Enemy of All Mankind

A True Story of Piracy, Power, and History's First Global Manhunt

By: Steven Johnson

Narrated by: Jason Culp

Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

“Thoroughly engrossing...a spirited, suspenseful, economically told tale whose significance is manifest and whose pace never flags.” (The Wall Street Journal)

From the New York Times best-selling author of The Ghost Map and Extra Life, the story of a pirate who changed the world.

Henry Every was the 17th century’s most notorious pirate. The press published wildly popular - and wildly inaccurate - reports of his nefarious adventures. The British government offered enormous bounties for his capture, alive or (preferably) dead. But Steven Johnson argues that Every’s most lasting legacy was his inadvertent triggering of a major shift in the global economy. Enemy of All Mankind focuses on one key event - the attack on an Indian treasure ship by Every and his crew - and its surprising repercussions across time and space. It’s the gripping tale of one of the most lucrative crimes in history, the first international manhunt, and the trial of the 17th century.

Johnson uses the extraordinary story of Henry Every and his crimes to explore the emergence of the East India Company, the British Empire, and the modern global marketplace: a densely interconnected planet ruled by nations and corporations. How did this unlikely pirate and his notorious crime end up playing a key role in the birth of multinational capitalism? In the same mode as Johnson’s classic nonfiction historical thriller The Ghost Map, Enemy of All Mankind deftly traces the path from a single struck match to a global conflagration.

©2020 Steven Johnson (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Great book bringing history to life

My husband loves to sail so this book helped to make sense all of the nautical terms and traditions. It was also very interesting to learn the history of pirates and their shocking ties to modern day capitalism. This could ever be a good book for a kids research paper.

Couldn’t stop listening

A well told pirate tale woven into such a fascinating historical time. Steven Johnson is a great story teller and his subject is thoroughly researched. Cant wait for his next book

Engrossing tale

Steven Johnson provides an interesting take on the history of one of the most infamous pirate tales ever. Jason Culp brings an affable voice to relate Johnson’s words. Overall, this is a terrific nonfiction book to pass the time.

Pretty solid

Intro is solid make you think you’re getting a deeep dive on the east India company but you get a history of why pirates are deemed outlaws. It tells the story of henery Avery and the first world wide man hunt. Wish there was more detail but Avery’s life was shrouded in mystery so it’s a hard story to tell. Thief did a good job solid read.

Great story

Although I know the life of a pirate was not what we like to think it was I sure do like a good pirate tale and sometimes believe I was born, as Jimmy says best, a few hundred years to late. Great book. Great narrator

Fantastic Story

Sometimes real life is more interesting than fiction. I decided to listen to this book because of my interest in Uncharted 4. the real story of Henry Avery to me is much more interesting than that of the game which is saying something because story in the game is very interesting as well.

I thought the quality of writing in this was amazing and the narrator was one of the best, I'll be looking for more work from both of them.

A pirate story and media-hidden rape

Great story! well-researched by the author and well-read for audible!
perhaps the "global manhunt" is over-played since little evidence is presented. but great history and speculation on possible linkages to grander sweeps of historical events and developments.

Interesting story

I enjoyed the story. I thought the performance was dull, especially for a pirate adventure. Johnson rarely disappoints. This is not his best book but I enjoyed it.

Pirates lead us to freedom

This book captures an inflection point in history in which the common man in Europe is shown a new system of governance and the possibility of rapid upward class movement. It cuts through our imagination as sharply as the frigate Fancy cut through 17th century waves!

Pretty dry, but interesting

If you enjoy just the facts and admiralty law, then this is the book for you. It doesn't go much into piracy in the new world and it's not a who's who of pirates, instead how British piracy came to be. It kept my brain busy while weeding