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The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down
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The untold story of a heroic band of Caribbean pirates whose defiance of imperial rule inspired revolt in colonial outposts across the world. In the early eighteenth century, the Pirate Republic was home to some of the great pirate captains, including Blackbeard, "Black Sam" Bellamy, and Charles Vane. Along with their fellow pirates—former sailors, indentured servants, and
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Hardcover, 400 pages
Published
May 7th 2007
by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
(first published 2007)
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Start your review of The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down
Meticulously researched and fascinating. Reads like a Hollywood box office smash hit with love and heartbreak, battles and betrayal, yet it’s all non-fiction. Tempted to flip back to the beginning and read it all over again. 🖤
Feb 21, 2016
Silvana
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
pirate fans or wannabes
Shelves:
deep-blue-sea,
nonfiction
I admit that the main reason I read this book is because of Black Sails, an excellent Starz series about the golden age of the pirates in the Bahamas, set as a loose prequel of RL Stevenson's Treasure Island. After two seasons (of me fangirling over the series' version of Charles Vane, whose cheekbones and penetrating stare can melt me into a puddle of happy goo), season 3 (currently being aired) features this guy:
Yes, that's Blackbeard, aka Edward Thatch (or Teach, depending your source). Playe ...more
Yes, that's Blackbeard, aka Edward Thatch (or Teach, depending your source). Playe ...more
Wow, this was super informative book. If you're not really interested in the subject matter, you may find it a bit dry, but I personally found the attention to detail wonderful. This is a really gritty, close up look into the life and times of some of the world's most famouse pirates. Sam Bellamy, Blackbeard, Henry Avery and Charles Vane to name a few. You certainly come away with sense these were some very, very rough men, who lived rather short lives to their own code.
The issues around slaver ...more
The issues around slaver ...more
For a book about pirates it was surprisingly dull. I realize that the very nature of pirates means there is not much archival material to work with other than official documents that are very likely biased, but I came away from this book not much more enlightened than when I started.
The title is never really addressed, in my opinion. Mr. Woodard simply states the pirates wanted a base and made one on Nassau. So how, exactly, was it a republic by and for pirates? We never find out. At no point i ...more
The title is never really addressed, in my opinion. Mr. Woodard simply states the pirates wanted a base and made one on Nassau. So how, exactly, was it a republic by and for pirates? We never find out. At no point i ...more
This book is the story of the Golden Age of Piracy, 1715 – 1725, through the lives of four pivotal people: pirates Samuel “Black Sam” Bellamy, Edward “Blackbeard” Thatch (or Teach), Charles Vane, and Woodes Rogers, who occupied the Crown’s seat of government in the Bahamas. Woodard starts with a biography of each man and moves into their interactions. He illuminates the motivations of the pirates, as they sought social and political revolt. The book covers the vast sea lanes of pirate activity,
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Somewhere around this time of year (mid-January or just after one of the big cold snaps that pass for winter in central Texas) I usually get an urge to pick up a book that will put a smell of sea salt in my personal air. I freely admit to a love of coastal areas and good beach time, and I will typically begin to start thinking ahead to planning some playtime in the sand during the many warmer months to come.
Author Colin Woodard's “The Republic of Pirates” is a rollicking introduction to some of ...more
Author Colin Woodard's “The Republic of Pirates” is a rollicking introduction to some of ...more
I ended up picking up this book because I realized I didn't really know much about the historical pirates. Despite my rating, I really do appreciate what this book attempts to do. It really attempts to correct a lot of the mythology concerning the pirates in caribbean, which is probably exacerbated due to the movies and Disney Ride that was eventually decommissioned. I had fond memories of this ride from when I was a child and I quite enjoyed the first few movies.
That being said "The Republic of ...more
That being said "The Republic of ...more
Truth, not speculation.
I found this book incredibly informative. Much of what I thought I knew about pirates was entirely false.
Woodard builds this book around solid facts. Facts backed up by relevant journals and ledgers. In many cases he directly refutes previous stories with honest facts and dates.
The downside to this is that the book CAN become very dry in parts. The most detailed documents relating to pirates would be the claims lists for lost cargo. This means that you do get plenty of de ...more
I found this book incredibly informative. Much of what I thought I knew about pirates was entirely false.
Woodard builds this book around solid facts. Facts backed up by relevant journals and ledgers. In many cases he directly refutes previous stories with honest facts and dates.
The downside to this is that the book CAN become very dry in parts. The most detailed documents relating to pirates would be the claims lists for lost cargo. This means that you do get plenty of de ...more
So.... Ive been looking for a series about Pirate scallywags for an age since starting to watch “Black Sails” & harking back to my schooling days (Navy School) where tales of Pirates were told from an early age. My search for a more modern/updated fiction series has turned out to be fruitless so I’ve gone with this book which is highly rated, as i wanted to learn more about the characters involved as an adult & not the fantastical recollections of a small child (who wanted to be a pirate..... Ar
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The Republic of Pirates was an easy 4 Star history of the Golden Age of Piracy in the Caribbean, along the Spanish Main, the east coast of America and other locales. Any fan of Starz’s Black Sails will find their favorite characters here, although the real stories are not always aligned with the miniseries. Never mind, the accounts read easily and keep your interest. The author gives a good overview of the background of the times and why this area and the life of a pirate was attractive. War pla
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After watching the last season of Black Sails, I wanted to learn more about the true historical pirates rather than Hollywood types. This book gives a very good overview of the golden age of Piracy. Black Beard, Charles Vane, Anne Bonney, Mary Reed and Calico Jack Rackham, as well as many other well known pirates make appearances in this book. It tells of the rise and fall of this golden age of Piracy and the stories of the pirates, and those that hunted them. I found the book very informative a
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Pretty decent overview. Made some good points about why piracy flourished at that particular moment in time. From the Jacobite movement to horrific conditions for the average sailor...many of whom were forced into service/
7/10
7/10
I've never seen another book where adventures of pirates and their hunters would seem so humdrum. The general impression on the Golden Age of piracy that is given by this book is that most activities of sea rovers were rather mundane and petty. Small crews, short careers, sloops with few cannons, surrenders without a fight, prizes mostly full of rum, grain and cocoa but for the few exceptions… Definitely not the rivers of pieces of eight one could conceive! (Sometimes the book mentions that pira
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I'm not sure how I feel about this book. It gave a disclaimer talking about how people have this romanticized view of pirates and then went on to give a similarly golden picture of freedom-loving rebels, the forerunners of the American founding fathers who never killed anybody without need and, no doubt, nursed orphan puppies back to health. It also had one of the most skewed, over-simplified summaries of the Jacobite Rising that I have EVER seen outside of a third-grade textbook. It did get mar
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Fun and interesting, but the story got extremely dull. Come on.... how hard is it to make pirates exciting...?
Shockingly boring for a book about pirates
This is one of the most interesting non-fiction/history books I've read before. I mean, you'll no doubt enjoy it more if you have any kind of interest in pirates, but I found that it just provided a really in-depth view of this time and area of the world as well added reality to all the pirate stories and myths that I'd heard over the years and read/seen in other books and movies.
It presents a very real and raw picture of what it was like to be a pirate (or someone who came across them) rather t ...more
It presents a very real and raw picture of what it was like to be a pirate (or someone who came across them) rather t ...more
Super intresting! Learned allot about pirates. My knowledge of pirates previously was solely from Pirates of the Caribbean and assassins creed 4.
The book gives you the information in a very engaging way, it was allot of fun to read. Serious props to the author for making it so engaging. My only issues were that sometimes I would start getting names and different people mixed up, that's probably just my problem though. I'd recommend this if your at all intrested in learning more about pirates! ...more
The book gives you the information in a very engaging way, it was allot of fun to read. Serious props to the author for making it so engaging. My only issues were that sometimes I would start getting names and different people mixed up, that's probably just my problem though. I'd recommend this if your at all intrested in learning more about pirates! ...more
Very interesting listen. Funny how very little it seems that the film industry shows of how pirates really were and focused on a small portion of them.
Wish to see more movies and games of pirates, but movies and games that explore the untouched parts of pirates lives in that era because I think those are just as interesting.
Wish to see more movies and games of pirates, but movies and games that explore the untouched parts of pirates lives in that era because I think those are just as interesting.
THE REPUBLIC OF PIRATES: BEING THE TRUE AND SURPRISING STORY OF THE CARIBBEAN PIRATES AND THE MAN WHO BROUGHT THEM DOWN BY COLIN WOODARD: Welcome to the Golden Age of Piracy, at least that’s what it can be considered from the pirates’ point of view. The ten years between 1715 and 1725 was the time when pirates ruled the high seas of the Caribbean. This is their story during those ten years when they had the times of their lives, and had it all brought to a halt by one man.
Woodard starts at the b ...more
Woodard starts at the b ...more
When most people today think of pirates, they are quick to assume similarities with the ones in current media, such as Jack Sparrow or Captain Hook. However, “The Republic of Pirates” covers much more than what many expect.
The premise is on the rise of the “Pirate Republic,” a Pirate-controlled state centered in the Bahamas that centered on the idea of the “pirate code,” a unique code of conduct used by pirates to govern their ships and crews democratically. The Republic of Pirates also centers ...more
The premise is on the rise of the “Pirate Republic,” a Pirate-controlled state centered in the Bahamas that centered on the idea of the “pirate code,” a unique code of conduct used by pirates to govern their ships and crews democratically. The Republic of Pirates also centers ...more
This book read like a high school book report, and what a shame because the subject matter is otherwise so fascinating.
I would have happily traded the 200-page, mind-crushingly dull descriptive laundry list of captured vessels (their total weight, their contents, and their captains' names) for *ten* decently written pages about the Jacobite rebellion, or about the historical relevance of the pirates' republic and how it influenced the American Revolution and the creation of our democracy.
My fav ...more
I would have happily traded the 200-page, mind-crushingly dull descriptive laundry list of captured vessels (their total weight, their contents, and their captains' names) for *ten* decently written pages about the Jacobite rebellion, or about the historical relevance of the pirates' republic and how it influenced the American Revolution and the creation of our democracy.
My fav ...more
The most boring book about pirates you'll ever read. Really though, it's shocking how uninteresting the whole thing is. I made it about 2/3 of the way through before finally coming to the realization that this was it - the damn thing simply wasn't going to get any better.
FAR too much of this is given over to lists. Lists of the provisions carried aboard a particular pirate ship, lists of the measurements of a particular type of ship, lists of the plunder taken from a particular ship. I forgot it ...more
FAR too much of this is given over to lists. Lists of the provisions carried aboard a particular pirate ship, lists of the measurements of a particular type of ship, lists of the plunder taken from a particular ship. I forgot it ...more
Fictional pirates have fascinated people for centuries, and I'm no exception. Black Sails, which mixes fictional characters and various notorious historical figures, including several featured prominently in this book, was one of my favourite TV shows of this decade, so it's little wonder this book made its way onto my TBR. Detailed, informative, and absolutely engrossing, it brings the history and principal figures of the golden age of piracy alive and makes for a fascinating read.
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A lot of academic fun. Woodward takes the reader through a history of the known facts about the "golden age of piracy."
This book is almost certainly better read in print than heard on audio because it is dense. At points, being able to flip back a page (or ten) to verify which person is under discussion could be helpful. Also, Grenville's narration, while good, occasionally reminds the reader of William Shatner or Christopher Walken, with incomprehensible pauses between phrases.
Takeaways by wh ...more
This book is almost certainly better read in print than heard on audio because it is dense. At points, being able to flip back a page (or ten) to verify which person is under discussion could be helpful. Also, Grenville's narration, while good, occasionally reminds the reader of William Shatner or Christopher Walken, with incomprehensible pauses between phrases.
Takeaways by wh ...more
Really fascinating information on pirates that I never knew before!
Adam's review sums up my exact thoughts: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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Not quite the book I was expecting. A lot less about politics than the name would suggest. More just a timeline of general piracy in the Caribbean, not much at all about any republic. And unfortunately quite boring at times.
Entertaining read. Learned a lot about the early colonization of the Caribbean and the golden years of pirate dominance in that region.
A well-written, well-researched and very readable history of Golden Age piracy in the Caribbean and along America’s Atlantic coast.
Woodard does a great job describing the short careers of the most famous pirates (Teach, Bellamy, Vane and Bonnet) and their enemy Woodes Rogers, governor of the Bahamas. Woodard considers the pirates revolutionaries and describes their practice of electing their captains and sharing their loot, the pirates’ recruitment of fugitive slaves, how dependent the careers ( ...more
Woodard does a great job describing the short careers of the most famous pirates (Teach, Bellamy, Vane and Bonnet) and their enemy Woodes Rogers, governor of the Bahamas. Woodard considers the pirates revolutionaries and describes their practice of electing their captains and sharing their loot, the pirates’ recruitment of fugitive slaves, how dependent the careers ( ...more
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“I am a free Prince, and I have as much authority to make war on the whole world as he who has a hundred ships at sea and an army of 100,000 men in the field."
-Samuel "Black Sam" Bellamy”
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-Samuel "Black Sam" Bellamy”
“On September 29, as they closed on her at the Capes of Virginia, Blackbeard donned his new, terrifying battle attire. He wore a silk sling over his shoulders, to which were attached “three brace of pistols, hanging in holsters like bandaliers.” Under his hat, he tied on lit fuses, allowing some of them to dangle down on each side of his face, surrounding it with a halo of smoke and fire. So adorned, a contemporary biographer reported, “his eyes naturally looking fierce and wild, [that he] made altogether such a figure that imagination cannot form an idea of a fury from Hell to look more frightful.”
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