Empire of the Blue Water, by Stephan Talty - Large Print Reviews

Large Print Reviews

Empire of the Blue Water
By Stephan Talty

Empire of the Blue Water
Captain Morgan's Great Pirate Army, the Epic Battle for the Americas, and the Catastrophe That Ended the Outlaws' Bloody Reign
By Stephan Talty
Thorndike Press - Large Print Edition (2007)
ISBN 10: 0-7862-9842-1
ISBN 13: 978-0-7862-9842-6
Genre: History - Caribbean Pirates

Reviewed by Herbert White - November 5, 2007

Empire of the Blue Water is the swashbuckling, real-life story of Captain Henry Morgan (1635-1688). A Welshman turned outlaw. Captain Morgan became one of the most feared, and wealthy, pirates to ply the waters of the Caribbean. In this gripping biography, Stephan Talty has written an unforgettable story about this notorious, and dread pirate.

Within the pages of this book, Talty provides a detailed overview of Morgan's life and deeds, and the events that led to his eventual downfall. Talty chronicles how Morgan began his career as a British privateer, and the events that turned him into a full-fledge pirate. Talty details the major raids that Morgan led, including his sacking of Panama and Granada, and how these raids were reported in contemporary accounts. Talty also shows the mutable nature of Morgan's career, sometimes a hated pirate, and at other time heralded as a British hero who was fighting valiantly against their Spanish foe.

Talty separates the fact from the fiction about Morgan's life in order to present an accurate biography of this pirate king, and one time governor of Jamaica. In the process of recounting Morgan's life, Talty provides ample background information that will allow you to place Morgan's life in historical context. This background information also serves to paint a portrait of what life was like in the Caribbean during Morgan's reign of terror.

Complete with maps, source notes, a glossary and a time line, Empire of the Blue Water is an accurate and authoritative history of Morgan. Most important, Talty has written this book in a narrative style reminiscent of a modern-day thriller. Thereby making this book both edifying and entertaining to read, and a book that will fascinate readers of all ages.

Related Reviews:

The Pirate Hunter: The True Story of Captain Kidd, by Richard Zacks.
Zacks separates the fiction from the fact surrounding the life and adventures of Captain Kidd in this mesmerizing history of a man who was erroneously hung for the crime of piracy. (Large Print)
Women Sailors & Sailors' Women, by David Cordingly.
In this marvelously written history, Cordingly recounts the tales of the women who served as sailors on a variety of British and American sailing vessels, and the handful of women who became pirates. He also looks at the women who went to sea with their husbands and lovers, as well as the women who waited on shore. This unique maritime history also takes into account the numerous women who served as lighthouse keepers, as well as the myths surrounding mermaids and sirens. (Large Print)

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