An erudite explanation of everything piratical, this book portrays the pirates, their weapons, their ships, their victims, and the historical background to all the saltwater tales of both pirates and navy. The exploits of the most famous pirates are also recounted here, from the cold-hearted ruthlessness of Blackbeard to the derring-do of Bartholomew Roberts, whose views were summed up by his motto: "A merry life, and a short one."