The Buccaneers of America - Couverture souple

Exquemelin, Alexander O.; MRC, John Grace

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 048640966X ISBN 13 : 9780486409665

Editeur : Dover Publications Inc., 2003

Synopsis

A cross between genuine privateers, commissioned to defend a country's colonies and trade, and outright pirates, buccaneers were largely English, French, and Dutch adventurers who plied the waters among the Caribbean Islands and along the coasts of Central America, Venezuela, and Colombia more than 300 years ago. The activities of these bands of plundering sea rovers reached a peak in the second half of the seventeenth century, when this remarkable eyewitness account was first published (1678).
Alexander Exquemelin, thought to be a Frenchman who enlisted with the buccaneers for a time, chronicles the bold feats of these raiders as they ravaged shipping and terrorized Caribbean settlements. Exquemelin provides fascinating details of the French presence in Hispaniola (now comprising the island nations of Haiti and the Dominican Republic) describes the features of that country and its inhabitants, and comments at length on the origin of the buccaneers, vividly recounting their rules of conduct and way of life. These bold plunderers come across as shrewd strategists, crack shots, fine navigators, wild debauchers, and greedy adventurers who frequently engaged in vicious acts of cruelty. Among the figures in his rogues' gallery, none stands out more than the infamous Henry Morgan, whose exploits culminated in the seizure and burning of Panama City.
A bestseller in its own time, The Buccaneers of America will fascinate any modern reader intrigued by piracy and by the often sordid history of European conflicts in the Caribbean and on the Spanish Main.

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

Exquemelin's book of adventure and swashbuckling tells the true stories of distinguished pirates such as Captain Henry Morgan.

First published in 1678 just a few years after the described incidents took place, The Buccaneers of America is also known by the title The Pirates of Panama. For its unabashed description of adventure and thievery on the high seas, the text has captivated audiences for centuries with its frank and reasonably accurate accounts of piracy in the waters of the Caribbean and Central America.

The main focus of the book is Captain Henry Morgan, an English pirate whose skills at coastal raiding resulted in his gaining great fame and fortune. Rare for a pirate in that his raids were for the most part consistently successful and lucrative, Morgan would eventually retire and be granted the governorship of Jamaica by a British government grateful for work he performed for the Crown.

This edition of the book is derived from a version of the text which first appeared in 1914. The text is generally faithful to Alexander Exquemelin's first-hand descriptions of his adventures, sailing with some of the most notorious pirates to ever venture upon the seas. Although divided into chapters, the book is written as a detailed but engaging log of the various escapades the pirates embarked upon, and is a text worthy of any enthusiast of piracy.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Dover Publications Inc.
• Date d'édition: 2003
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 048640966X
• ISBN 13: 9780486409665
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 240
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: Soc. Agr. La Raia Ss; http://www.la-raia.it; ; Strada Monterotondo, 79; Novi Ligure; 15067; Italie