The Villains of All Nations is book written by Marcus Rediker that follows the origins of the pirate boom before and after the War of Spanish Succession. And, perhaps most powerful, the frontier-like social construction of the sea:Scattered notes and commentary on politics and geography. It’s a good book that makes examine contemporary issues through a new lens. He tells us of the democratic nature of the pirate ships, captains living no better than the others and being voted out if they were perceived not to come up to scratch by their shipmates. Villains of All Nations, Atlantic Pirates in the Golden Age.

The book provides a clear history of piracy on the high seas, with fascinating character outlines and histories provided for all the best-known (and most beloved) pirate figures (think Edward "Blackbeard" Teach, who apparently stuck lit sparklers into his beard and under his hat so that he looked like the Devil himself; Anne Bonny, the Captain Morgan - of the Rum fame I'm assuming - and Mary Read). Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. $24.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-0-8070-5024-8. Apr 05, 2011 | ISBN 9780807095386 The Ultimate Guide to Adult Coloring Books Published The style of writing annoyed me too - repetitive and full of “as we shall see in Chapter 7...”! Unfortunately, readers must lament the fact that Rediker does not devote a special chapter to pirates of African descent. Villains of All Nations: Atlantic Pirates in the Golden Age.Boston: Beacon Press. Often times, history is written by the winners, but in this book Rediker challenges preconceived narratives of pirates in the Golden Age. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! VILLAINS OF ALL NATIONS: Atlantic Pirates in the Golden Age Marcus Buford Rediker, Author. This is from a 'lefty' position, but Rediker considers a range of arguments here.

His rhetoric, however, is heavy handed, repetitive, and out of date. When these injustices are contextualized with several key historical factors—namely the English commercial revolution, the massive demobilization of armies and navies, the expiration of privateering contracts after the War of Spanish Succession, the dispossession of smallholders during the enclosure movement, and the development of colonial markets that were both far-flung and loosely defended—then the tremendous boom in piracy becomes clear. 2004.

Probably the best account of the Golden Age of piracy out there, and one I have read numerous times. Interesting! Unfortunately, for a book entitled Villains of All Nations, the evidence and argument are almost exclusively anglocentric, and, while the behavior of these early eighteenth-century pirates underlies their modern image, the author is insufficiently skeptical of the romanticism in his own sources. When the "goods" being stolen and traded often were slaves it does throw the notions of law and order and repectability into question although ultimately the lawless pirates would have had no problem with profiting from slaves so the Leviathan of Law is still preferable. i skipped like 2 chapters of this but i learned a lot from it and i love the concept of maritime escapism and piracy as an attack on wealthy colonialsAnother review of something I read a long time ago. Real pirates did not make their enemies walk the plank (their chosen method of punishment was shooting a captain tied up to the mainmast), they did not bury treasure, and, although they had the means to depose leaders, they did not use the “Black Spot” from Follow The Lakefront Historian on WordPress.comRediker divides the Golden Age of Piracy into three distinct stages from 1650 to 1726. Villains of All Nations is a people's history of piracy--a history that emphasizes how common seamen who turned pirate built for themselves a … If you're looking for the romanticized tales of pirates, this isn't the place. His figures are like characters of fiction, daring, exciting, beautifully written. *This title is not eligible for purchase to earn points nor for redemption with your code in the In one example, he relies entirely upon Johnson for his description of Blackbeard, “consciously cultivating an image of” Satan. The brutal and strict world of life afloat the trade and naval ships of the era provided - according to the author - the "dialectic" that created the brutal pirates, piHoly shit, did I love this--but it's a perfect example of a book that would be difficult to follow without having read a more general history like Woodard's Rediker's lively history is openly political; highlighting the democratic and anarchist motivations of the great pirates without shying away from their violence.

Marcus Rediker (born 1951 in Owensboro, Kentucky) is an American professor, historian, writer, and activist for a variety of peace and social justice causes.He graduated with a B.A. This book highlights what I absolutely love about history- the story changes so much depending on who is telling it. Underlines the grievances of common sailors that caused them to "go on the account" and sail under a black flag. Rediker does an excellent job in examining the social and economic conditions that helped lead to the explosion of piracy that rocked the mid-Atlantic and put it into context. I don’t mind examining the economic and political environment in which piracy arose - but history is about what people did, not just analysis.