Eric Jay Dolin

This is a harrowing tale of survival in the remote South Atlantic. It all started in early 1812, with the "Nanina" and her captain, Charles Barnard left New York. The plan was to go sealing in the Falkland Islands and sell the skins for a worthy profit in Guangzhou, all while dodging a war between the United States and Great Britain! After the Americans settle in, unbeknownst to them, the brig "Isabella" has beached nearby. It was carrying former penal-colony prisoners back home to England. After a dramatic encounter, an agreement is reached and Charles offers to take the passengers home. To guarantee enough supplies, Charles goes out with a hunting party to replenish. Upon their return the Nanina is gone. War had successfully snuck into the Falklands and the Nanina and its defenseless passengers had been captured as a prize...

First of all, I devoured this book in two days. I had never heard this tale of survival before, and I'm glad for that. I couldn't put the book down! How Charles and his crew mates ever managed to survive at the bottom of the world is nothing short of a miracle. Someone of lesser skill probably would've focused solely on Charles, relying heavily on his published account, but Dolin understands that each person (and animal) had an important role to play in this saga. There's a perfect balance between the castaways' storyline and that of the captured escapees. Dolin also provides enough of the ongoing war for context, without ruining the pacing of the story. After all, being a prisoner of war in many ways is worse. Out of the pan and into the fire. There were so many chances for failure and yet hope remained and justice prevailed. I strongly recommend this one!… (meer)

Before diving into the Golden Age of Piracy, Dolin sets the scene with the Treaty of Tordesillas and the circumnavigation of the globe by Drake, which was summed up quite nicely.. Then from the 1640s to the 1680s he describes how the American colonies developed a profitable relationship with pirates. Even Puritan Governor John Winthrop of Massachusetts welcomed them with open arms. "Red Sea Men" as they were called, brought in the first silver bullion and hundreds of America's earliest slaves. Besides the more infamous names, we're introduced to Dixie Bull, Thomas Paine, Michel Landresson, Thomas Pound, Thomas Tew, Adam Baldridge, John James, John Quelch, Lewis Guittar and more. Then of course there are the determined pirate hunters: Thomas Thacker, William Dyer, Captain Pease, Robert Snead, Lord Bellomont and even Salem Witch Trial judge Samuel Sewall. But with pirate booty lining the pockets of prominent merchants and royal governors, it would take new laws and a complete political overhaul to reel in the pirates' success.

Dolin really delivers here. Black Flags, Blue Waters fills in some of the gaps that other pirate histories leave behind. I appreciated that this one stuck to the American colonies, rather than focusing solely on Jamaica and Madagascar. People tend to forget that the pirates may have raided int he Caribbean but they unloaded in Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Charleston. But Dolin doesn't overpower the reader with every little prize taken or world politics either. He effectively proves that pirates had a direct effect on the economy, the local government and inter-colonial relationships. The colonies were as active in the Golden Age of Piracy as any island in the Caribbean.… (meer)

An excellent book about the revolution that centers on naval engagements. Whereas the Grand Army struggled to prove its effectiveness, the ad-hoc "navy" of the colonies brought home much needed supplies, money, and moral boosts. Much like a swarm of gnats, not strong enough to directly destroy a much larger foe, the colonial naval force bled Parliament and King George of their trade, their income, and ultimately diluted the naval superiority enjoyed by the British. Many naval ships of Britain were re-purposed as armed escorts for merchant convoys which meant they could not be used in the execution of battle plans against the Rebels in the colonies.
The book weaves together many separate tales of privateers and the Continental Navy throughout the fight for Independence. By understanding the effectiveness of privateers and letters of marque, the reader can gain a better understanding of decisions made by both Parliament, King George, and the Continental Congress.
A very good read and excellent addition to anyone's American Revolution library.… (meer)