Under the Black Flag cover art

Under the Black Flag

The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates

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About this listen

For this rousing, revisionist history, the former head of exhibitions at England's National Maritime Museum has combed original documents and records to produce a most authoritative and definitive account of piracy's "Golden Age." As he explodes many accepted myths (i.e. "walking the plank" is pure fiction), Cordingly replaces them with a truth that is more complex and often bloodier.

©2006 David Cordingly (P)2011 Gildan Media Corp 17th Century 18th Century Americas Armed Forces Caribbean & West Indies Maritime History & Piracy Military Modern Naval Forces World Royal Navy Pirate Caribbean Imperialism

Critic reviews

"An insightful, concise, and thoroughly enjoyable portrait of the misnamed Golden Age of Piracy...." ( Library Journal)
"Even if you don't know a corsair (a Mediterranean-based pirate) from a buccaneer (a Caribbean pirate), this book will delight and inform." ( Publishers Weekly)
All stars
Most relevant
Really enjoyed the book despite the American pronunciation of so much of it. Perhaps the voice might learn to pronounce the words he's reading in future.

Really informative

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He sends you to sleep, he mispronounces words all over the place (and not just the usual suspects). Who on earth thought using him could possibly be a good idea?
If you can stand him (and having to rewind when you wake up) the book itself is not at all bad

The reader is abysmal

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Great book generally well read but let down by the butchering of English place names

Great Book Let Down By Narration

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Non spoiler alert, but the last section offer a suitable historic footnote that articulates the misconceptions and romanticising of the subject matter, maybe watch the excellent Black Sails amalgamation of fact v fiction to help visualise the content the section of Hollywood’s makeover also reinforces idealised stereotypes that still pertain.
Grab a rum and immerse yourself to help visual sloops and the socio economic and political dynamic that still 300 years translate in elements of today’s society.
The author has done a excellent job of the realities of this period, from a reference point of view as a training tool, you need to take key window timeline of specific periods and events within the social context and frame around your own storytelling narrative. The crime, state retribution and punishment keeps you immersed beyond the usual key figures and the chapter on homosexuality is enlightening.
A couple of UK diction errors are more than made up for with French, Spanish and Chinese articulation


Thorough at dispelling romanticism preconceptions

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