Under the Black Flag

The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates

By: David Cordingly

Narrated by: Don Hagen

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

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)

if you are new to the world of Pirate tales

if you're new to the world of pirate tales this is the book to listen to first.

it does a really good job of explaining many of the men/women, the myths and the legends you will get much deeper into in the other books. this week familiarize you with the terms, the locations and even a bit of the movie mystique that surrounds the often very misunderstood world of the 17 and 18th century.

Fascinating fact vs. fiction book

This book focuses mainly on trying to sort the truth of historical piracy from the legends, myths, and romanticized popular views of piracy.

The book is largely composed of stories and anecdotes about pirates, with each chapter tackling a different topic. It is not as a cohesive historical narrative, which seems to be the cause of some frustration for other reviewers. If that is what you're looking for, try "The Republic of Pirates," by Colin Woodard.

However, if you want to know if there is any factual basis for many of the tropes and clichés of piracy in popular culture, this is a really interesting and informative book... Just don't expect an exhaustive linear history.

Learn the true facts of pirates

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes , the complilation of stories, with explanation, Gave me a deeper understanding of the brutality of a pirates life

What did you like best about this story?

The examination of many of the pirates of the time and clearing of misconseption of ther life - For instance "walking the plank" has only one recording occurance.

Which character – as performed by Don Hagen – was your favorite?

All were great , since it was about many pirates

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The description of the torture , the description made these new films of robots and beasts look tame .

Any additional comments?

A must read for anyone interested in that time period and the Brotherhood of Pirates.

Great overall book on piracy

I’ve read previously about the topic, but still walked away with a better appreciation of the reality of piracy. It was the romance side of this I could have done without - the recapping/cast list of various plays and movies can be skipped through without missing anything. About mid-way through chapter one, skip to chapter two and stick with it. Same with the movie chapter. Otherwise a great combination of several good resources.

good book

good book, mostly a review of stuff I previously learned some facts are not quite fact but close.