Cindy Vallar's Blog

Review of The Sugar Winds by Lyle Garford

The Sugar Winds by Lyle Garford

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


In December 1799, Jamaica’s governor sets in motion a secret invasion plan under the direction of Royal Navy Captain Horatio Nelson and Army Captain John Polson. Nelson, new to the region, lacks knowledge of the Spanish Main, so Sir James Standish recommends Owen Spence. Forced out of the Royal Navy on false charges in the past, he is a trader who spies for the Crown.

Spain has entered America’s War of Independence, which leads to shortages and hardship in the Caribbean. Instrumental in bringing necessities to Barbados, Owen fears the situation will only worsen and further endanger England’s West Indian colonies. Aside from sharing his knowledge with Nelson and Polson, he also ventures to Spanish ports to garner information both for the planned invasion and for his spymaster.

The direness facing Owen’s family and friends on Barbados only worsens when a major hurricane strikes. Its damage is far-reaching, affecting many of the Caribbean islands, and Owen and his crew do what they can to supply food and materials to their home base, as well as islands that are technically enemy territory but whose inhabitants often provide him with vital information.

Equally concerning are the rumors of a French invasion. Owen must find out whether they are grounded in fact or are just misinformation. If the former, what is the enemy’s intended target? Ferreting out the truth requires courage, daring, and the willingness to infiltrate French territory. In doing so, he also learns that an old nemesis is present. What he does not know is that this nemesis is aware of his presence.

The book reads like a series of vignettes that relate historical events without deep involvement by the principal characters. Owen is an observer, an essential skill for someone who gathers information, but his being so means the reader also watches from the sidelines instead of being fully immersed in the story. For example, the fleet battle between the British and the French unfolds as Owen and his men watch from a safe distance, except when an enemy vessel intends to run through them to escape a Royal Navy ship. Owen’s impressions of what he witnesses or experiences are what help tie the narrative together.

Several interwoven threads also bind the story together. One involves Owen’s struggles between duty and love. Another concerns slavery, which is somberly portrayed when Owen and his crew come to the aid of a ship in distress. The third involves the unfair treatment of island inhabitants when outsiders invade. Garford does a commendable job showing the controversial complexity of Admiral Rodney, a man determined to enrich his pockets while also being a skilled tactician. Equally noteworthy is his portrayal of the Zong massacre, an incident that impacts Owen in unexpected ways as this trilogy draws to a close.

The Sugar Winds takes place in the opening years of the 1780s. It is a time when world events have a great impact on the West Indies, yet most readers are unaware of these incidents, such as the capture of St. Eustatius and the Battle of the Saintes. Readers familiar with the previous titles will enjoy finding out what happens to the various characters. Newcomers with an interest in obscure history will find the happenings here illuminating.



View all my reviews

Review of A Pirate's Life No More by Steven C. Hahn

A Pirate's Life No More: The Pardoned Pirates of the Bahamas by Steven C. Hahn

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Before Woodes Rogers arrived to eradicate piracy in the Bahamas and take up his mantle as governor of the island, another man sailed into Nassau’s harbor in 1718. Captain Vincent Pearse of the Royal Navy carried with him King George’s Act of Grace in search of those “young, resolute, [and] wicked fellows” who wished to be pardoned for their crimes and rejoin society. (1) Benjamin Hornigold was one of the first to surrender; the notorious pirate captain turned pirate hunter until his demise at sea. He was a well-known scoundrel, but the majority of the other 208 pirates were simply names on a list.

While perusing Pearse’s three-page, handwritten document at Britain’s National Archives at Kew, Hahn wonders who these men are. How do they become pirates and what happens to them after they are pardoned? This book contains the stories of about 150 men, a third of whom remain in the Bahamas after receiving their absolution. Others return to their hometowns or start life anew in other colonies. William Smith, for example, spends many years at sea and becomes a successful merchant. Two of his descendants later marry into the family of a man who is elected President of the United States. Peter Goudet serves as Bahamas’ customs collector, as well as in the legislature. Other reformed pirates succumb soon after their surrenders. Hahn also delves into Pearse’s story and discovers some interesting details that suggest his relations with pirates aren’t as impartial as history leads us to believe. Even some of those included in his list are guilty by association rather than being pirates themselves.

A Pirate’s Life No More is part of the University of Georgia Press’s Early American Places series. In addition to a bibliography, notes, and an index, Hahn includes several illustrations, a table, maps, and an appendix of Pearse’s List of Pardoned Pirates. This last item provides brief biographical summaries of the pirates. If he was unable to locate additional information, only the pirate’s name is listed.

This volume shines a fascinating and unique spotlight on pirate history. Although primarily about the individuals whom Hahn traced, he also puts the time and places into historical perspective, such as why the Bahamas is more conducive to being a safe refuge for pirates and why events off the Florida coast give rise to their proliferation. Their rehabilitation is also explored – whether they return to their homes in New York, New England, or London, or choose to put down roots elsewhere. Placing these men in context makes their stories richer and more dynamic. Equally interesting are the answers to questions that crop up as a result of King George’s clemency, such as can the pirates keep their ill-gotten earnings, and does the forgiveness occur overnight. Aside from a brief period in their lives, these lesser-known pirates live ordinary lives, and Hahn has crafted a stellar addition to any piratical or maritime history collection.


This review was originally published at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Hahn.html



View all my reviews

Review of Rachel Rueckert's The Determined

The Determined by Rachel Rueckert

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In February 1721, Anne Bonny sits in a gaol in Spanish Town on the isle of Jamaica. She awaits the birth of her child, as well as the hangman’s noose, for her pregnancy is all that stays her execution. Since her capture, the days have passed in monotony, without companionship and without anything to mark one day from another. On this particular day, that changes – a gentleman wearing a tricorn with an ostrich feather comes to visit. He wishes to write her story to add to his forthcoming collection that he hopes will be a bestseller. His name is Captain Charles Johnson. Anne is reticent to share her story – what business is it to others – but she asks for two boons. One is paper and ink to write letters. The second is for word of Mary and a doctor to tend to her ailing friend.

Interwoven through the chapters set in 1721 are the stories of the two most notorious female pirates of the golden age of piracy. Anne’s begins in 1705 in Kinsale, Ireland, where she is the illegitimate daughter of a lawyer from a well-to-do family and a servant woman. Social mores and debts drive them from Ireland and eventually, they land in Charlestown, South Carolina. From there, Anne explains the circumstances of how she meets James Bonny and the unfortunate circumstances that surround her arrival in New Providence and her run-in with Calico Jack Rackham.

Mary, too, is pregnant, but her health is tenuous and the odds are about even as to whether the fever or the hangman will claim her. Her tale begins a decade before Anne’s in London, England, where Mary is known as Mark Read and she has no idea that she is a girl. The ruse is staged by her mother to keep them both alive, but the day soon comes when Mary learns the truth. Life isn’t fair to women, and for them to continue to survive, Mom must separate from her and Mark must continue to make “his” way, this time as an apprentice to a ship’s captain who once was acquainted with her father. World events eventually disrupt their lives, and if Mark wishes to advance and gain enough money to search for “his” mother, he needs a new vocation. He joins the cavalry, where a Flemish officer makes Mark’s acquaintance. What follows is a love story that eventually allows Mark to become Mary once again, until tragedy forces her to make new choices that lead her to the Caribbean where she eventually crosses paths with Anne Bonny.

Using Johnson’s account of the lives of these notorious women, Rueckert has crafted a compelling and totally believable tale that fills in all the blanks left by Johnson. I have always been drawn more to Mary Read than Anne Bonny, and Rueckert’s depiction of the two women helped me understand why this is. Her words paint visual imagery that is dynamic and three-dimensional, and they depict two very different women whose friendship and living in a male-dominated world bring them together to live and survive. Her research is spot-on and seamlessly woven into the story in ways that make it impossible to separate fact from fiction, although Rueckert does elaborate on this in her afterword.

Over the years, I’ve reviewed numerous books about Anne Bonny and Mary Read, but only a few have touched my heart and stayed with me long after I finish reading. The Determined is one of those tales. It is as much a treasure as James L. Nelson’s The Only Life That Mattered and N. C. Schell’s The Ballade of Mary Reede.


This review was originally published at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Rueckert.h...



View all my reviews

A Merciful Sea by Katie Daysh

A Merciful Sea by Katie Daysh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Royal Navy Commander Arthur Courtney is betwixt wind and water. He’s lost his command but is offered a position as a volunteer on a ship of the line – one that may come with a string attached. Once at sea, he has nothing to do. Although disturbed by the implied condition and the lack of activity, he senses an undercurrent of disquiet permeating the ship, but is unable to discern its cause. The crew aren’t practiced in firing their guns; sickness plagues some men; laudanum goes missing; and a midshipman dies. Then there’s the captain’s indecision. Yet, Courtney would rather be at sea than remain at home, for trouble brews on the island as well.

Hiram Nightingale is adrift. He never wanted to be a naval officer, but now that he has been dismissed from the service, he’s not sure what to do with himself. Although he is master of a vessel that belongs to his brother-in-law, it’s not the same as commanding a warship. Seeing Courtney off aboard HMS Lion only raises more doubts and emphasizes his lack of purpose. Then he learns of mysterious notes that his beloved Courtney never mentioned. Discovering who sends these and thwarting the implied peril provide one lifeline, but this isn’t enough. A suggestion from an old acquaintance leads to another idea, and Nightingale takes to the sea again as a privateer, fighting the enemy and protecting the Isle of Wight where Courtney lives. Ascertaining who that enemy is proves more challenging than he first thinks.

This final book in the Courtney-Nightengale trilogy takes place in 1804 and 1805. Although the first half of the book is slow-paced, Daysh lays the groundwork for what unfolds in the second half. Nightingale, who wants to be accepted by the islanders, unearths the true enemy and risks his life to help them in a portrayal that is both as riveting and galvanizing as the storm that unleashes its fury in the midst of the chase. While Nelson’s pursuit of the French fleet to the Caribbean and back again provides the initial background for Courtney’s time at sea, the crowning event of this book is the Battle of Trafalgar. Daysh places us above and below decks of HMS Lion in ways that allow us to experience the fighting firsthand. It is filled with gritty realism where we hear the roar of the guns and the screams of those who give the ultimate sacrifice. The resolution of this atypical romance is in keeping with the time period and the characters who understand the risks they take in loving each other.


(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Daysh.html...)



View all my reviews

The Adriatic Affair by Jennifer N. Sellitti

The Adriatic Affair: A Maritime Hit-and-Run off the Coast of Nantucket by Jennifer Sellitti

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The first inkling that something is amiss comes two days out of New York in the North Atlantic when Captain Enoch Peabody of Neptune orders his men to investigate a floating, but damaged, object where none should be. Fearing what they may find, he goes with his men. Instead of bodies, they find provisions, clothing, and two chronometers carefully stowed. Nothing gives them a clue as to where the lifeboat is from until Peabody uncovers an engraved spyglass from a French steamer.

On 1 November 1856, Le Lyonnais departs New York City for France. She is a sturdy, iron-hulled, luxury steamship with three decks and six watertight bulkheads. In addition to her two masts, rigged with square sails, steam and a propeller propel her through the waters of the cold and stormy Atlantic. Pierre Stanislas Devaulx, her captain, commands a crew of ninety-two, many seasoned veterans, recently released from their duties during the Crimean War. She also carries thirty-nine passengers on this first voyage to Le Havre. Although she carries six lifeboats of various sizes, two more than the law requires, they lack sufficient space to hold everyone on board the steamer.

Among the passengers are the Sumners, a family of three whose fourteen-year-old daughter needs a warmer clime to heal. Much to the chagrin of his mother, John Gibson books passage for him and his wife, even though his father died at sea years before and his mother still mourns his loss. The Dummers, a mother and daughter, travel without a male companion in a time when this is a rarity. The Reverend John B. Cocagne plans on visiting his birth country before he begins his next Methodist posting. Augustus Froelich, a professor of French, is returning home to visit his dying father.

The night is black, but Le Lyonnais carries her required lights and lookouts are posted. Despite the damp haze and cold air, some people are on deck when a wooden sailing ship under full sail emerges from the darkness. The two vessels are too close. There is nothing Captain Devaulx can do, but he tries. The unnamed barque strikes amidships, and splinters and wreckage rain down on the steamer’s deck. Rather than stay to find out if she needs assistance, the barque disappears as suddenly as she appeared, leaving behind a single clue as to her identity.

Le Lyonnais does not sink immediately, but water does seep into the coal bunkers and then the engine room. No matter how much the crew and passengers pump, bail, and lighten the load, they must abandon the steamer – even though there are not enough boats to carry everyone and not everyone is willing to leave the ship. In the end, only eighteen of the 132 will survive.

A criminal lawyer and a shipwreck hunter, Sellitti not only investigates the specifics about the ships and people involved but also delves into background material that permits readers to gain a fuller understanding of the events and historical period in which this tragedy occurs. She accumulates her research over ten years and visits many archives, museums, and personal collections from Massachusetts to France to Alabama. Scattered throughout the narrative are black-&-white images depicting 19th-century sea travel and life, as well as a center section of color plates that include snapshots from the shipwreck expeditions in 2023 and 2024. There are also endnotes, an extensive bibliography of primary and secondary source materials, and an index.

Within the pages of The Adriatic Affair, Sellitti discovers the who, what, where, when, and why of the shipwreck and the tragic loss of so many. What is astounding is what her research reveals, the near rescues that become misses, the fight for justice, and what becomes of those aboard the three-masted barque named Adriatic that carries a captain, nine sailors, and a cargo of lime and hay.



View all my reviews

Story Spinners by Cassandra Federman

Story Spinners: A Sisterly Tale of Danger, a Princess, and Her Crew of Lady Pirates by Cassandra Federman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


FFSs. Stands for forever-fighting sisters, according to Kennedy. Nor does it help that she and Devon are total opposites with only three commonalities: stories, pizza, and a baby sister named Eve. She shares their room. She cries at night.

Kennedy and Devon’s arguing comes to a head when they break the television. Mom takes away their phones and electronics. She does not want to hear any noise from their room. They must learn to get along or else they will never get their items back!

Even with the door closed, the fighting continues until they decide to tell the perfect fairy tale. Of course, that leads to more bickering since Kennedy, who likes math, has her own formula for what does and does not belong in a fairy tale. Devon, on the other hand, loves danger. Eventually, they join forces to tell Eve a bedtime story so she will sleep. Kennedy will do the traditional parts while Devon adds the “COOL parts” – which leads to more clashes and a story involving a princess pirate who goes in search of someone or something to kidnap her so Prince Charming will rescue her and they will live happily ever after. Except, this princess isn’t the only one looking for true love.

The majority of this graphic book is in black and white, but there are fifteen pages in color. These may denote that change is in the air, although that’s a guess rather a known fact. There are multiple chapters, each with a specific focus that leads toward Princess Sparklepuff’s goal. Devon’s “Dangery” parts include lady pirates, dragons, a mermaid, spiders, a shark, and garbage.

More important than the princess’s quest, the sisters learn to communicate and realize what it means to be sisters. Readers are never quite sure what’s coming next, which keeps them invested in both tales. Geared toward girls ages seven to ten, the sibling rivalry is something many will readily identify with and Kennedy and Devon’s solution may just give them ideas of their own so that their parents can have some peace and quiet.


(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/YA-graphic...)



View all my reviews

Don't Disturb the Pirate! by Rhiannon Findlay

Don't Disturb The Pirate by Rhiannon Findlay

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Patch the puppy has run away. We must find him. Before we start, you should beware. If you hear “Yo Ho Ho,” cannons firing, and shouts of “Ahoy,” RUN! We do not want to disturb the pirate captain and his crew.

This rhyming adventure, geared for young pirates ages three to six, is a delightful exploration of an island shaped like a skull. All the places have appropriate names, such as Crossbones Cavern, Treasure Bay, and Swashbuckle Shore. There are clues to entice along the way, like a map in a bottle and paw prints in the sand. Can’t forget the helpful mermaid either. Neatly woven into the tale are plays on pirate myths, such as walking the plank.

The bright, colorful illustrations captivate us and hold lots of surprises to behold, like cannonballs that turn out to be something else entirely. The little boy who searches for his pup has an expressive face.

Together, the rhyme and the pictures make this a wonderful tale to read aloud to children. Of course, coming across the pirates is inevitable, but what transpires then is a total surprise. This uplifting story allows families to spend a fun time together. It’s sure to become a favorite pirate tale for young and old pirates alike.


This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Findlay.html



View all my reviews

Outlaws of the Sea review

Outlaws of the Sea: Maritime Piracy in Modern China by Robert J. Antony

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Anyone who reads my column knows there is a difference between Eastern and Western piracy. In fact, the concept of piracy is unknown until after Europeans venture into Asian waters. When I want to explore Chinese piracy, one of my go-to historians is Robert J. Antony, who has been researching piracy in the South China Sea and along China’s southern coast for forty years. Outlaws of the Sea is his latest offering and gathers this research into a single volume that covers the 1630s through the 1940s. Within the eleven chapters of this book, readers will find a balanced examination of pirates from multiple perspectives taken from a wide gamut of historical resources.

In “Introduction: The Pirate and the Historian,” Antony discusses the difficulties historians encounter when researching Chinese history. He makes clear that the names associated with specific pirates are not the names the pirates themselves used. For example, Zheng Yi Sao is mandarin, a language the pirates don’t know. They speak a language of South China, which makes her Cheng Yat Sou or Shek Yeung. Equally compelling is how Antony gives voice to these pirates, imagining what they may say if asked.

“The Sociopolitical Culture of South China’s Water World” explores the Qing dynasty and those who make their living on the sea in south China between 1740 and 1840. The chapter shows this society’s mercurial nature and provides a framework of understanding for the chapters that follow. This information gives credence to the governor of Fujian’s words in 1799: “People are not born pirates, but they become pirates because the land cannot support them.” (23) It is a time when three distinct groups of pirates consist of 80,000 people.

Piracy impacts and shapes history, a state’s legal regimes, and the state’s desire to build empires. In “Piracy, Empire, and Sovereignty,” Antony explains how piracy influences the development of the Qing Empire during a 300-year period. He also shares how Chinese officials view pirates and how those views differ from Western ones. Equally important is how officials’ attitudes toward and their handling of piracy changes between the days of Zheng Zhilong and his followers and the rise of the pirate confederation led by Zheng Yi and Zheng Yi Sao.

When three brothers stage a revolt in Vietnam in the 1770s, they eventually form alliances with Chinese pirates. This leads to a new state, and “Chinese Pirates and Tay Son Rebels” examines the dynamics of this relationship.

During a span of thirty years, socioeconomic conditions hold great sway in the development and upsurge in piracy in the South China Sea. Piratical attacks may be deemed illegal, but the pirates consider themselves justified in what they do. “Piracy and the Shadow Economy” explores pirate lairs, black markets, and ports friendly to pirates, as well as the detrimental and beneficial aspects of piracy as a business and the clandestine networks through which they operate.

The resurgency of piracy between 1780 and 1810, greatly impacts Canton trade. “Defending Canton: Chinese Pirates, British Traders, and Hong Merchants” looks at the effect this has on the relations between China and Britain, the repercussions on trade, and how merchants based in Hong Kong help defend the city against the pirates.

In “Pacification of the Seas,” the time comes when pirates can no longer be tolerated by the state, and Qing officials use a variety of techniques to suppress piracy. Although many disapprove the offering of “carrots,” Antony shows how pardons often prove more successful than “sticks.”

While the state sometimes uses violence to counteract piracy, the pirates also implement brutality and terror for economic and political reasons. In “Bloodthirsty Pirates?” Antony asks a number of related questions to delve into “the physical, emotional, and magico-religious aspects of pirate violence.” (139)

“Pirates, Dragon Ladies, and Steamships” focuses on piracy between 1840 and 1940, when steamships lead to hijackings becoming more the norm for pirates. Antony compares and contrasts piratical stereotypes in Western media and its depiction of Chinese piracy, even though it is never as simply defined or shown as Westerners are led to believe.

In 1910, pirates kidnap and hold hostage children and adults on an island while they wait for the ransom to be paid. Finding this intolerable, the Portuguese send military expeditions against the pirates. In the ensuing fight, innocent civilians lose their lives. In “‘We Are Not Pirates’: Portugal, China, and the Pirates of Coloane,” Antony explores this incident and the interrelationship between the Portuguese and Chinese over four centuries. This incident also demonstrates why it is so difficult to define who is a pirate and what constitutes piracy. Perspective plays a key role in what transpires here.

Piracy is not stagnant. As time passes, it changes and shifts depending on who and what are involved. One region’s pirate may not be the same as another’s. The similarities and differences between Western and Eastern piracy are examined in “Conclusion: Piracy in China and the World.”

Each chapter stands on its own, but in reading the book cover to cover, readers gain a better understanding of 300 years of piracy and its role in shaping the history of both China and the world. The narrative incorporates numerous figures, maps, and tables, while a chronology, glossary, bibliography, and index complete the book. Footnotes are found throughout, providing citations and additional information.

This is an engaging, compelling, and informative examination of Chinese piracy. It is difficult for any reader to come away without learning something new. As Antony states in his introduction: “This book is about recovering the silences and seeking the truths about piracy . . . My focus is on piracy as historical, political, social, and cultural phenomena . . . My main aim is to explore the world of Chinese pirates and to explicate the integral role they played in shaping China’s maritime society in the modern age.” (9) He achieves all of this and more. I highly recommend Outlaws of the Sea to anyone who wishes to gain a better understanding of piracy in Asian waters and why western ideas of piracy fail to fully capture who these people are, what they do, and how they fit into and influence Chinese society as a whole. This volume deserves inclusion within any library interested in this region, and for any reader interested in comprehending the differences between Eastern and Western pirates.


(This review was originally posted at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Antony.htm...)



View all my reviews

Captain Kidd review

Captain Kidd: A True Story of Treasure and Betrayal by Samuel Marquis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Who hasn’t heard of Captain Kidd? His name is forever associated with murder and piracy, for which he is hanged (twice) after a trial of the century. A fitting end to a pirate, and a just one according to the law. But what if this simplistic recounting only tells a small part of the story and is viewed only through the eyes of those who had a specific end goal in mind – one that included making William Kidd a scapegoat?

Instead of beginning with Kidd’s birth and early years, Marquis opens with a declaration of war in 1689. Thirty-four-year-old Kidd, and seven compatriots, including Robert Culliford, serve aboard a French privateer. Sooner or later, it will become an “us against them” situation, so the Englishmen stage a mutiny. This seizure and subsequent events in the Caribbean set Kidd on a path that eventually elevates his standing within society and takes him to New York, where he weds the love of his life, Sarah. The way proves rockier than expected, for not all of his fellow mutineers agree with his intentions. They are also jealous because he has what they do not. One night, Culliford and others steal his ship and his hard-earned wealth and go a-pirating.

Despite such setbacks, Kidd lands on his feet and helps put down a rebellion in New York, attends a beheading on his wedding day, becomes a successful and respected merchant sea captain, and dotes on his two daughters. His acquaintance with Robert Livingston, a prosperous merchant with connections in the Red Sea trade, nets Kidd an offer of a pirate-hunting expedition while visiting London. The more he learns, the less successful the venture seems, but he is among powerful men who know how to get what they want no matter what. As a result, Kidd becomes captain of Adventure Galley. Soon after he and his men set sail, trouble begins and it proves to be only the start. Before long, he is declared a pirate, even though he steadfastly refuses to cross that line. Later, while his backers and men like Culliford go free, he pays the ultimate price.

The book begins with short biographies of the historical players connected to Kidd, either in principal or peripheral ways. Covering the years 1689 through 1701, these include New Yorkers, royal governors, monarchs, government officials in both England and India, naval officers, privateers, pirates, and pirate associates. The book includes three maps. Two show the West Indies, the Indian Ocean, and Madagascar. The third map depicts Kidd’s outbound and return voyages between 1696 and 1699.

Marquis divides Kidd’s story into five segments: The Making of a Sea Captain, The New York Gent and King’s Pirate Hunter, The Fateful Voyage, Treasure Fever, and The Trial of the Century. Each of these contains three to six chapters.

There are two drawbacks to this book, especially for those wishing to use it for research. The first is that there is no index. This means one must either be familiar with Kidd’s story enough to know approximately where in the book to look for the information or read the book from cover to cover in hopes of finding the sought-after information. The second involves the endnotes and bibliography. I am told these appear in the ebook version, but those who purchase the hardback must go online to acquire a PDF of the source(s) Marquis consulted. Sometimes, an endnote is a simple citation. Other times, a single sentence in the narrative may include multiple citations, which makes it difficult to know which source provides which information. In his acknowledgements, Marquis describes this book as “a scholarly work.” (354) While he relies predominantly on primary sources, with some reputable secondary sources, this is not a book written for scholars because of these omissions. Instead, the primary audience is lay readers, who will find a wealth of information about Kidd and others here. Whether they concur with Marquis’s conclusions or not will be up to each individual.

Marquis’s gift of storytelling shines through in this biography of his ninth-great-grandfather. He breathes life into Kidd, so readers see him as he is rather than as how propaganda, history, and myth portray him. Many historical persons intersect Kidd’s path, but throughout the narrative Marquis keeps the focus on Kidd, interspersing relevant details about others where the information is relevant. As fiction is separated from fact, Kidd’s complexity emerges complete with foibles and virtues.


(This review originally was posted at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/adult-bio-...)



View all my reviews

The Trafalgar Chronicle New Series 9 Review

The Trafalgar Chronicle: Dedicated to Naval History in the Nelson Era: New Series 9 by John A Rodgaard

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Gathering information on the enemy is nothing new, but during the Georgian Era, a formal system to collect, evaluate, and disseminate acquired data doesn’t exist. So how do the Admiralty and its naval commanders acquire what they need to successfully complete their missions? This is the theme of this year’s 1805 Club’s annual journal. Steven E. Maffeo opens with “Secret Intelligence in the Age of Nelson,” an excerpt from his book (Most Secret and Confidential: Intelligence in the Age of Nelson), which provides an overview of naval intelligence between 1754 and 1815.

Officers who wish to succeed and advance through the ranks understand how important it is to be seen as gentlemen. Some are born to this; others must acquire the culture and sophistication in ways that do not exceed their financial means. Evan Wilson shows how such young officers devise their own grand tours of the continent by combining work with pleasure during times of peace in “A Grand Tour on a Budget: Naval Officers and Intelligence Gathering in the Age of Sail.” In the process, they also acquire information that may be of potential use in times of wars.

Intelligence and what can be inferred from it influences how commanders react, as Andrew Venn Nelson demonstrates in “Cat and Mouse, Misinformation, Thwarted Plans and the Victory that Never Was: Nelson and Villeneuve’s Atlantic Chase, 1805.” Other times, intelligence plays a role in the planning and carrying out of specific operations as Anthony Bruce shows in “‘A Great and Signal Service’: Admiral Vernon at Porto Bello, November 1739.” On the other hand, intelligence can mislead and have unexpected outcomes as we discover in Nicholas James Kaizer’s “The Unwanted Coup: James Callander, Spiridon Foresti, and British Espionage in the Ionian Islands during the War of the Second Coalition.”

The final two entries that address this annual’s theme are more biographical and demonstrative in nature. Tom Fremantle introduces us to “Admiral Arthur Phillip, 1738-1814: Naval Officer, Explorer, Spy, Mercenary, Administrator.” Natacha Abriat’s featured monograph investigates “The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Baron d’Imbert, 1763-1844: French Naval Officer and Royalist Agent,” which provides a unique perspective on French espionage and counterespionage.

In addition to this year’s main topic, the editors include three biographic portraits and five articles of general interest that pertain to the Georgian Era. David Rothwell shows how Sir John Thomas Duckworth considers his orders, his men’s health, and gaining honor and wealth in “The Evolution of British Naval Leadership and Decision-Making in the Face of Sickness.”

American Joshua Penny is pressed into the Royal Navy several times during his lifetime. William S. Dudley discusses this merchant sailor and why he spends eighteen months in a South African cave in “The Seafaring Saga of Joshua Penny, 1788-1815.”

In the last biographical entry, “Trafalgar’s Last Survivors,” Hilary L. Rubenstein investigates who can and cannot lay claim to having fought and survived the Battle of Trafalgar.

The remaining articles showcase Parliament’s reaction to the loss of single ships to the young United States Navy; the demise of USS Essex in Valpariso, Chile; the aftereffects of the Earl of Sandwich’s decision to sheath warships’ hulls with copper; the significance of the name of Admiral Villeneuve’s flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar; and a Spanish princess who believes she is the rightful ruler of Spain’s American possessions while her father is imprisoned and her husband rules Portugal from afar.

Black-&-white illustrations are found throughout the essays with a center section of color plates, all of which complement and enrich the text. Biographies of the contributors and endnotes are included, but there is no index.

As always, reading The Trafalgar Chronicle is a treat. The articles provide a wealth of information that enlightens and enhances our understanding of this period in naval history. This is one of the few places where you will find a collection of offerings dealing with naval intelligence. Even if you think you know a particular subject, you discover tidbits you aren’t aware of. Some articles will confirm what you already know; others will have you rethinking assumptions and seeing topics in new lights. All of which makes this edition a robust treasure indeed.


(This review was originally published at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/TrafalgarC...)



View all my reviews