* A huge thank you to The History Press for inviting me on this tour and for sending me a copy of Enemies of All, in exchange for an honest review.
Enemies of All: The Rise and Fall of the Pirates by Richard
Blakemore.
This exciting new book takes the reader on a voyage of
discovery, investigating who pirates were, describing their exploits and
everyday lives, examining the origins of the myths surrounding them and their
impact on history. Socially, economically, and politically, pirates and piracy
moulded empires as they rose to global power in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Be honest, when you think of pirates, you think of the
Hollywood version, don’t you? I certainly do, despite reading a few really good
books on the subject (Enemies of All being one of them!). We conjure up an
image of a great creaking ship with a weathered skull and crossbones flag billowing
menacingly in the breeze. The captain is wearing an eyepatch, and he has a hook
for a hand. He has a parrot sitting on his shoulder, squawking and staring
judgementally at the crew. These are the stereotypes challenged in Richard
Blakemore’s new book. (Although, there is some truth behind the skull and
crossbones flag!)
Enemies of All will challenge what you think you already
know about pirates and perhaps change your opinion about some of them. It lifts
the lid on piracy and looks to define what a pirate actually is. The author
explains the difference between buccaneer, privateer and corsair. The reader is
invited to look beyond the romanticized versions of the pirates we see in Hollywood
and literature. There were double standards when it came to being a pirate. If
you were plundering for the ‘right’ people, such as the royals, then it was
deemed ok, but if not, then a pirate could be executed.
I liked how the book explored the origins of pirates and
their expansion, and not just the popular and widely written about Golden Age
of Piracy. All the famous names you might expect are mentioned, such as Anne
Bonny and Blackbeard, but there were also some names unfamiliar to me. Media is
something also discussed in the book, which I enjoyed, as this is how most of
us discovered pirates! The author talks about the lasting legacies and impact
these people left behind.
Richard Blakemore has studied pirates for a decade, from his
PhD to his role as Associate Professor in Social and Maritime History at the
University of Reading. You can tell a massive amount of time, research and
passion went into the writing of this book. And even though it is incredibly
informative, it is not a dry read. Enemies of All is accessible and
entertaining. I would love to read more by this author. A highly recommended
read!
You can buy your copy here.
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