Pirates of the Slave Trade
The Battle of Cape Lopez and the Birth of an American Institution

Wow. I was blown away by this book. It's history with all of the excitement and readability of an adventure novel. First: Everything I learned about Africans (I know, I know, Africa is a massive continent) at the time of trans-atlantic slave trade was challenged. This book made me face the dusty cor......more

An intriguing and informative look at the development and expansion of the chattel slavery system through the lens of piracy and the competing African kingdoms of the late 17th and early 18th century. I knew nothing of the vast majority of the important historical figures that took part in the event......more

History is required in school, but during my youth at least, my teachers didn’t always show how what happened one place was connected with or impacted events happening elsewhere. My research into pirates and the past has taught me that these interconnections do exist. More and more, books that come......more

Boudica's failed revolt against the Roman was mostly a success, until it wasn't. She sacked Camulodunam, Verulamium, and Londinium. She was then defeated once and died. When you go against empire, against a war machine, you have to win every single time. Pirate Black Bart knew this; just as the Roma......more

The first half of this book was quite excellent. Very informative on the state of the interactions between the African states, the Europeans, and the affect of the pirates. The second half is where she loses me somewhat. She puts the entire blame for slavery in West Africa on the Europeans, virtuall......more