of this book ended with proof positive that they
had
found her – the ship’s bell with the inscription “The Whydah Gally
1716.”
This revision includes a tenth chapter that discusses what other
“treasures”
Clifford has uncovered, the court cases he fought, the conflicts
between
archaeologists and treasure hunters, and the establishment of a museum
in Provincetown on Cape Cod to display the finds. My only complaint
about
the book is that this chapter’s different and noticeable format changes
appear smaller in font size and lighter in print, which makes it more
difficult
to read and is jarring to the eye. While there are no footnotes, a
section
at the end of the book provides information on the author’s sources. A
nice addition to this edition is an index, which makes it easier to
locate
information within the book.
Vanderbilt also incorporates a lot of pirate
history unrelated
to Bellamy into his tale, which provides the reader with a better
understanding
of both the time period and what it was like to be a sea rover. Treasure
Wreck is a rousing adventure of pirate success and demise, and the
wonder of locating treasure long after the Whydah took the
lives
of many men so long ago.
Review copyrighted © 2009 Cindy Vallar
Treasure Hunt
Treasure Hunt
Shipwreck, Diving, and the Quest for Treasure in the
Age of Heroes
By Peter Earle
Thomas Dunne, 2007, ISBN 978-0-312-38039-7
US $26.95 / CAN $31.25
The treasure galleons of Spain enticed pirates and
adventurers
who sought easy riches, but far more of these ships sank during storms
than were successfully seized by scoundrels of the sea. Others, too,
sought
the lost cargoes of gold, silver, and jewels, but their searches and
finds
required the skills of divers, who oftentimes dove without any
equipment.
This book explores the shipwrecks, the divers, and the history of
diving
from the sixteenth into the early nineteenth centuries. Through the use
of primary documents, readers meet the people who financed diving
operations
and risked their lives to salvage the lost treasures. The primary focus
concerns England and her colonies. There are extensive footnotes and
bibliography,
and the book has a comprehensive index.
It is known that your islands are peopled by
men who
are intent rather on pillaging Spanish wrecks than planting, that they
carry on their work by Indians kidnapped or entrapped on the coast of
Florida
. . . The sea ought to be free and the wrecks [belong to] the Spaniards.
This quote is from Sir Thomas Lynch, Governor of Jamaica, who students
of piracy will readily recognize, but pirates play only a peripheral
role
in history within Treasure Hunt and are often referred to in a
general
manner, rather than by specific name. (One exception to this is Laurens
de Graff.) Nevertheless, this account of maritime history provides a
unique
perspective from early divers, who clutched stones and dove beneath the
waves, to the men who devised diving bells and other equipment to allow
divers to remain under water longer.
Read
an excerpt
Review copyrighted © 2009 Cindy Vallar
Flying the Black Flag
Flying the Black Flag: A Brief History of Piracy
By Alfred S. Bradford
Praeger, 2007, ISBN 978-0-275-97781-8, US $49.95 / UK
£27.95
Bradford, a specialist in ancient history,
introduces
readers to the history of maritime piracy. The book is divided into
eight
sections. Greek piracy explores the difference between Odysseus the
hero
and Odysseus the pirate, before examining the Greeks’ interaction with
their countrymen, Barbarians, and Macedonians. Under the Romans, he
looks
at the actions they took against pirates, including the Cilicians, and
how this scourge was effectively dealt with for a time. Part three,
which
covers the Viking period, discusses the first invaders, the Rus, and
how
converting to Christianity brought about the end of Norse piracy. The
next
era covered in this book is that of the Buccaneers, from their origins
to Sir Henry Morgan to Captain William Kidd. Rather than cover the
Golden
Age pirates of the early 18th century, Bradford concentrates on first
the
Barbary pirates then the marauders of the south coast of China. Part
seven
investigates Algerian piracy and the Americans. Finally, he focuses on
how people come to be pirates and piracy and terrorism.
Maps and illustrations are included. While
passages aren’t
cited with footnotes, a section at the back of the book identifies
where
quotations can be found. The bibliography includes both primary and
secondary
sources, and there is an index.
The idea for this book stems from the terrorist
attacks
on 11 September 2001. In the preface, Bradford writes:
Terrorists have operated throughout
history,
but their ability to attack across large distances with devastating
effect
and to take thousands of lives is a phenomenon of modern technology,
and
so an historical study of terrorism would not be particularly relevant
to our present situation, but when I amended the question and asked,
how
should we respond to an attack by a group that is neither organized as
a regular military force nor openly acknowledged by any formal
government,
I thought of pirates and the world’s response to pirates. Who became
pirates?
Why? And how did nations respond to attacks upon their citizens by
pirates?
Answers to these questions are what Bradford provides
as
he scrutinizes the history of maritime piracy. And he does so in an
easy-to-understand
way that is informative and entertaining. Three aspects of this book
set
it apart from others: 1) ancient piracy, 2) Asian piracy, and 3) why
people
turn to piracy. Few volumes explore early Mediterranean piracy in much
detail, and to have an expert in this period of time makes ancient
piracy
interesting and enlightening. Asian piracy differs from Western piracy,
and the author provides an intriguing look into how China dealt with
the
problem. His chapter on what makes a pirate is a unique and solid
examination
of what makes the man or woman forsake society and its rules for a life
a crime. My only question in reading the book was why Bradford chooses
to refer to Cheng I Sao as “dragon lady.”
Review copyrighted © 2009 Cindy Vallar
Box Office Archaeology
Box Office Archaeology: Refining Hollywood’s
Portrayals
of the Past
Edited by Julie M. Schablitsky
Left Coast Press, 2007, ISBN 978-1-59874-056-1, US
$24.95
Who hasn’t watched at least a few of these films: The
Mummy, The 13th Warrior, Captain Blood, Titanic,
Pocahontas, Dances
with Wolves, Glory, Gangs of New York, or Tombstone?
Ever wonder how much is based on reality? For thirty-five years,
historians
have challenged Hollywood’s depiction of historical events and times,
but
history tells only a portion of the past. Archaeology shows us what
life
was like, and sometimes, much of what we know about a particular period
comes almost totally from such exploration, rather than the historical
record. In Box Office Archaeology, practicing archaeologists,
professors
of archaeology, and doctoral candidates in this field of study compare
films and other media to their factual research.
The book is divided into thirteen chapters:
1. The Way of the Archaeologist
2. Unwrapping the Mummy: Hollywood Fantasies,
Egyptian
Realities
3. Vikings, Vixens, and Valhalla: Hollywood
Depictions
of the Norse
4. A Pirate’s Life for Me! But What Did That Really
Mean?
5. Titanic
6. Voyage from Myth: Return of the Confederate
Submarine
H. L. Hunley
7. Pocahontas Unanimated: The Life of a Powhatan
Princess
8. The Life and Times of the Ever-changing
Hollywood
Indian
9. Imagining Blackness: Archaeological and
Cinematic
Visions of African American Life
10. Five Points on Film: Myth, Urban Archaeology,
and
Gangs of New York
11. Western Boomtowns: The Lost Episodes
12. Contesting Hollywood’s Chinatowns
13. When the Legend Becomes Fact: Reconciling
Hollywood
Realism and Archaeological Realities
The first serves as an introduction to what
archaeologists
do, and those involved in the writing “hope that this book inspires the
public, students, and scholars to recognize the differences between the
mission of the archaeologist and the movie director, yet appreciate the
way we learn more about our past from the study of crumbling ruins,
dusty
archives, and yesterday’s garbage.” The last is a summary of what the
eleven
chapters reveal and the need for archaeologists to find new ways to
interest
people in learning about the past and to make the information they
uncover
more accessible. Each chapter includes a list of resources the authors
consulted. The book also includes an index and a section that explains
why each author is qualified to write on his/her chosen subject.
Why did I select this book to review? I admit to
being
surprised when it came up in a search for pirate books, and its
inclusion
intrigued me enough to visit the publisher’s website to learn more. For
the most part, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Box Office Archaeology
and I learned a lot I didn’t know. I’m not a stranger to the authors on
the chapter about pirates, Charles R. Ewen and Russell K. Skowronek,
for
they edited X
Marks the Spot. “A Pirate’s Life for Me!” looks at the
stereotypes
that pop culture has instilled in us, defines what a pirate is,
introduces
the Golden Age of Piracy, then examines the archaeological
investigations
into the shipwrecks of the Whydah and Queen Anne’s Revenge,
as well as the exploration of Port Royal.
This book is one of those rare examples where
archaeologists
present their findings on a level that most people can readily
understand,
and in a way that makes the subject interesting. Anyone who wants to
know
more about reality versus Hollywood’s interpretation of our cultural
past
will find this book a compelling, eye-opening revelation.
Read
an Excerpt
Review copyrighted © 2009 Cindy Vallar
Shipwrecks, Sea Raiders,
and Maritime
Disasters along the Delmarva Coast 1632-2004
Shipwrecks, Sea Raiders, and Maritime Disasters along
the
Delmarva Coast 1632-2004
By Donald G. Shomette
Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007
ISBN 978-0-8018-8670-6, US $60.00
The Delmarva Coast comprises the shoreline of
three states:
Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. Since 1632 many ships have been lost,
and this book examines the stories behind these losses. Shomette has
scoured
historical records to piece together each vessel’s tale, and presents
the
information, where possible, from the perspective of those who played a
part in the events. The chapters abound with stories about shipwrecks,
pirates, wreckers, blockaders, and privateers, as well as the heroic
efforts
of the U.S. Life Saving Service, men who risked their lives to save
others.
There are also several chapters on the U-boats that patrolled off this
coastal region during World War II. The final chapters examine “some of
the legal, ethical, and cultural problems resulting from the enormous
extant
shipwreck population….”
Interspersed throughout these accounts are
first-person
excerpts of what happened. For example, in January 1650, the master of
the Virginia Merchant marooned his passengers. Henry Norwood, a
barrister, wrote:
In this amazement and confusion of
mind no
words can express did our miserable distress’d party condole with each
other our being so cruelly abandon’d and left to the despairs of human
help, or indeed seeing more the face of man. We entered into a sad
consultation
what course to take; and having, in the first place, by united prayers,
implored the protection of Almighty God, and recommended our miserable
state to the same providence which, in so many instances of mercy, had
been propitious to us at sea… We beheld each other as miserable
wretches
sentenc’d to a lingering death, no man knowing what to propose for
prolonging
life any longer than he was able to fast. (page 12)
These types of quotes are treasures within this
detailed
account of shipwrecks and maritime disasters. One of the most poignant
stories is that of the Faithful Steward, a vessel carrying
emigrants
from Ireland.
An appendix provides a chronological listing of
ships
lost on this stretch of coast. Even in a small print size, this index
covers
nearly twenty-two pages. Extensive chapter notes follow, as does a
selected
resource list, where readers may find additional information, and a
detailed
index.
Shipwrecks, Sea Raiders, and Maritime Disasters
is well written and interesting. With the steep price, this remains
more
a scholarly work that provides invaluable research information in one
volume,
rather than a book for bedtime reading.
See
Inside the Book
Review copyrighted © 2009 Cindy Vallar
Pirate of the Far East
811-1639
Pirate of the Far East 811-1639
By Stephen Turnbull
Illustrated by Richard Hook
Osprey, 2007, ISBN 978-1-84603-174-8, US $17.95 / CAN
$23.00 / £8.39
Part of Osprey’s “Warrior” series, Pirate of
the Far
East introduces readers to Asian pirates, with particular emphasis
on the wokou or wako. This volume describes these sea
raiders,
their daily life, the elements of their raids, and how their victims
attempted
to defend themselves. Three specific examples of the wako in
battle
are also presented. Information about museum exhibits featuring piracy,
other resources to consult, and an index round out this book. A
significant
number of maps, paintings, photographs, and scrolls illustrate Pirate
of the Far East.
This is a concise, easy-to-read introduction to a
subject
often ignored in pirate history, even though Asian pirates predate the
more infamous Caribbean rogues by centuries. Both the author and
illustrator
show how those of the Far East differed from later western pirates
through
example and description. For those interested in a region where piracy
still intrudes into the safe navigation of the world’s waterways or
those
who wish to broaden their knowledge of history, I heartily recommend
this
book.
Review copyrighted © 2008 Cindy Vallar
Pirate Ghosts & Phantom
Ships
Pirate Ghosts & Phantom Ships
By Thomas D’Agostino
Schiffer Publishing, 2008, ISBN 978-0-7643-2744-5, US
$14.95
It’s said that pirates laughed in the face of
death. They
understood their lives tended to be short and merry. But what about
after
they died? Some, apparently, didn’t find restful repose. They continue
to haunt the places where they perpetrated their crimes, and the
islands
and coast of New England seem to be particular favorites for these
eerie
specters. Sometimes, though, it’s not the ghosts that appear, but
rather
apparitions of sailing ships lost at sea. This collection of stories
introduces
readers to legendary hauntings, such as the Screeching Lady of
Marblehead,
Don Pedro and Ocean Born Mary, the ghostly crew of the Charles
Haskell,
and Samuel Bellamy and Maria Hallett.
Only a few of these tales will be known to most
readers,
which make them fresh and all the more eerie. Black-and-white
photographs
show where the sightings take place, and the fact that the author
visited
each one adds a touch of realism that makes you think twice about going
yourself. Pirate Ghosts & Phantom Ships is a perfect book
for
reading and sharing on a dark and stormy night where a flash of light
sends
shivers up your spine or a loud clap makes you jump. Do you dare?
View
Sample Pages
Review copyrighted © 2008 Cindy Vallar
A New Voyage Round the World
A New Voyage Round the World
By William Dampier
1500 Books, 2007, ISBN 978-1933698-04-5, $19.95
Three times William Dampier sailed around the
world, quite
an accomplishment in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. On his
first
voyage (1679), he did so as a buccaneer and privateer, but it was the
journal
he kept that earned him his fame. Within its pages he recorded
fascinating
details about the flora, fauna, lands, and peoples he encountered, as
well
as his nautical and pirating adventures. He downplays the latter, for
he
admits to not taking “any pleasure in relating them,” doing so only to
acquaint the reader with how he came to have the opportunities to
acquaint
himself with the former. He eventually returned to England and turned
his
journal into a book that was published in 1697.
This edition of Dampier’s work includes an
introduction
by Kris Lane and a list of books for those who wish to read more about
Dampier, his times, the writings of fellow buccaneers, and the writings
of other authors whom he influenced. Since his initial audience was
English,
he “used such names as are familiar to our English seamen, and those of
our colonies abroad….” 1500 Books retains the original punctuation,
abbreviations,
and language Dampier used, but used modern spellings and
capitalization,
as well as large print, to make the book far more readable than Dover
Publication’s
1968 reprint entitled Memoirs of a Buccaneer. It, however,
lacks
the chapter summaries, maps, charts, and index. Another plus for the
1500
Books’ edition is that this publisher used the sixth edition of
Dampier’s
original work, first published in 1717, whereas Dover’s comes from a
1927
reprint.
In spite of having appeared in print more than
three centuries
ago, A New Voyage Round the World remains as captivating and
compelling
a travelogue as it did when it first appeared in print. Opening the
pages
takes the reader back in time to an exotic world few people of
Dampier’s
time knew of, providing us with a fresh look at has become commonplace.
A
Buccaneer More Interested in Nature than Gold
William
Dampier: The Weather Pirate
Review copyrighted © 2008 Cindy Vallar
Eight Thousand Years of
Maltese Maritime
History
Eight Thousand Years of Maltese Maritime History
Trade, Piracy, and Naval Warfare in the Central
Mediterranean
By Ayse Devrim Atauz
University Press of Florida, 2008, ISBN
978-0-8130-3179-8,
$69.95
In recounting the maritime history of Malta, this
book
examines economic, military, political, and social facets to provide a
comprehensive understanding for the reader. The islands’ strategic
location
means the country is often beset by invaders, be they pirates or
soldiers.
The 8,000 years begin with the Phoenicians who settled there through
the
250 years that the Order of Saint John (commonly referred to as the
Knights
of Malta), who were headquartered on Malta, and beyond. The intended
audience
comprises anyone interested in Malta’s history from the general reader
to scholars and historians. This volume’s primary focus is the people
and
islands, rather than the invaders, and the author examines
archaeological
and primary documents, as well as secondary and archival materials, to
piece together this nation’s maritime history and whether it was as
strategically
important as history has lead us to believe.
The book is divided into seven chronological
chapters,
with particular emphasis on the period involving the Order of Saint
John.
The sixth chapter focuses on the islands’ population from 1530 through
1798 and the last chapter concerns the author’s conclusions based on
her
research. Interspersed throughout are tables, maps, and charts. An
afterword
discusses Malta’s history since the turn of the 19th century. This is
followed
by four appendices that look at an underwater survey in which Atauz
participated,
the ships of the Order, and its major naval activities and forces. The
book concludes with extensive notes, a bibliography, and an index.
While there isn’t a particular chapter devoted to
pirates,
they are discussed throughout, and the reader should remember that at
times
members of the Order of Saint John can be so classified. The Maltese
islands’
distance from major Mediterranean trade routes made it an ideal
location
for a pirate haven. Among the rogues discussed are Margarito of
Brindisi,
Giacomo de Pellegrino of Messina, and Ingarao and Antoni Desguanesch.
Another
fascinating aspect to the maritime history is the spread of bubonic
plague
during the 14th century and how Malta dealt with this crisis. This is
an
enlightening and interesting book to read and, when done, the reader
has
a far better understanding of the Maltese islands and their maritime
history.
Review copyrighted © 2008 Cindy Vallar
The View from the Masthead
The View from the Masthead
Maritime Imagination and Antebellum American Sea
Narratives
By Hester Blum
University of North Carolina Press, 2008, ISBN
978-0-8078-5855-4,
$22.95
Remember back in high school when you had to read
excerpts
of American literature? They ranged from colonial offerings to those of
the 19th or early 20th centuries. Most likely the only sea story in
this
collection was Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, yet many other
maritime
accounts exist. Hester Blum examines sailors’ accounts of their voyages
and experiences, particularly during the first half of the 19th
century.
Divided into two parts, the book explores “The Sea Narrative and
Sailors’
Literary Culture” and “Maritime Epistemology and Crisis.” Part one,
which
concentrates on history, contrasts early narratives of Barbary captives
with those of later seamen, and discusses naval memoirs and the
literary
marketplace of the period. The second half of the book, which
concentrates
on the theoretical, explains the “Sea Eye,” writings on the Galapagos
Islands
and how maritime fiction evolved, and “Death and Burial at Sea.” She
intersperses
samplings from first-person narratives. The authors discussed are both
well known and unknown: James Fenimore Cooper, Herman Melville, Charles
Darwin, William Dampier, Richard Henry Dana, Charles Barnard, Ned
Buntline,
Owen Chase, and John R. Jewitt.
This book gives voice to a body of works often
forgotten
or unknown, and in so doing, Blum introduces us to what it was like to
have been a sailor from his perspective. She also explores his
philosophical
side, for being at sea provided him with periods of inner reflection.
One
particular discussion that interested me involved the “to use or not
use
nautical language” argument – a consideration maritime writers continue
to face today. Also important in this study is that Blum concentrates
on
the narratives of working sailors (the common man), rather than ships’
officers. The inclusion of passages from this body of works enriches
the
reader’s experience. As she traces the evolution of sea narratives,
Blum
also introduces the reader to such changes in sailors’ lives as
literacy
and welfare. The View from the Masthead is a fascinating
examination
of a body of literature too long ignored. Who knows, maybe more of
those
students in American Lit classes would be captivated by the early
literature
if teachers incorporated tales of the sea into their studies.
Review copyrighted © 2008 Cindy Vallar
Violence at Sea
Violence at Sea: Piracy in the Age of Global Terrorism
edited by Peter Lehr
Routledge, 2007, ISBN 0-415-95320-0, US $125.00
Although some history books lead readers to assume
that
piracy ended by the twentieth century, it never really disappeared.
Other
topics merely took precedence because it wasn’t as major a problem as
it
had been in the past. In the last several decades, however, there has
been
an increase in pirate attacks. After September eleventh, fears that
pirates
and terrorists might combine forces have brought maritime piracy to a
higher
level of focus. This collection of eleven essays explores these topics
from a variety of perspectives.
The first three essays discuss where the piratical
threat
is high and why. While political unrest is key, it remains only one
factor
that has led to the upsurge in attacks.
- Somalia: Pirates’ New Paradise by Peter
Lehr
and Hendrick
Lehmann
- Sea Piracy in South Asia by Vijay Sakhuia
- Piracy in Maritime Asia: Current Trends by
Graham Gerard
Ong-Webb
The next series expounds on how pirates take
advantage of
the opportunities that permit them to successfully – for the most part
– conduct their raids. Several authors also compare and contrast those
groups that feature aspects of both piracy and terrorism.
- Compound Piracy at Sea in the Early
Twenty-First Century:
A Tactical to Operational-Level Perspective on Contemporary Multiphase
Piratical Methodology by Rupert Herbert Burns
- The Abu Sayyaf Group: Threat of Maritime
Piracy
and Terrorism
by Rommel C. Banlaoi
- The Emerging Nexus between Piracy and
Maritime
Terrorism
in Southeast Asia Waters: A Case Study on the Gerakan Aceh Merdeka
(GAM)
by Jeffrey Chen
The final four essays examine how governments and
people
have reacted to the increased attacks, and what the near future holds
as
it relates to piracy and terrorism. An essential component of this
examination
is whether or not the antipiracy measures that have been adopted have
helped
or hindered the worldwide efforts to suppress this maritime threat.
- Piracy and UNCLOS: Does International Law
Help
Regional States
Combat Piracy? by Martin Murphy
- The International Politics of Combating
Piracy
in Southeast
Asia by Chris Rahman
- Pirates, Renegades, and Fishermen: The
Politics
of “Sustainable”
Piracy in the Strait of Malacca by J. N. Mak
- Piracy and Maritime Terrorism: Naval
Responses
to Existing
and Emerging Threats to the Global Seaborne Economy by Robert Snoddon
- Outlook: The New Threat of Maritime
Terrorism
by Sam Bateman
All the essays are informative and cause the reader
think
about the problems facing mariners and nations. A few are pedantic,
making
it difficult for the reader to follow the discussion, but most are easy
to understand. The question as to whether terrorism and piracy are the
same or different is covered from both perspectives, allowing readers
to
formulate their own conclusions. Charts, graphs, resources, and an
index
are included, as are the contributors’ qualifications for their writing
on these particular subjects. One caveat that readers should keep in
mind
is that some of statistics and facts aren’t up-to-date. This in no way
detracts from the value of the book, especially for those who don’t
keep
abreast of modern-day piracy.
For me, one of the most thought-provoking
statements in
all the essays appears in Robert Snoddon’s “Piracy and Maritime
Terrorism:
Naval Responses to Existing and Emerging Threats to the Global Seaborne
Economy.” It epitomizes how many people view piracy and explains why
this
threat remains a danger to anyone who sails the waters of our world.
“[Maritime
terrorism events] that have occurred have been particularly lethal, and
the incidents have spurred governments into taking direct action,
whereas
reported acts of piracy appear to spur governments only to pontificate
about who the perpetrators are. In some areas piracy is considered an
annoying
activity that is ignored in the hope that, sooner or later, it will go
away.”
Review copyrighted © 2008 Cindy Vallar
Shipwrecks and Lost Treasures
Outer
Banks
Shipwrecks and Lost Treasures Outer Banks: Legends
and
Lore, Pirates and More!
By Bob Brooke
Globe Pequot Press, 2008, ISBN 978-0-7627-4507-4, US
$14.95, CAN $18.95
Barrier islands stretching from Virginia to Cape
Lookout,
the Outer Banks have witnessed more than one hundred shipwrecks and is
known as the “Graveyard of the Atlantic.” This collection of stories
recounts
twenty-four of those disasters between 1822 and 1912. It also provides
a glimpse at the heroic deeds of those who helped rescue the victims.
The
final chapter discusses the wrecking of and search for the Queen
Anne’s
Revenge, Blackbeard’s flag ship. Also included are a map depicting
the locations of the shipwrecks, a glossary of nautical terms, and a
list
of additional resources. Paul G. Hoffman did the black-and-white
illustrations
that accompany the tales.
Rather than just a recitation of facts, these
narratives
unfold like short stories and mix dialogue with description. This makes
the events more vivid and harrowing, and, for the most part, the author
achieves his goal. A few stories, though, seem unfinished or lacking in
suspense. They are presented in chronological order, which means the
more
gripping accounts are scattered throughout. Readers will need to read
more
than the first tale before being transported to the deck of a ship and
becoming an eyewitness to the events that unfold.
Review copyrighted © 2008 Cindy Vallar
Maritime Exploration in
the
Age of Discovery, 1415-1800
Maritime Exploration in the Age of Discovery,
1415-1800
By Ronald S. Love
Greenwood Press, 2006, ISBN 0-313-32043-8, $45.00 /
£25.95
Written by an associate professor of history, this
book
is part of a series that examines historic events between 1500 and
1900.
This particular volume concentrates on the search for a quicker passage
to Asia and its exotic offerings, as well as the new territories those
sea adventurers discovered in the process. It readily acknowledges that
Europeans weren’t the first to venture far from their shores, or even
to
make astonishing discoveries, but they were the first to capitalize on
them on a grand scale, and their achievements forever changed the world
and impacted history. Prior to the voyages of the Portuguese and
Spanish
explorers, the various world cultures were isolated from each other.
These
discoverers, who ventured farther afield into new arenas, were the
initiators
of global commerce, which remains an important aspect of our lives
today.
The book is divided into sections, the first being
a timeline
of noteworthy events from 1249 through 1791. Chapter one provides an
overview,
while the next four chapters examine “Portugal and the Search for a Sea
Route to Asia,” “Spain and the Discovery of a New World,”
“Circumnavigation
and the Search for a Northern Passage to China,” and “Exploration of
the
Great South Sea.” While William Dampier is included in the narrative,
he
doesn’t appear in the “Biographies: Personalities of the Age of
Discovery”
section. Prior to the glossary, annotated bibliography, and index, Love
shares a number of primary documents related to this period of history.
These include a poem, letters, and excerpts from original manuscripts
(including
Sir Francis Drake’s The World Encompassed, Dampier’s A New
Voyage
Round the World, and Woodes Rogers’ journal).
Contrary to the more usual Eurocentric
presentations on
the Age of Discovery, Maritime Exploration provides a balanced
approach
while setting the subject within the historical context in which the
events
occurred. The book is geared toward students in high school and the
early
years of college, but is equally valuable to the general reader who
wishes
to learn about the men and voyages whose initial purpose was to find
gateways
to increase commerce, but eventually devolved into the quest for land,
riches, and world domination. While an interesting presentation,
enriched
by the inclusion of primary resources, this isn’t an absorbing history.
For those looking for a well-rounded examination of and having an
interest
in the Age of Discovery, this is an informative introduction.
Review copyrighted © 2008 Cindy Vallar
Dead Men Tell No Tales
Dead Men Tell No Tales: The Lives and Legends of the
Pirate Charles Gibbs
By Joseph Gibbs
University of South Carolina Press, 2007, ISBN
978-1-57003-693-4,
$29.95
In 1831 Charles Gibbs was hanged at Ellis Island
for piracy.
Between the time of his trial and execution, he allowed tidbits of
information
about himself to leak out. At one point he confessed that his real name
was James D. Jeffers. Dead Men Tell No Tales attempts to
separate
the fact from the myth in an effort to learn about the real man behind
the bloodthirsty legends that Charles Gibbs became. While documentary
evidence
concerning the trial and the final days of his life exists, it is far
more
difficult to step further back in time to determine the facts about his
earlier life. Some question remains as to whether Jeffers was his real
name. Even the information he supplied was laced with contradictions
and
inconsistencies. As the author writes in the epilogue, “James Jeffers
claimed
that his goal was not to cover his crimes, but to shield his identity.
If so, he succeeded. Today the Jeffers name is little known in pirate
history
while Charles Gibbs still catches enthusiasts’ imagination.”
Sifting through historical documents to unravel
facts
from legends is tedious work, but sometimes the gems discovered make
the
diligence worthwhile. While the author’s journey leaves more questions
than answers, and at times the account seems to get sidetracked, Dead
Men Tell No Tales contains a wealth of information on Caribbean
piracy
in the nineteenth century. Few books explore this period of piratical
history,
and fewer still dare to compare the villains of this era with their
counterparts
a century earlier. Joseph Gibbs does both and does it well. The
inclusion
of footnotes, sources consulted, and a detailed index provide ready
access
to the history and people mentioned in the book. Readers seeking to
learn
more about the notorious pirate may be disappointed, but those yearning
to become better acquainted with the Caribbean marauders of the 1800s
will
find their appetites sated.
Review copyrighted © 2008 Cindy Vallar
Wolf of the Deep
Wolf of the Deep: Raphael Semmes and the Notorious
Confederate
Raider CSS Alabama
By Stephen Fox
Alfred A. Knopf, 2007, ISBN 978-1-4000-4429-0, US
$25.95,
CAN $34.00
Semmes has been a wolf of the deep
For many a day to harmless sheep;
Ships he scuttled and robbed and burned,
Watches pilfered and pockets burned.
George H. Boker wrote these words in 1864 about
the most
successful commander of a notorious Confederate raider during the
American
Civil War. This verse, written by a Northerner, captures Union
sentiments
towards Semmes, whom they deemed a pirate, and his menacing vessel. Wolf
of the Deep is the story of this Confederate captain and his
vessel,
and the impact they had on Union shipping and morale. It also showcases
the opposite sentiments expressed by Southerners, as Edward C. Bruce
did
when he penned:
She bears the name of a noble State, and sooth
she
bears it well.
To us she hath made it a word of pride, to the
Northern
ear a knell.
To the Puritan in the busy mart, the Puritan on
his
deck,
With “Alabama” visions start of ruin, woe, and
wreck.
Stephen Fox opens the story in July 1862 as Semmes
awaits
a ship that will take him to England, for that is where vessel 290
is being built. Although not a die-hard southerner – he lived in the
border
state of Maryland – Semmes eventually moved his family to Alabama.
During
one of the long separations from his wife, Anne – who came from an
upstanding
Northern family – he wrote, “But whatever may betide them [their sons]
or me, my dear wife, you must keep ever present to your mind, that we
are
engaged in a holy cause, fighting for all that is dear to man.” When
strangers
met the captain, they were disappointed, for he never measured up to
their
images of an infamous pirate or dedicated officer.
Built in the Laird shipyard, the 290 was
designed
to remain at sea for long periods and carried sufficient armament for
her
to successfully attack Union merchantmen. She was powered by both sail
and steam. When Semmes first saw her, he compared her to the “lightness
and grace of a swan.” He named her CSS Alabama and convinced
some
of the British sailors to join him and his officers in their raids in
exchange
for shares of the plunder. In the first two months of their cruise,
they
burned twenty vessels and released three others because too many
passengers
were aboard or their holds carried cargo of neutral nations. To the
North,
the cruiser couldn’t be caught and was ghostlike, for she seemed to
strike
everywhere. His success impacted northern morale and disrupted Union
commerce
so much that many ship owners sold their vessels to foreign entities.
Semmes didn’t immediately resign his commission in
the
American navy, but he eventually embraced the war. Although principally
a story of the man and his vessel, this book also tells the tale of
American
efforts (both for and against the Union) in Britain and how devastating
his raids were on the Union. Fox also shows the differences in which
Northerners
and Southerners viewed the commerce raider’s actions and how Semmes’
success
led to problems aboard his vessel. These would eventually cause her
downfall
at the hands of the USS Kearsage, but not before the Alabama
had captured sixty-five vessels and traveled 75,000 miles all in the
space
of twenty-two months.
Wolf of the Deep is a fascinating
examination of
a man maligned in Union newspapers and heralded in Confederate ones.
Quotes
from primary and contemporary sources compel the reader to see the
people
and events from various viewpoints, rather than providing a narrow
glimpse
that is one-sided and prejudicial. Fox demonstrates that Semmes
understood
that to defeat the enemy, the Confederacy needed to strike where the
Union
was most vulnerable – its commercial shipping. The author dares to show
how Semmes adapted to the changing times by depicting him as a person
with
foibles, strengths, weaknesses, and quirks, rather than as either a
hero
or a villain. This book is a must read for fans of Civil War history
and
maritime history as steam began to replace sail.
Read
an Excerpt
CSS
Alabama Digital Collection
Review copyrighted © 2008 Cindy Vallar
The Pirate Queen
The Pirate Queen: Queen Elizabeth I, Her Pirate
Adventurers,
and the Dawn of Empire
By Susan Ronald
HarperCollins, 2007, ISBN 978-0-06-082066-4, US
$26.95,
CAN $33.95
Divided into four parts, The Pirate Queen
begins
with Elizabeth’s ascent to the English throne on the death of Bloody
Mary.
She soon learns that her half-sister has bankrupted the royal treasury
and with the kingdom in peril from outsiders – in particular the
Catholic
Philip, King of Spain – Elizabeth sets in motion policies to defend her
country and people and to replenish her coffers. This book is primarily
about the relationship between the queen and her Sea Dogs, and how she
successfully “fuse[d] the colossal and diverging egos of her gentlemen
and merchant adventurers while enforcing her personal will for the
protection
and security of England.” Within its pages the reader meets Richard
Hawkins,
Martin Frobisher, Francis Drake, and Walter Raleigh, among others.
There
are two appendices – Doctor John Dee’s essay on “The Petty Navy Royal”
and a typical report on the “Flotilla of New Spain” – a glossary,
bibliographical
essay and suggested readings, and a substantial index.
Those readers seeking a biography of the Virgin
Queen
should look elsewhere, for there are only brief mentions of her life in
this book. Those desiring to learn more about the Sea Dogs and their
rise
to power need look no further, for this is a comprehensive introduction
to them and their adventures. It is also a rare, yet readable, look at
the chess moves, failures, and successes that laid the foundation for
England
to become an empire and eventually rule the seas. Ronald’s source
material
for the book includes a myriad of primary and secondary resources, as
well
as thousands of letters that Elizabeth and her pirates exchanged.
Visit The
Pirate Queen
Meet
Susan Ronald
Review copyrighted © 2008 Cindy Vallar
Caribbean Pirates
Caribbean Pirates: A Treasure Chest of Fact, Fiction,
and Folklore
By George Beahm
Hampton Roads, 2007, ISBN 978-1-57174-541-5, US $16.95
Concentrating on pirates from the Golden Age, this
book
explores the myths and realities of piracy using the trilogy of Pirates
of the Caribbean movies to introduce the various topics the author
explores.
Section I comprises forty-one points of fact and fiction and highlights
the articles of agreement crafted by John Phillips’ men. Section II
covers
the finer points of being a pirate and places where pirates can go to
have
fun on land and at sea. At the end of this section is a quiz to test
your
pirate I. Q. The final section, also called the appendix, features
various
ports of call in print, the media, and online.
The layout is easy on the eyes. The book is a fast
read.
Color photographs and black-and-white illustrations delight the eye and
exemplify what the text explains. The I. Q. test is well conceived and
tests a vast array of knowledge, although a few subjects aren’t really
covered in the text. Sometimes the wording of questions is a bit hazy,
but anyone who reads before he/she answers the questions can easily
earn
the rank of captain or quartermaster. The author is to be commended for
including great explanations of the right answers, rather than just
listing
whether they’re true or false.
When you open a treasure chest, you never know
what’s
inside. You hope to find riches beyond your imagination, but sometimes
the booty is a hodgepodge. This is the case with Caribbean Pirates.
For me, it was a breath of fresh air because it’s unlike the usual
historical
pirate books I read. On the other hand, Wikipedia is not a reliable
source
for quoting information from, and I came across some factual errors
that
someone unfamiliar with pirates won’t realize are falsehoods.
- Although flogging was incorporated into
pirate
articles,
this punishment was not routine among pirates because many suffered the
lash when legitimate sailors.
- The only crew member not required to sign
the
articles, whether
forced or not, was the surgeon. All others, including forced artisans,
either signed or faced whatever fate the pirates decreed for those who
refused to join them.
- The man who buried treasure on Gardner’s
island
was William
Kidd, not Thomas Kidd.
- I was also puzzled by the statement, “Port
Royal…had a very
unsavory reputation prior to the establishment of English rule.” While
the government in England spent more time ignoring the islands, they
did
send men to rule there during the time that it developed its unsavory
reputation.
- If pirates waited until a ship was level to
fire their guns,
their prey would be long gone. The constant movement of the waves
prevents
the ship from being level, and ropes were used to keep the guns from
rolling
around the deck.
- If there wasn’t a surgeon on board, it was
the
carpenter
who performed amputations, not the cook.
In spite of these mistakes, Caribbean Pirates
does
a superb job in pointing out where Hollywood and reality differ. I
often
get asked by those who see one of the POTC movies whether something
really
happened. This book is a ready reference for answering those questions.
It also contains some priceless lines, such as in the definition of a
cooper:
He made casks and maintained them at
sea to
insure their integrity, since they were the principal means to store
water,
rum, food, and gunpowder. (Think Tupperware without its sealing
advantages.)
The last sentence vividly creates an image that
anyone today
can readily understand. Something not covered in most compendia on
pirates
is cruises you and/or your family can take to get just a wee taste of
life
at sea. While the list of festivals, books, and films is by no means
inclusive,
I was surprised to see the omission of one movie classic, Captain
Blood,
starring Errol Flynn. The annotated list of websites is fairly
extensive,
and even includes Thistles & Pirates, for which I thank the
author.
Caribbean Pirates is not for everyone.
Those looking
for histories should seek other resources. Those who are seriously
considering
taking on a pirate persona or are intrigued with the reality versus the
myth in piratical movies will find a treasure chest full of information
that will prove valuable for years to come.
Review copyrighted © 2008 Cindy Vallar
The Spanish Main
1492-1800
The Spanish Main 1492-1800
by René Chartrand
illustrated by Donato Spedaliere
Osprey, 2006, ISBN 1-84603-005-6, US $16.95, CAN
$23.95
The wealth Spain discovered in the New World
brought pirates
to the Caribbean. The buccaneers didn’t confine their attacks to the
treasure
galleons. They also raided land bases. This threat impacted how the
Spanish
protected their towns and citizens. The Spanish Main examines
the
fortresses, some of which can be visited today, and how they evolved
over
the centuries.
“Administrative organization” covers the viceroys,
captains-general,
and king’s engineers. “Castles in America” concentrates on the
establishment
of the various fortresses and town planning. “Corsairs, pirates and
convoys”
examines the treasure fleet convoy system, defense squadrons, the
French
Huguenots, and English pirates. Subsequent chapters look at the
fortification
plan of 1588, the Spanish Main in the 17th century, defense of the
territory
in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the garrisons that manned the
defenses.
Also included are a chronology, a brief look at the forts today, a
glossary,
a bibliography, and an index. Diagrams, maps, and pictures accompany
the
text throughout.
This book isn’t for those searching for
information on
life in colonial Spain, but rather a concise examination of Spain’s
defenses
– design, technology, and history – in the New World. While pirates are
not the primary focus, their activities greatly impacted how she
protected
her towns, people, and treasure, and they are examined in this context.
The
Spanish Main presents Latin American history from a different
perspective
than that usually found in books focusing on pirates. The colorful
diagrams
provide excellent glimpses into places lost or changed over time. This
is a worthy read for those interested in the “other side.”
Book Review Copyright © 2007 Cindy Vallar
Quelch’s Gold
Quelch’s Gold: Piracy, Greed, and Betrayal in
Colonial
New England
By Clifford Beal
Praeger, 2007, ISBN 978-0-275-99407-5, US $44.95, UK
£25.95
Potomac Books, 2008, ISBN 978-1-59797-233-8, US $16.95
In 1703 the Charles, a brigantine,
mysteriously
set sail from Marblehead, Massachusetts. She returned ten months later,
and her captain and most of her crew found themselves under arrest for
piracy. Within the pages of this book, Clifford Beal explores the case
of John Quelch and the government officials involved in his arrest and
trial, for some consider what happened to be “the first case of
judicial
murder in America.”
Divided into three sections, the book explores the
crime,
the pursuit, and the punishment and reward. The account is absorbing
and
well-researched, but at times the author interrupts the flow to provide
important information to help place the events into their proper time
and
place. Perhaps a different rendering might have enabled readers to
better
follow the story. In spite of this, Beal deftly weaves a tale of
intrigue
and abuse by authorities to prosecute Quelch for piracy.
View
the Table of Contents and Read an Excerpt
Book review copyrighted © 2007 Cindy Vallar
The Government Manual for New
Pirates
The Government Manual for New Pirates
By Matthew David Brozik and Jacob Sager Weinstein
Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2007, ISBN
978-0-7407-6790-6,
US $10.95
When you first pick up this book, you might ask
yourself
why the government would publish a how-to book for pirates? After all,
pirates detest government – it goes against most of what they believe.
It isn’t long before the scurvy dogs who penned this book explain that
while “[t]he radish-eatin’ land Government don’t dare publish
no
manual for us, no, but the Pirate Government got no such
qualms.”
Of course, you’re off to a bad start in learning how to be a pirate if
buy this book – true pirates only acquire treasure through stealing.*
Slightly larger than a pocket guidebook, this
manual is
divided into eight chapters of information every pirate-in-training
needs
to learn. Chapter 1 helps you locate pirates, including ways to avoid
the
land and where to find the best hot spots in Tortuga, Hispaniola, and
other
Caribbean islands. Chapter 2 addresses appropriate attire from heads to
pegs, as well as accessories and what not to wear. Chapter 3 provides
instruction
in how to talk like a pirate, while the next one discusses pirate
ships,
covering such information as good and bad names, parts of the vessel,
and
dangers that lurk in the oceans’ depths. Chapters 5 and 6 recount the
guidelines
pirates should abide by and how to fight in true piratical style. The
final
two chapters explain how pirates amuse themselves and how they locate
buried
treasure. There are also four appendices – lyrics to popular pirate
chanteys,
a nontraditional chantey attributed to Po’beard, a favorite pirate
recipe,
and an eye patch. The book is indexed.
If you’ve not guessed by now, this manual is a
tongue-in-cheek
look at the world of pirates. Many sections will have you smiling or
laughing.
A few might make you groan. There’s a fair amount of truth interwoven
into
the text, but the information about tricorne and bicorne hats is
backward.
(Golden age pirates would have worn the former, while Napoleon and
Admiral
Nelson sported the latter.) There are a few sections where it’s wise to
stay alert, especially if the text starts to bore you, for that’s when
you may discover a hidden message. My two favorite sections are “Speak
in the Manner of a Pirate,” which includes “A Very Complex and
Intimidating
Statistical Equation,” and Appendix A, which has a new version of “99
Bottles
of Beer on the Wall.” (If you thought the old one was mind-numbing,
wait
until you sing this one!) Even the book’s cover contains important
information
for readers. Great for learning a bit more about true pirattitude – as
long as you don’t take the advice too seriously.
Visit
the Salt-Soaked Brotherhood o’ Pirates
*Disclaimer: As an author, I recommend purchasing
this
book or borrowing it from your library, rather than pilfering it. This
paragraph merely recounts what the authors of the book wrote.
Book review copyrighted © 2007 Cindy Vallar
Pirates? The Politics of
Plunder,
1550-1650
Pirates? The Politics of Plunder, 1550-1650
edited by Claire Jowitt
Palgrave Macmillan, 2007, ISBN 0-230-00327-3, US
$65.00
This book is not your ordinary exploration of
piracy.
Rather it attempts to put pirates into the context of their time period
so we understand how people of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
saw them. Were they political or sexual radicals? Did they disrupt
trade
and culture as much as history says? Or were they mere players in a
changing
world where religion and politics were often inseparable? The ten
scholarly
essays also explore how one country’s privateers were another country’s
pirates. These questions are answered by examining primary literary
documents
and books. Not only is the cultural phenomenon explored, but so are the
pirates in different regions, including Ireland, the Americas, the
Barbary
States, Spain, and England. The essays also discuss how national
politics
and particular interest groups shaped how people saw pirates.
Divided into three sections, this collection first
defines
piracy then examines various perspectives with particular emphasis on
politics
and cultural works, and how pirates impacted society after they died.
1. ‘Hostis Humani Generis’ – The
Pirate
as Outlaw in the Early Modern Law of the Sea. Christopher Harding, a
law
professor at the University of Wales, examines the legal perception of
piracy between 1550 and 1650. He compares how we define piracy today
with
how it was defined in the past, before pirates were seen as criminals
against
all mankind.
2. The Problem of Piracy in Ireland, 1570-1630.
John C.
Appleby, who lectures in history at Liverpool Hope University College,
discusses the upsurge in piracy in Ireland, including social and
economic
aspects, and how England responded to the problem.
3. Piracy and Captivity in the Early Modern
Mediterranean:
The Perspective from Barbary. Nabil Matar, an English professor and
head
of the Humanities and Communication Department at Florida Institute of
Technology, provides a unique look at Barbary piracy – not from the
perspective
of Christian victims, but through the eyes of Muslim victims. He
explains
who the Muslim captives were and how their accounts have survived.
4. Crusading Piracy? The Curious Case of the
Spanish in
the Channel, 1590-95. Matthew Dimmock, a Lecturer in English at the
University
of Sussex, takes a little-known narrative and looks at methods of
plundering
as well as issues dealing with holy war and religious and national
identities.
In doing so he offers insights into politics, mercantilism, theology,
and
national concerns in England, Spain, and the Ottoman Empire.
5. Acting Pirates: Converting A Christian
Turned Turk.
A lecturer at the University of Reading, March Hutchings specializes in
early modern theatre and drama in performance. His essay discusses the
connection between piracy and religion by looking at a play about John
Ward, a Christian who “turned Turk” and became a successful Barbary
corsair.
His focus is on the staging of the play and how acting and conversion
helps
us understand the play.
6. ‘We are not pirates’: Piracy and Navigation
in The
Lusiads. Bernhard Klein, a Reader in Literature at the University
of
Essex, sheds light on the charges and denials of piracy in an epic poem
from Portugal about Vasco da Gama as he explored the African and Indian
coasts.
7. Virolet and Martia the Pirate’s Daughter:
Gender and
Genre in Fletcher and Massinger’s The Double Marriage. Lucy
Munro,
a Lecturer in English at Keele University, on the other hand, looks at
the links between gender and piracy in a play that incorporates a
female
pirate and involves her in issues dealing with politics and tyranny.
8. Sir Francis Drake’s Ghost: Piracy, Cultural
Memory,
and Spectral Nationhood. Mark Netzloff, Associate Professor of English
at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, explores the various images
of
Drake that existed during his lifetime and how these conflicting images
were used for competing political ends.
9. Scaffold Performances: The Politics of Pirate
Execution.
Claire Jowitt is an English professor at Nottingham Trent University,
who
explores the behavior of and words spoken by pirates prior to their
executions
as they pertain to politics, either supporting or undermining the
government.
10. Of Pirates, Slaves, and Diplomats:
Anglo-American
Writing about the Maghrib in the Age of Empire. An English Professor at
the University of York, Gerald MacLean goes beyond the time parameters
of this book to discuss how American literature, written soon after
independence,
appropriated Elizabethan images of piracy and attitudes toward Barbary
Corsairs to influence America’s foreign policy with Algiers.
There is much to learn here, although the
scholarliness of
the essays at time makes it difficult to comprehend what the authors
are
saying. Many of the documents examined and the accounts related aren’t
found in other works. It is an excellent examination into how the world
viewed piracy from a variety of perspectives from 1550 to 1650. The
weakest
chapter, as regards inclusion within this tome, is the last because it
strays outside the historical framework of the book. Readers with
either
a particular interest in this time period or literature will find much
to satisfy them, as long as they understand this is a scholarly work.
The
notes and selected bibliography allow readers to further explore
varying
aspects of piracy and early literature.
Book review copyrighted © 2007 Cindy Vallar
The Brutal Seas
The Brutal Seas: Organised Crime at Work
by Douglas Stewart
AuthorHouse, 2006, ISBN 978-1-4259-8710-7, $14.50
(Also available in German under the title Piraten)
A solicitor and author, Douglas Stewart explores
the world
of maritime piracy and organized crime in this non-fiction book that
begins:
Even as you read this book, mariners
somewhere
are being attacked by armed pirates, their faces masked and the weapons
deadly. Some may be murdered, tortured, seized as a hostage or simply
dumped
overboard to sink or swim. Attacks have become increasingly violent,
the
profits of crime ever greater. International law enforcement has yet to
show sufficient concerted will to beat organized crime at sea.
The idea for this book came about as he was
researching a
novel. It is one of the few books on maritime crime that explores
piracy,
terrorism, and organized crime syndicates in a single volume.
The book is divided into ten chapters:
- “Organised Crime, Corruption and Murder:
Pirates
at Work”
examines the attack on the mv Baltimar Zephyr, Chinese triads,
and
the mysterious world of Mr. Wong.
- “Mass Murder? The Loss of Car Ferry mv
Estonia”
explores
what is known and not known about the sinking of this boat with a high
loss of life.
- “Swimming with Sharks: The Tragedy of the Lisa
Marie”
is about a maritime fraud case involving a cargo of cigarettes.
- “Piracy in Port: A Tale of Two Guns” looks at
several instances
of piracy, including the raid that resulted in the death of Peter
Blake,
and whether guns should be carried on ships and boats as a defense
against
attacks.
- “Shipping Fraud of the Century? The Salem
Scam Unravelled”
discusses a crime arranged by Greek shippers in an attempt to profit
from
a cargo of oil.
- “Death Doesn’t Matter: The mv Lucona”
details how
an Austrian arranged for a vessel and her cargo to be blown up at sea
without
regard to the crew aboard.
- “The Chinese Enigma” examines two pirate
attacks
on cargo
vessels and China’s role in abetting and curbing maritime piracy.
- “People-Smuggling and the Shame of Rape
Island”
discusses
the trafficking of humans, piratical attacks on boat people, and the
wanton
rape of innocent women enslaved for the pirates’ pleasure.
- “Bodies in the Fridge: The Phantom Journeys
of Erria
Inge”
explores the hijacking of a cargo vessel and the mystery of the bodies
found in her hold once she finally resurfaced.
- “Terrorism at Sea: When and Not If”
attempts
to assess the danger, evaluate the safety of maritime trade and travel
since September 11th, and discusses reforms to curb terrorism.
To gather background and information about this
topic, Stewart
spoke at length with Eric Ellen (retired Chief Constable of the Port of
London Police Authority and the founder the International Maritime
Bureau),
Shiao Lin (a former Taiwanese Police Inspector and a key investigator
for
the IMB), and Captain Pottengal Mukundan (current Director of the IMB).
The weakest part of the book is the inclusion of mv
Estonia because there is no solid evidence to categorize the
sinking
of the car ferry as a criminal act. I discussed this with the author
and
he says, “I remain of the view that this ship was sunk for commercial
or
political reasons by a serious conspiracy and was therefore mass murder
at sea.” It remains an interesting case and some decisions that were
made
certainly seem to indicate that somebody didn’t want the facts to
become
known, but because it appears as the second chapter, it slowed the pace
and made me wonder constantly whether I should keep reading. I did, and
subsequent chapters proved to be on point and quite interesting.
Since the author is British, there are occasions
when
a word or the spelling of a word may seem strange to Americans, but
most
readers will have no problem understanding the text. There are
instances,
however, where the text would have benefited from a copyeditor’s
proofing.
Acronyms are not spelled out the first time they are used, which makes
it difficult for the uninitiated to know what they mean.
In spite of these drawbacks, The Brutal Seas
is
an intriguing glimpse into piracy, organized crime, and terrorism in
the
maritime world. It also examines how the criminals are pursued and
punished,
when possible. Perhaps best of all, though, it demonstrates the
difficulties
law enforcement encounters when pursuing and prosecuting these people.
Learn
more about the author and read an excerpt from the book
Book review copyrighted © 2007 Cindy Vallar
Pirate Fever!
Pirate Fever!
by Eleyne Austen Sharp
Austen Sharp, 2007, ISBN 978-0-9652589-5-5, $10.95
Subtitled “The Buccaneer’s Guide to Tales, Trails,
and
Treasure in North America,” this book is a compendium of pirate
biographies,
films and books on piracy, hosting a buccaneer bash, and ports of call.
The author does warn that “While e’ery attempt has been made t’ ensure
accurate information…dealin’ wi’ pirates means yer bloody likely t’ get
some exaggerated tales, due t’ thar legendary consumption o’ rum.” She
also provides readers with a glossary of contractions she uses
throughout
the text, for it has a definite piratical flavoring to it.
After a brief introduction to piracy, she
introduces readers
to sixteen of the more infamous rogues. Among these are Henry Avery,
Samuel
Bellamy, Cheng I Sao, Jean Laffite, Grace O’Malley, and Thomas Tew. The
usual felons of the Golden Age are also included. “The Fever Spreads”
includes
lists of films and books, as well as the actors who have played famous
swashbucklers, such as Captain Blood and Captain Jack Sparrow. There
are
also articles on pirates in cyberspace* and shipwrecks and treasure.
Often
forgotten, but equally important, are those who entertain us –
re-enactors,
tour guides, DJs, ship modelers, singers, historians – and an interview
with Ol’ Chumbucket and Cap’n Slappy who made September 19th famous.
“Buccaneer Bash” explains how to throw the best
pirate
party. One begins with the outfit and the language. Next come recipes
for
grog, hard tack, salmagundi, and Mother Bluebeard’s famous scurvy meat
pie. For entertainment Sharp provides the words to several sea shanties
and some dreadful pirate jokes. The final section of the book provides
regional information for American and Canadian piratical attractions,
events,
organizations, and treasure quests. Each grouping begins with real
pirates
of the region. Black-and-white photographs abound and a list of
resources
and an index complete the book.
Once you get the hang of pirate speak, this is an
entertaining
book. What sets this book apart from others is the ingredients for a
swashbuckling
party and where to go for pirate fun. There are a few errors – such as
Stede Bonnet’s death date (December, not 10 November 1718), William
Kidd
never confessed to any wrongdoing, a fair portion of Laffite’s
biography,
and Mary Read wed a soldier rather than a sailor – one must remember
that Pirate
Fever! is written in a somewhat tongue-in-cheek way to amuse and
fascinate
the reader. Nor is it a history book. Rather it is a fast-paced and
rousing
introduction to the Golden Age of Piracy with information for anyone
who
wants to become a pirate or wants to learn where other pirates can be
found.
Learn
more about the author and the book
*It was an honor to discover Pirates and
Privateers among
the sites and references listed.
Book review copyrighted © 2007 Cindy Vallar
The Sack of Panama
The Sack of Panama: Captain Morgan and the Battle for
the Caribbean
By Peter Earle
St. Martin’s, 2007, ISBN 978-0-312-36142-6, US
$25.95;
CAN $31.95
Legendary and auspicious, the sack of Panama was a
pivotal
moment in history. Over 2,000 privateers and buccaneers under the
leadership
of Henry Morgan sailed aboard thirty-eight ships. These daring men made
the arduous trek across the Isthmus of Panama to attack one of Spain’s
colonial cities. In spite of hunger and disease they defied the odds,
but
the success of the venture did not begin in 1671. Five years of
struggle
between Spain and England preceded this daring raid, and had Morgan not
succeeded in the endeavor, the future of the Caribbean might well have
evolved differently.
What makes Earle’s account unique is that he
examines
the raid from two perspectives –the privateers who defended Jamaica and
the Spanish victims – to give readers a well-rounded examination of the
historical events that transpired and the people responsible for them.
He vividly recounts what happened before the sack of Panama to ground
the
reader in the time, the place, and the political situation and provide
him/her with a better understanding of what happened. The author’s
intent
is to not only retell a story often told, but also provide a new
perspective
to it, and he succeeds admirably in this attempt.
Read
an excerpt from The Sack of Panama
Book Review Copyright © 2007 Cindy Vallar
Create Your Own Pirate Ship
Create Your Own Pirate Ship
By Jim Litchko
Know Book Publishing, 2006, ISBN 978-0-9748845-4-7,
US
$34.95
Ever want to jazz up your lawn at Halloween with a
spooky
pirate ship, but didn’t know how? Jim Litchko has solved your problems.
Using PVC pipes and fittings, some tools, and glue, he shows you
step-by-step
how to build a collapsible pirate ship measuring 10 feet high by 12
feet
long by 3 feet wide, for $200 to $300 with just 24 hours of labor.
The book is spiral-bound, so it lays flat for easy
reference
while working. The contents are arranged in a logical order, beginning
with tools, building components, building techniques, and ship’s plans,
and ending with assemblage instructions and how to accessorize your
pirate
ship. There are warnings and cautions, as well as recommendations
throughout.
What makes the design worthwhile is that you can reuse the ship over
and
over again whenever you want.
Since the instructions seem a bit daunting at
times, this
project is geared more toward people who like to build things from
scratch,
rather than rookies with no experience. I suspect those with less
experience
will actually take longer to construct the ship. Although there is some
humor, for the most part the writing style is dry and technical. Some
errant
word choices and misspellings point to the need for a copyeditor. The
combination
of blueprints, diagrams, and illustrations enhance the written
directions,
making them easier to follow and understand. There is a complete list
of
needed materials (459 parts and 500 feet of covering), which allows you
to see the full scope of the project from the start. The author
frequently
reminds the reader that this ship is for display purposes only. It’s
neither
a toy nor something children can climb. The inclusion of websites on
plastic
pipes and knot-tying are helpful. The price is a bit steep, but for
those
with a hankering to build a pirate ship or who like to create displays
different from the rest of the neighborhood’s, Create Your Own
Pirate
Ship may be just the thing!
View
video clip of ship
I.C.E.
Guy Special Agent Workbook
(teaches children about handling emergencies)
Book Review Copyright © 2007 Cindy Vallar
Seafarers, Merchants and
Pirates
in the Middle Ages
Seafarers, Merchants and Pirates in the Middle Ages
by Dirk Meier
translated by Angus McGeoch
Boydell Press, 2006, ISBN 1843832372, US $37.95 /
£19.99
Books abound on buccaneers and pirates of the
Golden Age,
but what about those of other time periods? Seafarers, Merchants
and
Pirates in the Middle Ages explores the maritime world several
centuries
earlier, particularly from the 10th through the early 15th century.
While
the British Isles are included to some extent, especially in the
chapter
on Vikings, primary emphasis is on northern Europe. One strength of
this
scholarly work is that it explores this time period in a more rounded
fashion
than most books because it looks at how sailors, merchants, cities and
towns, and pirates interacted and how they impacted history. Through
primary
documents, illustrations, and information from archaeological finds,
Dr.
Meier presents a logical and easily understood explanation of the
medieval
seafaring world.
Divided into eleven chapters, this book explores
early
navigation and how advances in navigation during this time allowed
people
to venture farther from shore. Readers will also learn about
shipbuilding
and its development. Dr. Meier next explores the various trading ports
on the North and Baltic Seas and the rivers of Russia. Two chapters
discuss
the Viking pillaging expeditions and explorations in the North
Atlantic.
The history and power of the Hanseatic League is detailed, as are the
pirates
who plagued the region in the later Middle Ages. Also included are a
glossary,
reading list, and index.
While I would have liked more information on the
pirates,
this book is a good introduction to the maritime world and developments
in it during medieval times. Headings and subheadings provide easy
access
to what’s covered in the chapters. Captioned black-and-white
illustrations
and maps, interspersed with ones in vivid color, complement the
narrative
and provide readers with excellent visuals for points of reference. The
inclusion of primary documents allows readers to see how people of the
time period saw their world. The only drawbacks to the book, and they
are
minor ones, are misspelled words and a few translated sentences that
required
me to reread them once or twice until I understood what was written.
Some
information on ships, sailing, and navigation is the best presented and
easiest to understand that I’ve encountered in researching maritime
history.
Those interested in the Middles Ages, particularly those concerned with
trade and piracy, will find this a worthy addition to their collections.
Book Review Copyright © 2007 Cindy Vallar
Maritime Museums of North
America
Maritime Museums of North America
by Robert H. Smith
C Books, 2006, ISBN 978-0-941786-07-2, US $19.95 /
Can
$22.50
Unless a museum has a famous ship or other
noteworthy
item of historic maritime importance, it often is overlooked in
national
visitors’ guides. Most of us aren’t even aware of this oversight. I
discovered
it because of a summer trip I needed to plan. A conference takes me to
Albany, New York in June 2007 and when I’m in new regions of the
country,
I like to visit maritime museums and explore sailing ships, as well as
see places of historical and piratical importance. Neither the AAA
Tourbook
or the sights-to-see information the conference organizers provided
made
mention of the Half Moon Visitor Center and New Netherland
Museum.
Smith’s guide did, and since the Half Moon is a replica of
Henry
Hudson’s ship, I felt it should have been mentioned. Another example of
what you’ll find within Maritime Museums of North America that
is
sadly missing in other guides is the Expedition Whydah in
Provincetown,
Massachusetts. Any self-respecting pirate knows about this museum, sea
lab, and learning center, for this exhibit relates the story of Black
Sam
Bellamy, the fateful night when his pirate ship sank in a storm, and
Barry
Clifford’s discovery of the wreck of the Whydah.
So what’s in this guidebook? The main portion is
divided
into two sections: United States museums and Canadian museums. These
are
subdivided by states/provinces and cities. Using the entry of
Expedition Whydah
as an example, Smith provides the address, phone number, and e-mail
address
for the museum, and gives information on its location (in this case
MacMillan
Wharf, Provincetown, MA), the highlights of the museum, and its website
URL. What follows is a more-detailed explanation of what’s in the
museum
(as it pertains to the maritime world), including history and special
features
(such as videos with Walter Cronkite and National Geographic). Some
entries
(for example, Plimoth Plantation, Plymouth, MA) provide information on
activities – educational programs, library collections, visitor
centers,
and cafeterias. All entries include admission data (whether there is an
entry fee or not and days and hours of operation).
An added bonus to this edition of the guidebook is
the
inclusion of a CD that contains more than 400 pictures of the 600 plus
ships, museums, and lighthouses detailed in the entries. Also of
importance
are indices, which provide access to the listings alphabetically by
name
and according to subject classifications: bed and breakfasts and
overnight
encampments, boat and ship building, gift shops and book stores, halls
of fame, libraries, lighthouses, locks and canals, navy yards,
collections
of newsletters and periodicals, pirate museums, scrimshaw, ship
chandlers,
ship models, specific ships and boats (and general information on these
types of vessels), and whaling. There is also an index to the
photographs
on the CD*, which is organized by state/province. Robert Smith also
gives
readers the chance to add a museum or correct an entry.
I found Maritime Museums of North America
an invaluable
resource for planning my trip this summer. Now, I know what museums are
in each state or province and what I’ll find there. I suspect that I
shall
be consulting this resource often, and I highly recommend it for
inclusion
in any mariner’s (or pirate’s) collection. It doesn’t matter whether
your
preferences are sailing ships, iron clads, tugboats, racing yachts,
submarines,
fishing boats, or any vessel in between from colonial times through the
20th century. This book provides access to them all.
Purchasing Information:
C Books
P. O. Box 76
Del Mar, CA 92014-0176
(858) 755-7753
cbooks@san.rr.com
(Discounts available when 4 or more copies are
purchased.)
Visit
Smith’s Master Index of Maritime Museum Websites
* One note about the CD, there were a couple of
pictures
that I couldn’t access because my computer didn’t know what program to
use.
Book Review Copyright © 2007 Cindy Vallar
Pirates, Patriots, and
Princesses
Pirates, Patriots, and Princesses: The Art of Howard
Pyle
Edited by Jeff A. Menges
Dover, 2006, ISBN 0-486-44832-0, US $15.95 / CAN
$23.95
Born to a Quaker family in Delaware in 1853,
Howard Pyle
became an accomplished artist whose works continue to inspire and
astound.
He also wrote and illustrated historical novels and stories.
Eventually,
he opened his own school of art, and some of his students achieved
equal
success. Some of his most revealing paintings are of pirates, whom he
portrayed
with realism and authenticity rarely achieved before. Howard Pyle’s
Book of Pirates, first published in 1921, is still in print, and
many
children are first introduced to buccaneers when they read this book.
Pyle
drew many other pictures of historical subjects, medieval knights, and
creatures from fantasy and myth.
This book, which provides a brief introduction to
the
artist and each group of paintings, gathers some of Pyle’s most famous
and lesser-known works into one book. Jeff Menges is particularly adept
at succinctly showing why Pyle was so skilled at drawing what he did.
The
text makes fascinating reading, but the pictures in this collection
will
entertain the reader for hours. This worthy addition to any piratical
collection
will soon become cherished like treasure itself.
Fans of pirate art will enjoy these works of art:
Walking the Plank, 1887
The Combatants Cut and Slashed with Savage Fury, 1894
How the Buccaneers Kept Christmas, 1899
Kidd on the Deck of the “Adventure Galley,” 1902
Extorting Tribute from the Citizens, 1905
The Buccaneer Was a Picturesque Fellow, 1905
So the Treasure Was Divided, 1905
An Attack on a Galleon, 1905
Captain Keitt, 1907
Marooned, 1887 and 1909
Learn more about Howard
Pyle
Book Review Copyright © 2006 Cindy Vallar
Trimming Yankee Sails
Trimming Yankee Sails: Pirates and Privateers of New
Brunswick
by Faye Kert
Goose Lane Editions, 2005, ISBN 0-86492-442-9, US
$12.95
/ Can $14.95
Volume six of the New Brunswick Military Heritage
series
examines the Canadian privateers of the War of 1812. This maritime port
played an important role in nineteenth-century history, and the
information
here covers “[m]istaken identity, collaborating with the enemy, false
colours,
phony captures, smuggling, blockade running and profitable prize
making”.
This was the only war in which New Brunswick played an active role in
privateering.
Although the United States declared war in June 1812, Britain didn’t do
so until mid-October. This presented problems for the seamen and
fishermen
on both sides of the border since New England traded a lot with Canada.
Chapter one deals with New Brunswick during 1812
prior
to Britain’s declaration of war. Chapter two examines the privateering
ventures during the next two years, with particular emphasis on the Dart
(their best-known privateer), because that vessel’s log still exists,
and
Caleb Seeley, the town’s most successful privateer captain. Chapter
three
covers the Cheaspeake Affair, during the American Civil War.
This is a much needed resource, for few books
cover Canadian
privateering, especially during the War of 1812. The glossary and index
make the information easily understood and accessible. The pictures
help
to clarify points in the text or identify who’s who. The inclusion of
the
chapter on Confederate privateers/pirates is of particular interst
since
this topic is rarely covered. This book serves as a comprehensive
introduction
to a particular place’s maritime history where privateering played a
vital
role in maintaining commerce during war time.
Book Review Copyright © 2006 Cindy Vallar
Command at Sea
Command at Sea: Naval Command and Control Since the
Sixteenth
Century
by Michael A. Palmer
Harvard University Press, 2005, ISBN 0-674-01681-5,
$29.95
/ £19.95 / E 27.70
Naval commanders, like most leaders, have a
natural tendency
to control via centralization. Yet many naval engagements, most
famously
Nelson’s at Trafalgar, are won through the commander’s willingness to
decentralize
command and trust the instincts of his subordinates. Decentralization
succeeds
when the commander thoroughly educates his subordinates before each
engagement
so they can act instinctively carry out his intentions, rather than
await
orders that may be impossible to see or hear during the “fog of war.”
History professor Michael Palmer examines the
processes
and technologies of more than four centuries of naval command, as well
as the key leaders and battles of each period. Whether wind or nuclear
fuel power a fleet, the universal constraints of warfare remain to be
tamed
by how the leader chooses to command that fleet. Written fighting
instructions
lay out the recommended techniques in several possible situations. Yet
battles have been lost when subordinates missed, misinterpreted, or
misunderstood
signals from the flagship; at their worst, situations might call for a
signal not conceived of in the fighting instructions.
Rapid advances in communications have had several
contradictory
results in naval command. While officially espousing decentralized
control,
the U. S. Navy since World War II has used radio and satellites to
monitor
war progress from headquarters and effectively micro-manage both
tactics
and operations. U-boat captains during World War I received wireless
telegraph
messages from central German commanders who coordinated their
movements,
but such signals were subject to enemy interception. Thus the very
technology
that could give them superiority over their foes became unreliable or
even
dangerous at crucial mission times.
Those commanders who were slaves to the classical
centralized
model utilized the well-ordered line-ahead formation, executed only
pre-planned
maneuvers, and deviated only upon one of several discrete flag signals
communicating the commander’s wishes to the fleet. In contrast,
decentralizers,
such as Horatio Nelson, imparted their tactical wishes to their
subordinates
and were able to yield control during even a pell-mell
mêlée
and expect success.
Ship captains and pirate captains both have the
same goal:
using the unique talents of their crews to best advantage to achieve
victory
at sea. Command decisions are critical whether the prize is booty or an
enemy nation.
Professor Palmer’s thorough research and extensive
footnotes
do not get in the way of telling a spellbinding history through the
eyes
of those who stood on the decks of some of the most famous ships of the
past. A dozen battle maps and an extensive index enhance the text’s
usability.
Table
of Contents
Book Review Copyright © 2006 Thomas Vallar
Seawolves
Seawolves: Pirates & the Scots
by Eric J. Graham
Birlinn, 2005, ISBN 1-84158-388-X, £16.99
At first glance one might think this book is about
Scottish
pirates, and the reader meets a number of them here, but this is a
mistaken
impression. Rather Seawolves is about pirates, their attacks on
Scottish ships, and how the Scots dealt with pirates found near their
country’s
shores. What sets this book apart from other pirate books is that much
of the information comes from the records of the Scottish Admiralty
Court,
an overlooked resource in the study of maritime piracy. While major
emphasis
is placed on the Golden Age of Piracy (1690-1730), this account
includes
information on the last pirates in Scottish waters in 1822.
Table of Contents:
1. Captain Macrae and the Pirates
2. Lord Archibald Hamilton and the Pirates of New
Providence
3. Robert Louis Stevenson and the Pirates
4. The Pirates of Craignish Loch
5. The Scottish Slavers and the Pirates
6. John Gow: the Orcadian Pirate
7. The Scots and the Pirate Crews
8. Daniel Defoe, Sir Walter Scott and the Pirates
9. The Company of Scotland and the Madagascan
Pirates
10. The Piracy Trial of Captain Green
11. Heaman and Gautier: the Last Pirates in
Scottish
Waters
12. Conclusion
In addition to this information, Seawolves
includes
numerous illustrations, a glossary of 17th- and 18th-century maritime
vocabulary,
a who’s who of pirate captains that includes their ships, and an
index.There
is a selected bibliography, but the book lacks footnotes citing the
sources
used.
This is a rousing account of piracy that reads
like a
novel. The inclusion of materials from eyewitnesses and primary
documents
enriches the experience.
Book Review Copyright © 2006 Cindy Vallar
Drake by Stephen Coote
Drake: the Life and Legend of an Elizabethan Hero
by Stephen Coote
St. Martin’s, 2003, ISBN 0-312-34165-2, US $27.95 /
Can
$40.95
Francis Drake, “a man of no particular distinction
of
birth or ancestry”, became a legend in his own time--feared by the
Spanish,
a favorite of his queen, Elizabeth I. He learned from his mentor and
kinsman,
John Hawkins, the ropes of sailing and the requirements to be a leader
of men. Drake’s exploits earned him social standing, wealth, and fame.
Stephen Coote recounts the many sides of this extraordinary man, who
lived
his motto: from small beginnings great things may come.
Within the pages of this compelling biography,
Coote introduces
readers to a young Drake, the events in his life that affected him, and
the decisions he made. Divided into chronological chapters, the book
discusses
Drake’s piracy, circumnavigation of the world, privateering, and
defense
of his country and his faith. To complement the story, the author
incorporates
explanations of world events, politics, and discoveries provide the
reader
with a better understanding of Drake’s motives and actions.
Book Review Copyright © 2006 Cindy Vallar
A Mariner’s Miscellany by
Peter
H. Spectre
A Mariner’s Miscellany
by Peter H. Spectre
Sheridan House, 2005, ISBN 1-57409-195-6 USA, $19.95
ISBN 0-9547062-1-8 UK, £12.95
This compendium is a collection of folklore,
writings,
poems, drawings, and advice for mariners and those with a love of the
sea.
As the author explains, it is “a combination of the tangible and the
intangible
– practical information about boats, anchors, rope, and ballast, cheek
by jowl with poetry, legend, lore, superstitions, language of the sea,
art, thoughts about literature, and more.” The “more” includes life at
sea, sea songs, salty advice, sailors’ food and drink, navigation,
communication,
the weather, the captain, the naming of vessels, and historical events
and ships.
Although pirates are absent from this book, it’s a
wonderful
collection of information that will educate and remind readers of many
aspects of the sailing world both past and present. If you enjoy Mr.
Spectre’s
annual desk diary The Mariner’s Book of Days, you’ll enjoy this
book even more.
Book Review Copyright © 2006 Cindy Vallar
Victory in Tripoli by Joshua
E.
London
Victory in Tripoli: How America’s War with the
Barbary
Pirates
Established the U.S. Navy and Shaped a Nation
by Joshua E. London
John Wiley & Sons, 2005, ISBN 0-471-44415-4, US
$24.95
/ Can $31.99 / £15.99
In the fall of 1800, Dey Mustafa of Algiers asked
Captain
William Bainbridge to ferry the Algerine tribute to the sultan of the
Ottoman
Empire in Constantinople. Bainbridge, as well as Consul General Richard
O’Brien, vehemently refused the request, but the Dey made it clear that
not acceding to his “request” would be tantamount to declaring war. To
further humiliate the fledgling American navy, Alergine naval personnel
boarded the USS George Washington on 9 October 1800, took down
the
American flag, and replaced it with the flag of Algiers. This incident,
the capture of American merchantmen sailing the Mediterranean Sea, and
the enslavement of their crews initiated a long conflict between the
United
States and the Barbary States. It also resulted in the establishment of
the United States Navy and the Marine Corps.
According to Mr. London, “The story of America’s
struggle
against the terror of piracy in the Mediterranean stands as testament
to
the essential American attributes that have given rise to American
exceptionalism:
the problem-solving mind-set of the individual overcoming life’s
difficulties
through brains and talent, faith and strength of purpose, and guts and
perseverance.” Yet, this story doesn’t unfold in a vacuum. At the same
time, the United States found itself struggling to maintain its
independence
and vying with Old World nations to be recognized as a new country with
a right to trade freely, while confronting the political problems
facing
Europe.
While 2005 saw the publication of three books on
this
topic, each sheds light on different aspects of the Barbary Wars.
Richard
Zacks’ The Pirate Coast concerns the covert operation William
Eaton
led against Tripoli and the role American Marines played in that
battle.
Frank Lambert’s Barbary Wars covers the entire period of the
Barbary
Wars with particular emphasis on Algiers. Joshua London covers these
topics,
but his primary emphasis is on the naval aspects of the period and the
early history of the U.S. Navy. Victory in Tripoli is a concise
and understandable retelling of the political battles waged between
presidents
and Congress over the need for a navy and the cost of having one, the
failures
and successes of the naval war against the Barbary States, and the
naval
heroes who emerged to renew honor and pride in this young country. It
is
an inspiring account of America’s first attempt to end the paying of
tribute
and to deter terrorism.
See
the Table of Contents
Pirate
Coast Campaign Was U.S.'s First War on Terror, Authors Say
Willie Drye's interview with Richard Zacks and Joshua E. London
National Geographic News, 2 December 2005
Book Review Copyright © 2006 Cindy Vallar
Young Men and the Sea by
Daniel Vickers
with Vince Walsh
Young Men and the Sea: Yankee Seafarers in the Age of
Sail
by Daniel Vickers with Vince Walsh
Yale University Press, 2005, ISBN 0-300-10067-1, US
$35
There is an element of romanticism to sailors and
life
at sea during the Age of Sail. But why did boys and men really go to
sea,
and what was life for them like both aboard ship and in port,
especially
for those who grew up and lived near the coastline of American shores?
These are the questions Daniel Vickers sets out to answer in this book,
concentrating on seafaring life and changes in maritime commerce in
Salem,
Massachusetts from 1620 through the nineteenth century. When people
hear
of Salem, they tend to think only of the witchcraft trials that took
place
there, but this village seaport was involved in various types of
shipping
throughout its history. Also, it was small enough to allow historians
to
use local records to trace individual mariners and what they did over
long
periods of time.
This scholarly work is not for readers looking for
details
of colonists who turned to piracy or abetted pirates. Nor does it dwell
much on privateering. Rather Young Men and the Sea examines
how
a coastal village founded by landsmen developed into a vital seaport
and
how its inhabitants chose to go to sea rather than work the fields. In
addition to the analysis of seafaring careers, Dr. Vickers also looks
at
maritime life ashore, including sailors’ wives, and the laws that
regulated
life at sea. Appendices include primary sources, graphs, and ship’s
logs.
Maps and black-and-white drawings illustrate the text, and a detailed
index
and notes accompany the book.
Book Review Copyright © 2006 Cindy Vallar
Piracy and Privateering
in the
Golden Age Netherlands by Virginia W. Lunsford
Piracy and Privateering in the Golden Age Netherlands
by Virginia W. Lunsford
Palgrave Macmillan, 2005, ISBN 1-4039-6692-3, US
$65.00
The sea was an integral part of Dutch history and
culture,
especially from the late sixteenth century through the seventeenth.
Those
who waged war against other countries, such as Spain, in defense of the
Dutch Republic played a vital role in establishing the country’s
independence.
Although laws existed to draw the line between piracy and privateering,
reality wasn’t always so clear cut. The Sea Beggars--“a ragtag
assemblage
of Dutch aristocrats, ultra-Calvinists, and riffraff”--were a prime
example
of those warrior mariners who strayed between legal and illegal
seizures
of ships.
Divided into three parts, this book examines the
complexity
and ambiguity of how the Dutch treated pirates and privateers from
their
country as well as those from other countries. The first section
examines
the laws and activities defining plundering and what society thought of
these men and what they did. Part II examines the cultural aspects of
national
identity, the economic effects of piracy and privateering, and the
importance
of maritime life and trade to the survival of the Netherlands. The
interpretation
of maritime laws and the disparity in meting out punishment are
analyzed
in the final section of the book. Also of value are the glossary,
chapter
notes, and appendices, which include privateer instructions, income
earned,
privateer captures, and sailors captured by Algerian corsairs.
This comprehensive and scholarly examination sheds
light
on a topic long neglected, in part because of a devastating fire in
1844
that destroyed much of the archives of the Dutch Admiralty. As in other
countries, the Netherlands enacted stringent laws that defined what
constituted
piracy and privateering, but their implementation strayed into murky
waters.
Lunsford expertly navigates what documentation still exists to provide
readers with a better understanding of how men who skirted the law
could
become heroes rather than villains. She captures the essence of this
dilemma
from the outset with the tale of Claes Compaen, a privateer who became
an infamous pirate, then rejoined society and became a law-abiding
citizen.
She also introduces readers to naval heroes, privateers, and pirates of
the Netherlands, including the infamous Rock Brasiliano.
Book Review Copyright © 2005 Cindy Vallar
Saint-Malo Cap Horn by Peter
Meazey
Saint-Malo Cap Horn: La Route de l’Argent
by Peter Meazey
Astoure,
2005, ISBN 2-84583-108-0
8 Euros
Pirates and privateers from England are most often
discussed
in books dealing with marauding adventures around South America. Peter
Meazey’s book covers the French privateers, in particular those from
Saint
Malo, who also ventured around Cape Horn to seek their fortunes. The
opening
chapters explain why this city was a haven for corsairs; the historical
and legal framework within which they sailed during the late
seventeenth
and early eighteenth centuries; and the difference between them and
pirates.
Few outside of France may know their names, but Meazey introduces
readers
to Jack Walsh, René Duguay-Trouin, François Massertie,
and
Jacques Gouin de Beauchesne. Several English pirates--Thomas Stradling,
William Dampier, and Alexander Selkirk--are also included in the
narrative.
The author incorporates information about French ships, trade between
Saint
Malo and Cadiz, England’s attempts to destroy this vital port, and how
trade via the Cape of Good Hope led to the demise of this vital
maritime
center.
Rather than being a scholarly work, this book is
written
for the general public. The short chapters include many black-and-white
illustrations and maps, as well as passages from first-hand accounts.
The
inclusion of what happened to who ties up loose ends. For those who can
read French, Saint-Malo Cap Horn is a captivating introduction
to
one facet of privateering history.
Book Review Copyright © 2005 Cindy Vallar
The Pirate Coast by Richard
Zacks
The Pirate Coast: Thomas Jefferson, the First
Marines,
and the Secret Mission of 1805
by Richard Zacks
Hyperion, 2005, ISBN 1-4013-0003-0, $25.95
Hyperion, 2006, ISBN 1-4013-0849-X, $15.95
When the United States gains its independence from
England,
American sailing vessels become vulnerable to seizure by the Barbary
corsairs.
For a time the government negotiates treaties and pays tribute money to
the rulers of the countries of North Africa to protect trade in the
Mediterranean.
Then in 1801 Tripoli declares war against the United States. When the
USS Philadelphia
runs aground and her officers and men become slaves, President Thomas
Jefferson
enlists William Eaton and a small contingent of Marines to undertake a
daring secret mission that results in the American flag being planted
in
foreign soil for the first time. The details of what happened are long
forgotten, but the deed itself is forever immortalized in the Marine
Hymn.
The Pirate Coast details the events that
led up
to the secret mission and the arduous journey to see it through, the
diplomatic
negotiations that endangered Eaton and his men, the details and effect
of the new peace treaty, and the eventual downfall of the Barbary
corsairs.
At the same time Zacks interweaves accounts from the men of the Philadelphia
during their captivity in Tripoli.
Zacks presents a readable and intricate tale of
America’s
first covert mission on foreign soil. Readers experience Eaton’s
frustration
and anger at ineptitude and duplicity, as well as the hope and joy of
the
men from the Philadelphia after Stephan Decatur and his team
blow
up the ship.
Book Review Copyright © 2005 Cindy Vallar
Pirates
and Privateers
