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The Commonwealth of Thieves
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins
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The Commonwealth of Thieves
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Â
In 1945, the Soviet Union controlled half of Europe and was a founding member of the United Nations. By 1991, it had an army four million strong, 5,000 nuclear-tipped missiles, and was the second biggest producer of oil in the world. But soon afterward, the union sank into an economic crisis and was torn apart by nationalist separatism. Its collapse was one of the seismic shifts of the 20th century.
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Publisher's Summary
A lively history of the 'First Fleet' which took convicts from Britain to Australia in 1787; Sydney's early years as 'an open-air prison'; and the colonisation of New South Wales.Â
The story of modern Australia begins in 18th-century Britain, where people were hanged for petty offences but crime was rife and the gaols were bursting. From this situation was born the Sydney experiment, with criminals perceived to be damaging British society transported to Sydney, an 'open air prison with walls 14,000 miles thick'. Â
Eleven ships were dispatched in 1781 and arrived in Australia after eight hellish months at sea. Tom Keneally describes the first four years of the 'thief colony' and how, despite the escapes, the floggings, the murders and the rebellions, it survived against the odds to create a culture which would never have been tolerated in its homeland but which, in Australia, became part of the identity of a new and audacious nation.
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What listeners say about The Commonwealth of Thieves
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- The Nautrual
- 09-21-20
A most vivid account of Australian settlement
Without judgement Thomas weaves the stories of the individual lives of convicts, soldiers sea captains, and free settlers, those of Benelong, Barangaroo and the Eora people with that of Arthur Philip and other British officials into a complex colorful tapestry that brings to vivid life the story of the meeting of two cultures, two nations, two world views. A subject that is often as dry as ships biscuit when presented in grade school history books comes to life under the exquisite penmanship of Keneally as he depicts events of settlement through the intertwining life stories of the many lives allowing the reader to become almost intimately acquainted with the characters through their diary entries thus giving the reader almost the sense of having lived the experience first hand as a fly-on-the-wall observer, a voyeur-to-the-events that began the story of Australia. Engaging enthralling enlightening and best of all... entertaining!!
5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- David
- 07-20-19
history but not history
kenally writes clearly. this is a well researched and informative book. written in the style of a novel nevertheless it provides an informed view of early European settlement.
3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymon
- 09-10-20
Full 5 star
A remarkable book on the early British settlement of Australia and the relationship of the settlers and convicted men and woman with the native Australians. The narration is particularly pleasant with Simon’s lovely voice and English. I’ll listen again one day soon because Thomas has filled the book with so much material that it is easy to miss some while musing over it.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- shanti
- 09-07-20
Wonderful.
I was worried about reading this book. I was worried about it being “ white history “ all over again so I was pleasantly surprised. T.K. Has put us in touch with the individual people. The convicts , the officers, the indigenous folk. It was sympathetic to everyone and written without judgement for or against anyone. Like excellent journalism Some of the stories really surprised me and left me wanting to know more. Like the story of Barangaroo, Benelongs wife and a fantastic woman. I’ve never read anything on early white Australian history nearly as good as this before.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 02-20-23
Rich in history and narrative
Tom Keneally shares brilliantly researched and detailed insights into the Early years of Colonial Sydney. The narration of this ebook is fabulous also.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 01-15-23
A very informative book
I’m very important document. Fascinated to get some insight into the workings of colonisation in Australia. Feel very sad for the indigenous people of the country because of the effects of what is really an invasion.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Leon
- 10-11-22
Leon's review
I love the amount of heart of the Author and his capacity to convey the ideas so thoughtfully so as to make this a momentous occasion for the listener.
simply a must for all lovers of Australian History.
This is truly a masterpiece waiting to be discovered.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- carol
- 09-17-22
An insight into 1788
I wasn't sure about this book at first, but the story is woven around Journals, Diaries and Accounts of many people who were experiencing Sydney Cove first hand. I guess it is a story seen through the eyes and perceptions of those present.
The deaths of so many Convicts was deplorable and the lack of any compassion for human life was disturbing.
As a descendant of several Convicts first, second and third fleets I can only marvel at their strength and indurance during those shocking times, it proved to me that only the very strong did survive and gives me pride in my Ancestory.
Well researched, written and narrated, a lot in old english speak, sometimes difficult to understand but definately worth listening and giving the listener a greater understanding of what happened at the beginning of colonisation of this country.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 09-10-22
essential history
an excellent account of the first years of colonialism. the figures in history read like tragic characters in a novel. the performance is excellent.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 04-15-22
The Commonwealth of Thieves
This book provided details of the settlement of Sydney, a city that I personally enjoy, I especially appreciated the aspect of the interaction with the Aboriginal people, I would recommend it to anyone interested in such like historic time lines.
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Away Off Shore
- Nantucket Island and Its People, 1602-1890
- By: Nathaniel Philbrick
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 98
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 86
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 87
In his first book of history, Away Off Shore, New York Times best-selling author Nathaniel Philbrick reveals the people and the stories behind what was once the whaling capital of the world. Beyond its charm, quaint local traditions, and whaling yarns, Philbrick explores the origins of Nantucket in this comprehensive history. From the English settlers who thought they were purchasing a "Native American ghost town" but actually found a fully realized society, the story of Nantucket is a truly unique chapter of American history.
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3 out of 5 stars
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There once were some (wo)men in Nantucket...
- By Darwin8u on 02-03-19
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The Great Race
- The Race Between the English and the French to Complete the Map of Australia
- By: David Hill
- Narrated by: Paul English
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 35
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 29
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 29
On the afternoon of 8 April 1802, in the remote southern ocean, two explorers had a remarkable chance encounter. Englishman Matthew Flinders and Frenchman Nicolas Baudin had been sent by their governments on the same quest: to explore the uncharted coast of the great south land and find out whether the west and east coasts, four thousand kilometres apart, were part of the same island. And so began the race to compile the definitive map of Australia.
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5 out of 5 stars
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The Story of Australia that I Never Knew
- By MarkH on 04-05-13
By: David Hill
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The Pirate Hunter
- By: Richard Zacks
- Narrated by: Michael Prichard
- Length: 18 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 933
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 596
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Story4 out of 5 stars 601
Captain Kidd has gone down in history as America's most ruthless buccaneer. However, Captain William Kidd was no career cut-throat; he was a tough, successful New York sea captain who was hired to chase pirates. Across the oceans of the world, the pirate hunter, Kidd, pursued the pirate, Culliford. One man would hang in the harbor; the other would walk away with the treasure. The Pirate Hunter is both a masterpiece of historical detective work and a page-turner.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Aaaargh Matey, Listen to this tale!
- By Karen on 04-20-04
By: Richard Zacks
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The Great Shame
- And the Triumph of the Irish in the English-Speaking World
- By: Thomas Keneally
- Narrated by: John McDonough
- Length: 35 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 43
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 33
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 35
Thomas Keneally, the Booker Prize-winning author of Schindler’s List, is universally praised for crafting smooth narratives from authentic historical events. With The Great Shame, he turns his insightful eye toward the Irish struggle through the 19h century. In sharp contrast to much of Europe, Ireland was a terrible place to be during the 1800s. Many of the nation’s finest people set sail for America and Canada.
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4 out of 5 stars
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First read
- By WGrubb on 04-08-16
By: Thomas Keneally
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Batavia's Graveyard
- The True Story of the Mad Heretic Who Led History's Bloodiest Mutiny
- By: Mike Dash
- Narrated by: Guy Bethell
- Length: 12 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 106
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 91
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 92
It was the autumn of 1628, and the Batavia, the Dutch East India Company's flagship, was loaded with a king's ransom in gold, silver, and gems for her maiden voyage to Java. The Batavia was the pride of the company's fleet, a tangible symbol of the world's richest and most powerful commercial monopoly. She set sail with great fanfare, but the Batavia and her gold would never reach Java.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Perhaps the best book ever
- By Ray928 on 03-12-19
By: Mike Dash
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Girt
- The Unauthorised History of Australia, Volume 1
- By: David Hunt
- Narrated by: David Hunt
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 236
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 212
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 212
Girt. No word could better capture the essence of Australia.... In this hilarious history, David Hunt reveals the truth of Australia's past, from megafauna to Macquarie - the cock-ups and curiosities, the forgotten eccentrics and Eureka moments that have made us who we are. Girt introduces forgotten heroes like Mary McLoghlin, transported for the crime of "felony of sock", and Trim the cat, who beat a French monkey to become the first animal to circumnavigate Australia.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Typically irreverent.
- By patricia heffernan on 12-27-15
By: David Hunt
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Away Off Shore
- Nantucket Island and Its People, 1602-1890
- By: Nathaniel Philbrick
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 98
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 86
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 87
In his first book of history, Away Off Shore, New York Times best-selling author Nathaniel Philbrick reveals the people and the stories behind what was once the whaling capital of the world. Beyond its charm, quaint local traditions, and whaling yarns, Philbrick explores the origins of Nantucket in this comprehensive history. From the English settlers who thought they were purchasing a "Native American ghost town" but actually found a fully realized society, the story of Nantucket is a truly unique chapter of American history.
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3 out of 5 stars
-
There once were some (wo)men in Nantucket...
- By Darwin8u on 02-03-19
-
The Great Race
- The Race Between the English and the French to Complete the Map of Australia
- By: David Hill
- Narrated by: Paul English
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 29
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 29
On the afternoon of 8 April 1802, in the remote southern ocean, two explorers had a remarkable chance encounter. Englishman Matthew Flinders and Frenchman Nicolas Baudin had been sent by their governments on the same quest: to explore the uncharted coast of the great south land and find out whether the west and east coasts, four thousand kilometres apart, were part of the same island. And so began the race to compile the definitive map of Australia.
-
5 out of 5 stars
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The Story of Australia that I Never Knew
- By MarkH on 04-05-13
By: David Hill
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The Pirate Hunter
- By: Richard Zacks
- Narrated by: Michael Prichard
- Length: 18 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 933
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 596
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 601
Captain Kidd has gone down in history as America's most ruthless buccaneer. However, Captain William Kidd was no career cut-throat; he was a tough, successful New York sea captain who was hired to chase pirates. Across the oceans of the world, the pirate hunter, Kidd, pursued the pirate, Culliford. One man would hang in the harbor; the other would walk away with the treasure. The Pirate Hunter is both a masterpiece of historical detective work and a page-turner.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Aaaargh Matey, Listen to this tale!
- By Karen on 04-20-04
By: Richard Zacks
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The Slave Ship
- A Human History
- By: Marcus Rediker
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 13 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 285
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 199
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 198
For more than three centuries, slave ships carried millions of people from the coasts of Africa across the Atlantic to the New World. Much is known of the slave trade and the American plantation complex, but little of the ships that made it all possible. In The Slave Ship, award-winning historian Marcus Rediker draws on 30 years of research in maritime archives to create an unprecedented history of these vessels and the human drama acted out on their rolling decks.
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4 out of 5 stars
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So much misery
- By Michael on 11-07-07
By: Marcus Rediker
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Mayflower
- A Story of Courage, Community, and War
- By: Nathaniel Philbrick
- Narrated by: George Guidall
- Length: 12 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 2,824
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,021
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,012
From the perilous ocean crossing to the shared bounty of the first Thanksgiving, the Pilgrim settlement of New England has become enshrined as our most sacred national myth. Yet, as best-selling author Nathaniel Philbrick reveals in his spellbinding new book, the true story of the Pilgrims is much more than the well-known tale of piety and sacrifice; it is a 55-year epic that is at once tragic, heroic, exhilarating, and profound.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Fascinating book about a little-understood time
- By John M on 02-04-07
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The Empire of Necessity
- Slavery, Freedom, and Deception in the New World
- By: Greg Grandin
- Narrated by: Luis Moreno
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 72
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 62
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 64
One morning in 1805, off a remote island in the South Pacific, Captain Amasa Delano, a New England seal hunter, climbed aboard a distressed Spanish ship carrying scores of West Africans he thought were slaves. They weren' t. Having earlier seized control of the vessel and slaughtered most of the crew, they were staging an elaborate ruse, acting as if they were humble servants. When Delano, an idealistic, anti-slavery republican, finally realized the deception, he responded with explosive violence. Drawing on research on four continents, The Empire of Necessity explores the multiple forces that culminated in this extraordinary event.
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4 out of 5 stars
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What is the "right thing to do"?
- By Lake on 03-08-14
By: Greg Grandin
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Barrow's Boys
- By: Fergus Fleming
- Narrated by: James Gillies
- Length: 17 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 46
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 40
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 40
Barrow's Boys is a spellbinding account of perilous journeys to uncharted areas under the most challenging conditions. Fergus Fleming captures the passion for exploration that led a band of men into situations that would humble today's bravest adventurers.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Wow
- By Robert B. Golson on 07-05-17
By: Fergus Fleming
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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
- By: Colin Woodard
- Narrated by: Lewis Grenville
- Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 7,730
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 6,814
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 6,774
In the early 18th 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 runaway slaves - this "Flying Gang" established a crude but distinctive democracy in the Bahamas, carving out their own zone of freedom in which servants were free, Blacks could be equal citizens, and leaders were chosen or deposed by a vote.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Audible is better
- By CaptainRavick on 01-19-16
By: Colin Woodard
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Under the Black Flag
- The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates
- By: David Cordingly
- Narrated by: Don Hagen
- Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 319
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 284
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Story4 out of 5 stars 286
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.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Lacks Nuance
- By Joel Langenfeld on 07-02-15
By: David Cordingly
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Columbus
- The Four Voyages
- By: Laurence Bergreen
- Narrated by: Tim Jerome
- Length: 18 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 199
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 159
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Story