-
Pirates
- The Truth Behind the Robbers of the High Seas
- Narrated by: Mack Gordon
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pirates
Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Mr Midshipman Hornblower
- By: C. S. Forester
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,845
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,652
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,636
Shaking off this label, a shy and lonely 17-year-old, Horatio Hornblower, embarks on a memorable career in Nelson's navy on HMS Justinian. In action, adventure, and battle he is forged into one of the most formidable junior officers in the service.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
First rate historical fiction
- By Jason on 04-30-17
By: C. S. Forester
-
The British Are Coming
- The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777 (The Revolution Trilogy, Book 1)
- By: Rick Atkinson
- Narrated by: George Newbern, Rick Atkinson - introduction
- Length: 26 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,480
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,279
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,267
Rick Atkinson recounts the first 21 months of America’s violent war for independence. From the battles at Lexington and Concord in spring 1775 to those at Trenton and Princeton in winter 1777, American militiamen and then the ragged Continental Army take on the world’s most formidable fighting force. Full of riveting details and untold stories, The British Are Coming is a tale of heroes and knaves, of sacrifice and blunder, of redemption and profound suffering. Rick Atkinson has given stirring new life to the first act of our country’s creation drama.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Where are the Maps?
- By George Reid on 07-08-19
By: Rick Atkinson
-
A Rage for Glory
- The Life of Commodore Stephen Decatur, USN
- By: James Tertius de Kay
- Narrated by: John McDonough
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 27
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 23
Acclaimed author James Tertius de Kay recounts the lifeof Commodore Stephen Decatur in the first new biography of the great naval hero in almost 70 years. De Kay draws on material unavailable to previous biographers to explore Decatur’s extraordinary life. From his burning of the Philadelphia to his capture of the HMS Macedonian, Decatur demonstrated his legendary bravery at every turn.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent writing and exciting story
- By mikey on 08-02-19
-
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
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,129
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7,154
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,114
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Audible is better
- By CaptainRavick on 01-19-16
By: Colin Woodard
-
Black Flags, Blue Waters
- The Epic History of America's Most Notorious Pirates
- By: Eric Jay Dolin
- Narrated by: Paul Brion
- Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,201
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 1,058
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,048
Set against the backdrop of the Age of Exploration, Black Flags, Blue Waters reveals the dramatic and surprising history of American piracy's "Golden Age" when lawless pirates plied the coastal waters of North America and beyond. Best-selling author Eric Jay Dolin illustrates how American colonists at first supported these outrageous pirates in an early display of solidarity against the Crown, and then violently opposed them. Upending popular misconceptions and cartoonish stereotypes, Dolin provides this wholly original account of these seafaring outlaws.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Solid read, BUT...
- By K ODell on 07-17-19
By: Eric Jay Dolin
-
Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates
- The Forgotten War That Changed American History
- By: Brian Kilmeade, Don Yaeger
- Narrated by: Brian Kilmeade
- Length: 4 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,845
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 2,567
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,551
When Thomas Jefferson became president in 1801, America faced a crisis. The new nation was deeply in debt and needed its economy to grow quickly, but its merchant ships were under attack. Pirates from North Africa's Barbary coast routinely captured American sailors and held them as slaves, demanding ransom and tribute payments far beyond what the new country could afford.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting history - terrible narrator
- By CJF on 12-08-15
By: Brian Kilmeade, and others
-
Mr Midshipman Hornblower
- By: C. S. Forester
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,845
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,652
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,636
Shaking off this label, a shy and lonely 17-year-old, Horatio Hornblower, embarks on a memorable career in Nelson's navy on HMS Justinian. In action, adventure, and battle he is forged into one of the most formidable junior officers in the service.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
First rate historical fiction
- By Jason on 04-30-17
By: C. S. Forester
-
The British Are Coming
- The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777 (The Revolution Trilogy, Book 1)
- By: Rick Atkinson
- Narrated by: George Newbern, Rick Atkinson - introduction
- Length: 26 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,480
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,279
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,267
Rick Atkinson recounts the first 21 months of America’s violent war for independence. From the battles at Lexington and Concord in spring 1775 to those at Trenton and Princeton in winter 1777, American militiamen and then the ragged Continental Army take on the world’s most formidable fighting force. Full of riveting details and untold stories, The British Are Coming is a tale of heroes and knaves, of sacrifice and blunder, of redemption and profound suffering. Rick Atkinson has given stirring new life to the first act of our country’s creation drama.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Where are the Maps?
- By George Reid on 07-08-19
By: Rick Atkinson
-
A Rage for Glory
- The Life of Commodore Stephen Decatur, USN
- By: James Tertius de Kay
- Narrated by: John McDonough
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 27
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 23
Acclaimed author James Tertius de Kay recounts the lifeof Commodore Stephen Decatur in the first new biography of the great naval hero in almost 70 years. De Kay draws on material unavailable to previous biographers to explore Decatur’s extraordinary life. From his burning of the Philadelphia to his capture of the HMS Macedonian, Decatur demonstrated his legendary bravery at every turn.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent writing and exciting story
- By mikey on 08-02-19
-
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
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,129
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7,154
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,114
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Audible is better
- By CaptainRavick on 01-19-16
By: Colin Woodard
-
Black Flags, Blue Waters
- The Epic History of America's Most Notorious Pirates
- By: Eric Jay Dolin
- Narrated by: Paul Brion
- Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,201
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 1,058
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,048
Set against the backdrop of the Age of Exploration, Black Flags, Blue Waters reveals the dramatic and surprising history of American piracy's "Golden Age" when lawless pirates plied the coastal waters of North America and beyond. Best-selling author Eric Jay Dolin illustrates how American colonists at first supported these outrageous pirates in an early display of solidarity against the Crown, and then violently opposed them. Upending popular misconceptions and cartoonish stereotypes, Dolin provides this wholly original account of these seafaring outlaws.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Solid read, BUT...
- By K ODell on 07-17-19
By: Eric Jay Dolin
-
Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates
- The Forgotten War That Changed American History
- By: Brian Kilmeade, Don Yaeger
- Narrated by: Brian Kilmeade
- Length: 4 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,845
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 2,567
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,551
When Thomas Jefferson became president in 1801, America faced a crisis. The new nation was deeply in debt and needed its economy to grow quickly, but its merchant ships were under attack. Pirates from North Africa's Barbary coast routinely captured American sailors and held them as slaves, demanding ransom and tribute payments far beyond what the new country could afford.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting history - terrible narrator
- By CJF on 12-08-15
By: Brian Kilmeade, and others
-
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
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 351
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 292
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 294
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.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Slow
- By Gary V Howell on 06-07-20
By: Steven Johnson
-
Flashman and the Seawolf
- Adventures of Thomas Flashman
- By: Robert Brightwell
- Narrated by: Henry Clore Harrison
- Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 122
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 107
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 106
Following the popularity of the memoirs of Harry Flashman, the Victorian scoundrel who got himself embroiled in many events of his age, this book introduces a new generation of the family: Thomas Flashman, whose career covers the Napoleonic and Georgian era. This first book covers his adventures with Thomas Cochrane, one of the most extraordinary naval commanders of all time. From the brothels and gambling dens of London, through political intrigues and espionage, the action moves to the Mediterranean and the real life character of Thomas Cochrane.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Not quite as good as the Harry Flashman series
- By N. J. Simicich on 01-14-19
-
Two Years Before the Mast
- By: Richard Henry Dana
- Narrated by: Bernard Mayes
- Length: 16 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 372
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 280
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 274
Richard Henry Dana, a law student turned sailor for health reasons, sailed in 1834 aboard the brig Pilgrim on a voyage from Boston around Cape Horn to California. Drawing from his journals, Two Years Before the Mast gives a vivid and detailed account, shrewdly observed and beautifully described, of a common sailor's wretched treatment at sea, and of a way of life virtually unknown at that time.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
The Uncommon Common Sailor in the Age of Sail
- By Jefferson on 05-24-13
-
Conquerors
- How Portugal Forged the First Global Empire
- By: Roger Crowley
- Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
- Length: 13 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 714
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 620
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 619
Conquerors tells the almost forgotten story of how Portugal's navigators cracked the code of the Atlantic winds, launched the expedition of Vasco da Gama to India, and beat the Spanish to the spice kingdoms of the East - then set about creating the first long-range maritime empire.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Beautifully balanced
- By Nigel Roberts on 05-08-16
By: Roger Crowley
-
Struggle for Sea Power
- A Naval History of the American Revolution
- By: Sam Willis
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 15 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 123
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 108
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 107
The American Revolution was a naval war of immense scope and variety, including no less than 22 navies fighting on five oceans - to say nothing of rivers and lakes. In no other war were so many large-scale fleet battles fought, one of which was the most strategically significant naval battle in all of British, French, and American history.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fantastic perspective on American Revolution
- By J. Mar on 04-20-21
By: Sam Willis
-
Seize the Fire
- Heroism, Duty, and the Battle of Trafalgar
- By: Adam Nicolson
- Narrated by: Adam Nicolson
- Length: 6 hrs and 26 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 121
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 89
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 90
Adam Nicolson takes the great naval battle of Trafalgar, fought between the British and Franco-Spanish fleets in October 1805, and uses it to examine our idea of heroism and the heroic. A story rich with modern resonance, Seize the Fire reveals the economic impact of the battle as a victorious Great Britain emerged as a global commercial empire. Nicolson not only vividly describes the brutal realities of battle but enters the hearts and minds of the men who were there.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
great narration
- By Tito on 12-06-17
By: Adam Nicolson
-
Marooned
- Jamestown, Shipwreck, and a New History of America's Origin
- By: Joseph Kelly
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 30
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 22
We all know the great American origin story: It begins with an exodus. Fleeing religious persecution, the hardworking, pious Pilgrims thrived in the wilds of New England, where they built their fabled "shining city on a hill". Legend goes that the colony in Jamestown was a false start, offering a cautionary tale of lazy louts who hunted gold till they starved and shiftless settlers who had to be rescued by English food and the hard discipline of martial law.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
“Breath-y” narration bit great book
- By NBerg on 02-15-20
By: Joseph Kelly
-
Farther Than Any Man
- The Rise and Fall of Captain James Cook
- By: Martin Dugard
- Narrated by: Jack Chekijian
- Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 375
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 323
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 322
In the annals of seafaring and exploration, there is one name that immediately evokes visions of the open ocean, billowing sails, visiting strange, exotic lands previously uncharted, and civilizations never before encountered - Captain James Cook. Full of realistic action, lush descriptions of places and events, and fascinating historical characters such as King George III and the soon-to-be-notorious Master William Bligh, Dugard's gripping account of the life and death of Captain James Cook is a thrilling story of a discoverer hell-bent on going farther than any man.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Sloppy History
- By Kyle P. Dalton on 04-06-18
By: Martin Dugard
-
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
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 115
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 99
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 100
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Perhaps the best book ever
- By Ray928 on 03-12-19
By: Mike Dash
-
Iron Dawn
- The Monitor, the Merrimack, and the Civil War Sea Battle That Changed History
- By: Richard Snow
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 442
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 388
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 388
No single sea battle has had more far-reaching consequences than the one fought in the harbor at Hampton Roads, Virginia, in March 1862. The Confederacy, with no fleet of its own, built an iron fort containing 10 heavy guns on the hull of a captured Union frigate named the Merrimack. The North got word of the project when it was already well along, and, in desperation, commissioned an eccentric inventor named John Ericsson to build the Monitor, an entirely revolutionary iron warship.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Good book about an underreported area of the civil war
- By Brian on 11-09-16
By: Richard Snow
-
The Colonial Post-Captain
- Carlisle and Holbrooke Naval Adventures Series, Book 1
- By: Chris Durbin
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 119
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 100
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 100
Captain Carlisle hails from Virginia, a loyal colony of the British Crown. As the clouds of war gather, Carlisle's small frigate is ordered to Toulon on a reconnaissance mission. If battling the winter weather in the Gulf of Lions is not a sufficient challenge, Carlisle must also juggle the delicate diplomatic issues in this period of pre-war tension while contending with an increasingly belligerent French frigate. But Carlisle has additional problems unique to his colonial origins.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Good sea yarn!
- By Paul Harris on 01-20-20
By: Chris Durbin
-
The Shores of Tripoli
- Lieutenant Putnam and the Barbary Pirates
- By: James L. Haley
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 15 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 315
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 290
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 287
It is 1801, and President Thomas Jefferson has assembled a deep-water navy to fight the growing threat of piracy, as American civilians are regularly kidnapped by Islamist brigands and held for ransom, enslaved, or killed, all at their captors' whim. The Berber States of North Africa, especially Tripoli, claimed their faith gave them the right to pillage anyone who did not submit to their religion.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Listen to the sample
- By Mike on 10-30-18
By: James L. Haley
Publisher's summary
Pirates have an almost mythical status in the public imagination—we think of rogue heroes riding the high seasand "X marks the spot". But this image is flawed at best.
Using contemporary sources, Nigel Cawthorne turns the spotlight on the reality of pirate life, revealing the truth behind the legends. It gives us an insight into infamous the men and women who plundered ship and shore, including Captain Kidd, Blackbeard, and Mary Read. We learn of the hazy distinction between pirates and state-approved privateers who were used to maintain empire, as well as the Port Royal pirate base in Jamaica—known as the "wickedest city in the world".
Including details of various pirate exploits, as well as their weapons, ships and unhappy victims, this fascinating read will divide fact from slippery fiction.
More from the same
Related to this topic
-
Blackbeard
- America's Most Notorious Pirate
- By: Angus Konstam
- Narrated by: Eric G. Dove
- Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 128
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 108
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 108
Of all the colorful cutthroats who scoured the seas in search of plunder during the Golden Age of Piracy in the early 18th century, none was more ferocious or notorious than Blackbeard. As unforgettable as his savage career was, much of Blackbeard's life has been shrouded in mystery - until now. Drawing on vivid descriptions of Blackbeard's attacks from his rare surviving victims, pirate expert Angus Konstam traces Blackbeard's career from its beginnings to his final defeat in a tremendous sea battle near his base at Ocracoke Island
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
It’s alright
- By B. Williams on 02-26-21
By: Angus Konstam
-
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
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 349
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 308
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 310
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.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Lacks Nuance
- By Joel Langenfeld on 07-02-15
By: David Cordingly
-
Nelson's Trafalgar
- The Battle That Changed the World
- By: Roy Adkins
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 97
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 90
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 89
In the tradition of Antony Beevor's Stalingrad, Nelson's Trafalgar presents the definitive blow-by-blow account of the world's most famous naval battle, when the British Royal Navy, under Lord Horatio Nelson, dealt a decisive blow to the forces of Napoleon. The Battle of Trafalgar comes boldly to life in this definitive work that recreates those five momentous, earsplitting hours with unrivaled detail and intensity.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
kiss me hardy!!!!
- By frank on 05-09-23
By: Roy Adkins
-
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
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,129
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7,154
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,114
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Audible is better
- By CaptainRavick on 01-19-16
By: Colin Woodard
-
Give Me a Fast Ship
- The Continental Navy and America's Revolution at Sea
- By: Tim McGrath
- Narrated by: Don Hagen
- Length: 19 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 87
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 76
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 78
America in 1775 was on the verge of revolution - or, more likely, disastrous defeat. After the bloodshed at Lexington and Concord, England's King George sent hundreds of ships westward to bottle up American harbors and prey on American shipping. Colonists had no force to defend their coastline and waterways until John Adams of Massachusetts proposed a bold solution: The Continental Congress should raise a navy. Meticulously researched and masterfully told, Give Me a Fast Ship is the definitive history of the American Navy during the Revolutionary War.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
I learned so much
- By William on 05-08-17
By: Tim McGrath
-
Sons of the Waves
- The Common Seaman in the Heroic Age of Sail
- By: Stephen Taylor
- Narrated by: Matthew Waterson
- Length: 13 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 60
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 54
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 53
British maritime history in the age of sail is full of the deeds of officers like Nelson but has given little voice to plain, "illiterate" seamen. Now, Stephen Taylor draws on published and unpublished memoirs, letters, and naval records, including court-martials and petitions, to present these men in their own words. In this exhilarating account, ordinary seamen are far from the hapless sufferers of the press gangs.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Navy Guy Recommends this Title
- By Lexcast on 06-17-20
By: Stephen Taylor
-
Blackbeard
- America's Most Notorious Pirate
- By: Angus Konstam
- Narrated by: Eric G. Dove
- Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 128
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 108
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 108
Of all the colorful cutthroats who scoured the seas in search of plunder during the Golden Age of Piracy in the early 18th century, none was more ferocious or notorious than Blackbeard. As unforgettable as his savage career was, much of Blackbeard's life has been shrouded in mystery - until now. Drawing on vivid descriptions of Blackbeard's attacks from his rare surviving victims, pirate expert Angus Konstam traces Blackbeard's career from its beginnings to his final defeat in a tremendous sea battle near his base at Ocracoke Island
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
It’s alright
- By B. Williams on 02-26-21
By: Angus Konstam
-
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
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 349
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 308
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 310
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.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Lacks Nuance
- By Joel Langenfeld on 07-02-15
By: David Cordingly
-
Nelson's Trafalgar
- The Battle That Changed the World
- By: Roy Adkins
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 97
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 90
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 89
In the tradition of Antony Beevor's Stalingrad, Nelson's Trafalgar presents the definitive blow-by-blow account of the world's most famous naval battle, when the British Royal Navy, under Lord Horatio Nelson, dealt a decisive blow to the forces of Napoleon. The Battle of Trafalgar comes boldly to life in this definitive work that recreates those five momentous, earsplitting hours with unrivaled detail and intensity.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
kiss me hardy!!!!
- By frank on 05-09-23
By: Roy Adkins
-
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
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,129
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7,154
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,114
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Audible is better
- By CaptainRavick on 01-19-16
By: Colin Woodard
-
Give Me a Fast Ship
- The Continental Navy and America's Revolution at Sea
- By: Tim McGrath
- Narrated by: Don Hagen
- Length: 19 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 87
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 76
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 78
America in 1775 was on the verge of revolution - or, more likely, disastrous defeat. After the bloodshed at Lexington and Concord, England's King George sent hundreds of ships westward to bottle up American harbors and prey on American shipping. Colonists had no force to defend their coastline and waterways until John Adams of Massachusetts proposed a bold solution: The Continental Congress should raise a navy. Meticulously researched and masterfully told, Give Me a Fast Ship is the definitive history of the American Navy during the Revolutionary War.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
I learned so much
- By William on 05-08-17
By: Tim McGrath
-
Sons of the Waves
- The Common Seaman in the Heroic Age of Sail
- By: Stephen Taylor
- Narrated by: Matthew Waterson
- Length: 13 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 60
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 54
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 53
British maritime history in the age of sail is full of the deeds of officers like Nelson but has given little voice to plain, "illiterate" seamen. Now, Stephen Taylor draws on published and unpublished memoirs, letters, and naval records, including court-martials and petitions, to present these men in their own words. In this exhilarating account, ordinary seamen are far from the hapless sufferers of the press gangs.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Navy Guy Recommends this Title
- By Lexcast on 06-17-20
By: Stephen Taylor
-
Black Flags, Blue Waters
- The Epic History of America's Most Notorious Pirates
- By: Eric Jay Dolin
- Narrated by: Paul Brion
- Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,201
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 1,058
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,048
Set against the backdrop of the Age of Exploration, Black Flags, Blue Waters reveals the dramatic and surprising history of American piracy's "Golden Age" when lawless pirates plied the coastal waters of North America and beyond. Best-selling author Eric Jay Dolin illustrates how American colonists at first supported these outrageous pirates in an early display of solidarity against the Crown, and then violently opposed them. Upending popular misconceptions and cartoonish stereotypes, Dolin provides this wholly original account of these seafaring outlaws.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Solid read, BUT...
- By K ODell on 07-17-19
By: Eric Jay Dolin
-
To the Uttermost Ends of the Earth
- The Epic Hunt for the South's Most Feared Ship—and the Greatest Sea Battle of the Civil War
- By: Tom Clavin, Phil Keith
- Narrated by: Joe Knezevich
- Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 42
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 37
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 35
On June 19, 1864, just off the coast of France, one of the most dramatic naval battles in history took place. On a clear day with windswept skies, the dreaded Confederate raider Alabama faced the Union warship Kearsarge in an all-or-nothing fight to the finish, the outcome of which would effectively end the threat of the Confederacy on the high seas.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Fascinating how these men traveled the world on a ship in the mid 19th century.
- By Jacob Llamas on 03-10-24
By: Tom Clavin, and others
-
The Great Explorers
- The European Discovery of America
- By: Samuel Eliot Morison
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
- Length: 25 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 94
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 75
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 73
The great voyages of discovery to the New World are here brought to life by one of the 20th century's most eminent historians, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Samuel Morison. A master seaman himself, Morison personally retraced the voyages of the early explorers, charting his travels in maps and photographs and comparing these to the maps and travelogues of the early sailors.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Good Book, but don't download until audible fixes the skipping
- By Jeff on 04-28-17
-
The Pirate Hunter
- By: Richard Zacks
- Narrated by: Michael Prichard
- Length: 18 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 949
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 610
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 615
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.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Aaaargh Matey, Listen to this tale!
- By Karen on 04-20-04
By: Richard Zacks
-
Born to Be Hanged
- The Epic Story of the Gentlemen Pirates Who Raided the South Seas, Rescued a Princess, and Stole a Fortune
- By: Keith Thomson
- Narrated by: Feodor Chin
- Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 307
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 261
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 261
The year is 1680, in the heart of the Golden Age of Piracy, and more than 300 daring, hardened pirates—a potent mix of low-life scallywags and a rare breed of gentlemen buccaneers—gather on a remote Caribbean island. The plan: to wreak havoc on the Pacific coastline, raiding cities, mines, and merchant ships. The booty: the bright gleam of Spanish gold and the chance to become a legend. So begins one of the greatest piratical adventures of the era—a story not given its full due until now.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fascinating tale of 17th Piracy in the Americas
- By Xmeromotu on 07-11-22
By: Keith Thomson
-
Six Frigates
- By: Ian W. Toll
- Narrated by: Stephen Lang
- Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,377
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,130
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,128
Before the ink was dry on the U.S. Constitution, the establishment of a permanent military had become the most divisive issue facing the new government. Would a standing army be the thin end of dictatorship? Would a navy protect American commerce against the Mediterranean pirates, or drain the treasury and provoke hostilities with the great powers? The founders, particularly Jefferson, Madison, and Adams, debated these questions fiercely and switched sides more than once.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
BE ADVISED THIS BOOK IS ABRIDGED
- By George Carpenter III on 09-11-08
By: Ian W. Toll
-
Broadsides: The Age of Fighting Sail, 1775-1815
- By: Nathan Miller
- Narrated by: David Rapkin
- Length: 15 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 222
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 203
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 200
In the late 18th century, it was widely thought that to be a sailor was little better than to be a slave. "No man will be a sailor," wrote Samuel Johnson, "who has contrivance enough to get himself into jail. A man in jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company." If that were true, historian Nathan Miller suggests, then the record of sailing in the age of tall ships would likely be distinguished by few heroes and fewer grand narratives.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Misleading description, solid historical summary
- By M J Mills on 08-10-14
By: Nathan Miller
-
The Real Hornblower
- The Life and Times of Admiral Sir James Gordon
- By: Bryan Perrett
- Narrated by: Ron Bottitta
- Length: 6 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 41
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 31
In this thoroughly researched book the author argues convincingly that Forester's model was Adm. James Gordon, a flesh-and-blood hero of Nelson's navy. Gordon entered the Royal Navy as a semi-literate eleven-year-old and rose to become Admiral of the Fleet. He took part in major sea battles, frigate actions, single-ship duels, and operations far behind enemy lines. It was the fire of Gordon's ships against Fort McHenry that inspired the American national anthem.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Missing final chapter
- By Byron on 03-27-19
By: Bryan Perrett
-
Rebels at Sea
- Privateering in the American Revolution
- By: Eric Jay Dolin
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 51
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 46
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 47
The heroic story of the founding of the US Navy during the Revolution has been told many times, yet largely missing from maritime histories of America's first war is the ragtag fleet of private vessels that truly revealed the new nation's character. In Rebels at Sea, Eric Jay Dolin corrects that significant omission, and contends that privateers, as they were called, were in fact critical to the American victory. Privateers were privately owned vessels that were granted permission by the new government to seize British merchantmen and men of war.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
If you can get over the narrator...
- By Toby Everett on 09-20-22
By: Eric Jay Dolin
-
Valcour
- The 1776 Campaign that Saved the Cause of Liberty
- By: Jack Kelly
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 82
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 72
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 72
During the summer of 1776, a British incursion from Canada loomed. In response, citizen soldiers of the newly independent nation mounted a heroic defense. Patriots constructed a small fleet of gunboats on Lake Champlain in northern New York and confronted the Royal Navy in a desperate three-day battle near Valcour Island. Their effort surprised the arrogant British and forced the enemy to call off their invasion.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
well written, well read story
- By wylie smith on 04-09-22
By: Jack Kelly
-
John Paul Jones
- Sailor, Hero, Father of the American Navy
- By: Evan Thomas
- Narrated by: Dan Cashman
- Length: 13 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 196
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 123
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 123
John Paul Jones is more than a great sea story. Jones is a character for the ages. John Adams called him the "most ambitious and intriguing officer in the American Navy." The renewed interest in the Founding Fathers reminds us of the great men who made this country, but John Paul Jones teaches us that it took fighters as well as thinkers, men driven by dreams of personal glory as well as high-minded principle to break free of the past and start a new world. Jones' spirit was classically American.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Swashbuckler or Saviour
- By Bruce on 03-16-04
By: Evan Thomas
-
In Search of a Kingdom
- Francis Drake, Elizabeth I, and the Perilous Birth of the British Empire
- By: Laurence Bergreen
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 13 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 733
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 620
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 615
In this grand and thrilling narrative, the acclaimed biographer of Magellan, Columbus, and Marco Polo brings alive the singular life and adventures of Sir Francis Drake, the pirate/explorer/admiral whose mastery of the seas during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I changed the course of history.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Better than the text
- By Bramante on 04-07-21
Love Books? You'll Love Audible.
Transform your day
Replace endless scrolling with endless listening. Chores can be fun.
Listen everywhere
Download titles to listen offline, wherever you are in the world.
Carry your entire Library
Your stories go where you go. Audiobooks don’t weigh a thing.
Listen and learn
Discover stories that can change your mind, your well-being, and your life.
Reach your reading goals
You can’t turn pages while you drive—but you can press play.
Find your niche
WIth thousands of titles to explore, there’s something for everyone.