Pirates of Barbary

Corsairs, Conquests and Captivity in the Seventeenth-Century Mediterranean

By: Adrian Tinniswood

Narrated by: Clive Chafer

It's easy to think of piracy as a romantic way of life long gone - if not for today's frightening headlines of robbery and kidnapping on the high seas. Pirates have existed since the invention of commerce itself, but they reached the zenith of their power during the 1600s,when the Mediterranean was the crossroads of the world and pirates were the scourge of Europe and the glory of Islam. They attacked ships, enslaved crews, plundered cargoes, enraged governments, and swayed empires, wreaking havoc from Gibraltar to the Holy Land and beyond.

Historian and author Adrian Tinniswood brings alive this dynamic chapter in history, in which clashes between pirates of the East (Tunis, Algiers, and Tripoli) and governments of the West (England, France, Spain, and Venice) grew increasingly intense and dangerous.

In vivid detail, Tinniswood recounts the brutal struggles, glorious triumphs, and enduring personalities of the pirates of the Barbary Coast, and how their maneuverings between the Muslim empires and Christian Europe shed light on the religious and moral battles that still rage today. As Tinniswood notes in Pirates of Barbary, "Pirates are history." In this fascinating and entertaining book, he reveals that the history of piracy is also the history that shaped our modern world.

©2010 Adrain Tinniswood (P)2010 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Tinniswood gives us both a rollicking narrative and a rich brew of early modern maritime history." ( Publishers Weekly)

Pirate/History buffs dream come true.

Would you listen to Pirates of Barbary again? Why?

Yes!!! It brings to life Pirate history that is not what Hollywood has mislead us all with. Even better it fills in some gaps typicaly left out of World History.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Pirates of Barbary?

When King James I granted a pirate pardon and then had to chase said Pirate down to give it to him.

Which scene was your favorite?

To many to choose just one.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

True Pirate/ History buffs will love this book. It is a fresh look at Pirates that are not Caribbean based.

Arrrr mate get it!

I enjoyed this book allot. it keeps your attention and gives a great account of life at sea and struggles faced by those long ago.

adequate

keep modern feelings out of history. applying current sentiments to the past is silly and to much of this in this book

Difficult Read

Anyone in the Non Fiction Historical section is used to a difficult read, but this book was for me particularly hard to follow. I appreciate the level of detail the author put into this book, but it was simply too much to follow. Hundreds of separate people are included throughout, each time with their respective ranks and often their hometown which becomes overwhelming, especially when they they just as quickly dissappear from the story...

Disappointed in my purchase

I did not enjoy this book even though I have been reading numerous books on exploration and seafaring. Author gives too much of his contemporary interpretation. He actually changes the wording of direct quotes.