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Empire of the Blue Water


Jib

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It's a little of both. It's filled with some of the usual misinformation, particularly when he rolls buccaneer life in with pirate life as if it were the same thing. There are a lot of better books on Morgan out there. I can supply a list.

I do, however, have to say I enjoyed the forward. That was us down there - the pirate crewe he mentions...

-- Sir Henry

"Land only holds promise if men at sea have the courage to fight for it."

- Sir Henry

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By far the best of all the Morgan books is Sack of Panama: Sir Henry Morgan's Adventures on the Spanish Main by Peter Earle. He goes to the original documents in England and Spain and compares what has been said with what actually happened. Plus, he's about the only one who has taken what Esquemmeling has said and broken it into fact (a little) and fiction (a lot). A really well researched book. Most of the others use the previous accounts as their basis of research so inaccuracies are simply repeated, including the famed one of Morgan using monks and nuns as human shields, which was not the case... not even in the Spanish accounts of the battle.

-- Sir Henry

"Land only holds promise if men at sea have the courage to fight for it."

- Sir Henry

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Sir Henry if you have more books about Capt. Morgan that you think make a good read feel free to add them. I like the period right before the "Golden Age" slightly better than GOAP.

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My favorites would be:

Harry Morgan's Way - Dudley Pope

The Great Buccaneer - Philip Lindsay

and Sir Henry Morgan, Pirate and Pioneer - Rosita Forbes

Steinbeck's Cup of Gold is also a good one... although its ending is a little strange. But hey, it's fictional.

I also like this period much better. The mask of piracy under the king's flag was an interesting tim indeed and much of what is thought to be GAoP is actually from this earlier time (articles, shares, bucket boots, etc.)

-- Sir Henry

"Land only holds promise if men at sea have the courage to fight for it."

- Sir Henry

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It's been a few weeks since I read it. Liked it for the most part, but didn't much enjoy his fictional character. And you're right, the odd reference to Blackbeard in the middle of a book about bucaniers threw me a bit. I guess he figured people would relate better, but it seems to add misconception onto misconception.

Capt. William Bones

Then he rapped on the door with a bit of stick like a handspike that he carried, and when my father appeared, called roughly for a glass of rum. This, when it was brought to him, he drank slowly, like a connoisseur, lingering on the taste, and still looking about him at the cliffs and up at our signboard.

"This is a handy cove," says he, at length; " and a pleasant sittyated grog-shop. Much company, mate?"

My father told him no, very little company, the more was the pity.

"Well, then," said he, "this is the berth for me."

Proprietor of Flags of Fortune.

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I find the fictional Roderick quite distracting. Morgan's exploits are quite enough on their own without getting into the mindset of an average soldier under his command. I find it difficult to shift gears constantly.

-- Henry

"Land only holds promise if men at sea have the courage to fight for it."

- Sir Henry

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My favorites would be:

Harry Morgan's Way - Dudley Pope

The Great Buccaneer - Philip Lindsay

and Sir Henry Morgan, Pirate and Pioneer - Rosita Forbes

I seriously second on the Pope book. Some good research and nicely presented. :lol:

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