“At times focused and other times expansive, this story of Captain Bartholomew (Black Bart) Roberts is uneven but engaging. Occasionally, the author places Roberts’s actions into a larger pirate/maritime history, which adds depth and context to the Black Bart legend. Although it alludes to other infamous characters in pirate lore, it stops short of specifics (i.e., claiming he’s the most successful captain and commanded the largest crews, without establishing a basis of comparison). The big exception is the smattering of allusions to Roberts’s possible homosexuality, but this is glossed over in an almost prudish way, which is a little insulting to the reader. A decent entry into maritime history, read Under a Black Flag first to gain the larger perspective. ”
wurd nurd wrote this review Friday, September 18 2009.
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