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Born to Be Hanged: The Epic Story of the Gentlemen Pirates Who Raided the South Seas, Rescued a Princess, and Stole a Fortune
Discover the “fascinating and outrageously readable” account of the roguish acts of the first pirates to raid the Pacific in a crusade that ended in a sensational trial back in England—perfect for readers of Nathaniel Philbrick and David McCullough (Douglas Preston, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lost City of the Monkey God)
The year is 1680, in the heart of the Golden Age of Piracy, and more than three hundred daring, hardened pirates—a potent mix of low-life scallywags and a rare breed of gentlemen buccaneers—gather on a remote Caribbean island. The plan: to wreak havoc on the Pacific coastline, raiding cities, mines, and merchant ships. The booty: the bright gleam of Spanish gold and the chance to become legends. So begins one of the greatest piratical adventures of the era—a story not given its full due until now.
Inspired by the intrepid forays of pirate turned Jamaican governor Captain Henry Morgan—yes, that Captain Morgan—the company crosses Panama on foot, slashing its way through the Darien Isthmus, one of the thickest jungles on the planet, and liberating a native princess along the way. After reaching the South Sea, the buccaneers, primarily Englishmen, plunder the Spanish Main in a series of historic assaults, often prevailing against staggering odds and superior firepower. A collective shudder racks the western coastline of South America as the English pirates, waging a kind of proxy war against the Spaniards, gleefully undertake a brief reign over Pacific waters, marauding up and down the continent.
With novelistic prose and a rip-roaring sense of adventure, Keith Thomson guides us through the pirates’ legendary two-year odyssey. We witness the buccaneers evading Indigenous tribes, Spanish conquistadors, and sometimes even their own English countrymen, all with the ever-present threat of the gallows for anyone captured. By fusing contemporaneous accounts with intensive research and previously unknown primary sources, Born to Be Hanged offers a rollicking account of one of the most astonishing pirate expeditions of all time.
The year is 1680, in the heart of the Golden Age of Piracy, and more than three hundred daring, hardened pirates—a potent mix of low-life scallywags and a rare breed of gentlemen buccaneers—gather on a remote Caribbean island. The plan: to wreak havoc on the Pacific coastline, raiding cities, mines, and merchant ships. The booty: the bright gleam of Spanish gold and the chance to become legends. So begins one of the greatest piratical adventures of the era—a story not given its full due until now.
Inspired by the intrepid forays of pirate turned Jamaican governor Captain Henry Morgan—yes, that Captain Morgan—the company crosses Panama on foot, slashing its way through the Darien Isthmus, one of the thickest jungles on the planet, and liberating a native princess along the way. After reaching the South Sea, the buccaneers, primarily Englishmen, plunder the Spanish Main in a series of historic assaults, often prevailing against staggering odds and superior firepower. A collective shudder racks the western coastline of South America as the English pirates, waging a kind of proxy war against the Spaniards, gleefully undertake a brief reign over Pacific waters, marauding up and down the continent.
With novelistic prose and a rip-roaring sense of adventure, Keith Thomson guides us through the pirates’ legendary two-year odyssey. We witness the buccaneers evading Indigenous tribes, Spanish conquistadors, and sometimes even their own English countrymen, all with the ever-present threat of the gallows for anyone captured. By fusing contemporaneous accounts with intensive research and previously unknown primary sources, Born to Be Hanged offers a rollicking account of one of the most astonishing pirate expeditions of all time.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published May 10, 2022
About the author
Keith Thomson
22 books137 followersKeith Thomson has been a semi-pro baseball player in France an editorial cartoonist for Newsday and a screenwriter. Now a resident of Alabama, he writes about intelligence and other matters for The Huffington Post. His novels include Once a Spy, a New York Times Best Seller, Twice a Spy and Pirates of Pensacola.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 272 reviews
May 23, 2022
A guy gets marooned on an island for three years and somehow that’s the least bonkers thing that happens in this book. The titular pirates attack Spanish naval ships in canoes. At one point they end up close to the Arctic Peninsula completely by accident. It’s not very often I find a nonfiction book that’s entertaining, well-researched, and well-written. I only wish there weren’t quite so many names to keep track of.
Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy!
Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy!
July 11, 2022
I had a really hard time focusing on this -- it might have been me, it might have been the weirdly staccato way the narrator performed the text. Solid writing and straightforward relation of historical events, lots of adventure at sea.
May 9, 2022
This book is fantastic! The history is well written, researched, explained with gold nuggets spread throughout inserted brilliantly.
First, if you'll note my reviews, I do not get a NetGalley offer and praise it up and down hoping for print recognition. I've skewed most because most newly written books have proven to me to be demonstrably worthless.
I find the usual issue are political views being lodged into the narrative and then flogging the reader with the views over and over again. I get it if the book is prefaced upon political ideas. Even found one writer expounding political gunk throughout a horrid history of Looney Tunes cartoons!
Writer Thomson writes history as history should be written, as it happened with supporting documentation. Thomson also does what is rare to find in most histories ever written, dates and years of happenings. This so much aids the reader as to context and connecting ongoing events. This last is the spine that all else emanates as the narrative pours out extensive details and stories of the travels of the pirating privateers and those they encounter. Additional background is sprinkled that adds to the shine of the history with, no doubt, exclamations of, "Oh! I didn't know that!" I love the way he connects various everyday items of today to the goings-on in the late 1600s.
The writing is also crisp and vibrant. There's more than the occasional writer who makes history as a fictional novel. This is far better than that. The writing excels between what could be dry history and fictional dialogue to support the narrative. Thomson skillfully maneuvers the documented historical perspectives into a solid presentation that compels reading more and more. In this case it's the wonder of who survives and how.
Well worth reading and likely to lead in those that don't even like history or pirates. For those of us who has history as part of our profession, this is a must-read.
Bottom line: I recommend this book. Ten out of ten points.
First, if you'll note my reviews, I do not get a NetGalley offer and praise it up and down hoping for print recognition. I've skewed most because most newly written books have proven to me to be demonstrably worthless.
I find the usual issue are political views being lodged into the narrative and then flogging the reader with the views over and over again. I get it if the book is prefaced upon political ideas. Even found one writer expounding political gunk throughout a horrid history of Looney Tunes cartoons!
Writer Thomson writes history as history should be written, as it happened with supporting documentation. Thomson also does what is rare to find in most histories ever written, dates and years of happenings. This so much aids the reader as to context and connecting ongoing events. This last is the spine that all else emanates as the narrative pours out extensive details and stories of the travels of the pirating privateers and those they encounter. Additional background is sprinkled that adds to the shine of the history with, no doubt, exclamations of, "Oh! I didn't know that!" I love the way he connects various everyday items of today to the goings-on in the late 1600s.
The writing is also crisp and vibrant. There's more than the occasional writer who makes history as a fictional novel. This is far better than that. The writing excels between what could be dry history and fictional dialogue to support the narrative. Thomson skillfully maneuvers the documented historical perspectives into a solid presentation that compels reading more and more. In this case it's the wonder of who survives and how.
Well worth reading and likely to lead in those that don't even like history or pirates. For those of us who has history as part of our profession, this is a must-read.
Bottom line: I recommend this book. Ten out of ten points.
July 9, 2022
Beyond danger, intrigue, adventure. Pirates, Buccaneers. Difficult read. Fleets or crews of unholy or obscure alliances and brutal divisions. Complex read for geography and people.
Do not take this on unless you have a superior tolerance for straight factual. History the way it was primarily taught before the end of the last century. Without theory, agenda philosophy or some overlooking suppositions. It's "just the facts" folks.
Wilder than the Wild West. So many niches and straights or jagged cubby holes in the Caribbean and South American or Atlantic shoreline bays too. Perfect for various ships to hide and tuck.
Overall I was amazed at the amount of leniency as much as the executions between them all. And the treacherous solutions of the Kuna too. Hanging seems merciful in comparison. And slavery at times having the better route to staying alive.
Do not take this on unless you have a superior tolerance for straight factual. History the way it was primarily taught before the end of the last century. Without theory, agenda philosophy or some overlooking suppositions. It's "just the facts" folks.
Wilder than the Wild West. So many niches and straights or jagged cubby holes in the Caribbean and South American or Atlantic shoreline bays too. Perfect for various ships to hide and tuck.
Overall I was amazed at the amount of leniency as much as the executions between them all. And the treacherous solutions of the Kuna too. Hanging seems merciful in comparison. And slavery at times having the better route to staying alive.
September 5, 2023
An entertaining narrative account of the misadventures of some (mostly) English buccaneers audaciously attacking the "Spanish Main" from Panama and thence over land and sea (via a series of captured vessels) to what is today Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile. My main takeaway is that, when one sets the romanticism surrounding 17th century piracy in the Caribbean aside, these men were noteworthy principally for violence, ruthlessness and opportunism and, though the Spanish authorities they so vexed were hardly "good guys" either, one can't help but feel pity for the civilians and natives caught up in their raids and intrigues.
It appears avoiding acute scurvy during long sea voyages was something these men couldn't do.
It appears avoiding acute scurvy during long sea voyages was something these men couldn't do.
July 25, 2022
The sensationalized subtitle makes it sound almost silly, but this is a well researched, well written account of a group of pirates, mostly Englishmen, who band together to prey upon Spanish ships and Spanish settlements along the coasts of Central and South America. They cross the jungles of the Panama isthmus with the help of indigenous guides, storming a Spanish garrison along the way, before commandeering ships in the Bay of Panama. Their objective is to take Panama City. The author draws upon the journals kept by a number of men in the party who chronicled the events, including William Dampier, a botanist, Lionel Wafer, ship's surgeon, and Basil Ringrose, a mathematician fluent in several languages including Latin. They seem unlikely pirates (or privateers, as they'd have preferred it, although at this time a peace had been concluded between England and Spain and so pirates they were), but they clearly all had a taste for risk, violence, and brutality.
June 1, 2022
I can't really say this is a terrible book, it just did not hold my interest. I listened to 2 full CDs, and realized that I did not care. The situations and the names blurred together, causing me to see that I did not need to waste my time. Your mileage may vary.
May 28, 2024
Not just a collection of facts.
October 20, 2022
Have I mentioned my obsession with the subject of pirates lately?
Based in part on first hand accounts from some of the pirates themselves, this fascinating and engaging account of piracy off the South and Central American coast in the 1680s made for a wildly entertaining read.
Based in part on first hand accounts from some of the pirates themselves, this fascinating and engaging account of piracy off the South and Central American coast in the 1680s made for a wildly entertaining read.
August 10, 2022
Interesting but a bit too dry for me.
August 31, 2022
Great for: Intermediate Pirate lovers, Those with great patience, and those who don't give a hoot about the aformentioned princess...
Okay for: me.
I have thoughts. I enjoyed parts of this book, which were few and far between, and maybe the last 30 pages that summed a lot of things up and talked about the "gentlemen" pirate subjects of this book in a faster paced way.
The parts I loved were those about everyday pirate life, the hardships a pirate would face and how anticlimactic mutinies actually were.
I didn't love the majority of the "battle" scenes that went on an on (in my opinion) and I could have cared less--which is odd considering I think that's what a lot of people sign up for in this type of book.
The book annoyed me in it's marketing. The rescue of a princess was mentioned in the title, as WELL as she was talked about in the first chapter--the opening lines of the book talked about the Kuna princess--this is what hooked me. Alas, that was basically all that was mentioned of her. Awesome. I feel jipped.
There were just a lot of missed opportunities to me as far as giving a bit more detail or clarification. i.e. Talking about an amputation on board and what tools would have been used, then showing an illustration of said tools, but not captioning or pointing out what exact tools WERE used (just a little detail I would have appreciated) and that occured a few other times as far as the pictures to reference. There was even a date mentioned as being one that was significant to a particular pirate, but then I reference the map and that date and it's corresponding location on the map just wasn't there. Call me a stickler, but that wasn't even a small detail, it was a huge moment to one of these guys and somehow didn't even have a date on the map!? Oy.
I wanted to like it more--but based on the good reads intepretation of 2 stars being "it was okay," that's exactly my sentiment. When my husband asked me how it was, I went "it was..okay." There you have it folks.
Okay for: me.
I have thoughts. I enjoyed parts of this book, which were few and far between, and maybe the last 30 pages that summed a lot of things up and talked about the "gentlemen" pirate subjects of this book in a faster paced way.
The parts I loved were those about everyday pirate life, the hardships a pirate would face and how anticlimactic mutinies actually were.
I didn't love the majority of the "battle" scenes that went on an on (in my opinion) and I could have cared less--which is odd considering I think that's what a lot of people sign up for in this type of book.
The book annoyed me in it's marketing. The rescue of a princess was mentioned in the title, as WELL as she was talked about in the first chapter--the opening lines of the book talked about the Kuna princess--this is what hooked me. Alas, that was basically all that was mentioned of her. Awesome. I feel jipped.
There were just a lot of missed opportunities to me as far as giving a bit more detail or clarification. i.e. Talking about an amputation on board and what tools would have been used, then showing an illustration of said tools, but not captioning or pointing out what exact tools WERE used (just a little detail I would have appreciated) and that occured a few other times as far as the pictures to reference. There was even a date mentioned as being one that was significant to a particular pirate, but then I reference the map and that date and it's corresponding location on the map just wasn't there. Call me a stickler, but that wasn't even a small detail, it was a huge moment to one of these guys and somehow didn't even have a date on the map!? Oy.
I wanted to like it more--but based on the good reads intepretation of 2 stars being "it was okay," that's exactly my sentiment. When my husband asked me how it was, I went "it was..okay." There you have it folks.
March 15, 2023
One of my favorite childhood memories was playing mini-golf with my parents at a pirate themed course. They had many signs throughout that chronicled the lives of various pirates. This was quite the adventure and I’d definitely be interested in reading more about these pirates and their journals. Very interesting read.
May 31, 2024
DNF at 20%
This was an interesting book and I really wanted to love it but the writing style just wasn't holding my attention. It seemed so straightforward/textbooky and even though it had interesting and entertaining moments overall I was a little bored and it was taking too much brain power to try to read it.
This was an interesting book and I really wanted to love it but the writing style just wasn't holding my attention. It seemed so straightforward/textbooky and even though it had interesting and entertaining moments overall I was a little bored and it was taking too much brain power to try to read it.
May 26, 2022
This was a fun read. These men decided to go and be pirates in the south seas. They stole millions from the Spanish that was busy raping the new world. The book lays out the diarists that were among the pirates. I am amazed that these account survived for more than 300 years.
July 11, 2022
This book reads like an unlikely fiction novel, which makes it all the more delicious as it is a true account. I found it engaging and fascinating as a motley crew of buccaneers attempt to make their fortune by raiding the ‘south seas’
October 4, 2024
Fun read about a crew of pirates in the 1680s. An engaging narrative style for a history, with the events and figures involved themselves remarkable and engaging. To me it captured what makes pirates of this time a compelling historical subject without romanticizing or whitewashing, though by the author’s own admission the primary sources are largely the chronicles of the pirates themselves, so it should be understood in that context. Taken with all that in mind I’d say it’s a good read for someone with a passing interest in learning a bit more about the subject
October 8, 2024
Great book!
September 29, 2023
yea pirates!!
May 9, 2022
Who loves Non-Fiction that doesn't read like it? Me, this girl, right here!🤣🤣
I've been on a roll lately with books landing in my lap that are full of facts, adventure, fast-paced reading and interesting stories. Born to Be Hanged is another one to add to that list!
I have always been fascinated by pirates and the era surrounding them. Out on the open seas, causing trouble and stirring up a racous wherever they go...yup definitely my style. I definitely got that, and much more with this one. There was a lot more to being a "privateer" than I thought, including how the English pirates fought with the Spaniards. Tre cool 😎
This is definitely for those who enjoy books like this, but I would recommend for anyone who wants to delve into this time in history. I mean treasure, bloody battles, kidnapped princess, and adventure after adventure. It makes for a fun read.
I sincerely appreciate Little Brown & Co. for providing me with a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
I've been on a roll lately with books landing in my lap that are full of facts, adventure, fast-paced reading and interesting stories. Born to Be Hanged is another one to add to that list!
I have always been fascinated by pirates and the era surrounding them. Out on the open seas, causing trouble and stirring up a racous wherever they go...yup definitely my style. I definitely got that, and much more with this one. There was a lot more to being a "privateer" than I thought, including how the English pirates fought with the Spaniards. Tre cool 😎
This is definitely for those who enjoy books like this, but I would recommend for anyone who wants to delve into this time in history. I mean treasure, bloody battles, kidnapped princess, and adventure after adventure. It makes for a fun read.
I sincerely appreciate Little Brown & Co. for providing me with a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
November 10, 2022
I think that people have a preconceived notion of what a pirate is. In childhood, we have Captain Hook, dressed in his ruffled shirt and large hat looking quite fancy. We have the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. We have Hook from Once Upon A Time. I have certainly been guilty of thinking pirates were leather pants and frilly shirt wearing, long beard having, large hat owners. As a historian, I have learned a good deal about the Somalian pirates, but very little about pirating in the Golden Age of Piracy. This particular book covers a period of two years, beginning in 1680, when a large group of pirates gathered in the Caribbean to formulate a massive raiding extravaganza on the Pacific coast. I had no clue about any of this until reading this book.
I really, really enjoyed this book. I liked that it read like an adventure novel. A lot of people are turned off by nonfiction because they think that history cannot be exciting and must always be dry and boring, but the author of this book did a great job in keeping the interest of the reader. I liked how he made the pirates in the book come back to life when relating their adventures and experiences. The research was well done, and I learned a great deal. I am really glad that I took a chance on this book. I would highly recommend it for people who are curious about pirates. It was a lot more interesting than the couple of other pirate books I have read in the past.
I really, really enjoyed this book. I liked that it read like an adventure novel. A lot of people are turned off by nonfiction because they think that history cannot be exciting and must always be dry and boring, but the author of this book did a great job in keeping the interest of the reader. I liked how he made the pirates in the book come back to life when relating their adventures and experiences. The research was well done, and I learned a great deal. I am really glad that I took a chance on this book. I would highly recommend it for people who are curious about pirates. It was a lot more interesting than the couple of other pirate books I have read in the past.
October 20, 2022
An intriguing romp with an unlikely cast of characters. This is history at its best. More enjoyable to read than most modern novels with never a dull moment. The only thing dry in the book was the Atacama desert.
I found myself completely immersed in the story to the point where I couldn't wait to see what happens next. Absolutely brilliant!
I found myself completely immersed in the story to the point where I couldn't wait to see what happens next. Absolutely brilliant!
June 3, 2022
Not my “cup of tea.”
July 18, 2023
DNF. I wanted to like this but I could not get through it. While the topic is great, I could not get past the writing style, using language that’s far more complicated than necessary.
October 26, 2022
Keith Thomson has some great stories here. That’s a good thing…and a bad thing.
I’ve been in Thomson’s shoes. In writing my gangster histories, I’ve come across dozens of stories that seem so rich that I have to share them. The trouble is, very few of those stories make sense without the context of the others. If I tell them all, it turns into one thing after another. If I privilege one, I neglect the others.
Thomson has done a little of both of those strategies in this study of English buccaneers of the Spanish Main. And, intriguing as both are, that leaves us with a book that doesn’t quite hold together as narrative.
If you take the subtitle here – The Epic Story of the Gentlemen Pirates who Raided the South Seas, Rescued a Princess, and Stole a Fortune – you get the story that inaugurates the book. A group of pirates including Richard Sawkins, William Dampier, Basil Ringrose, and Bartholomew Sharper – all of whom wrote memoirs that Thomson draws upon – determine to attack Spanish ships for as much booty as they can muster.
Their adventure takes a turn when a native chieftain, angry that the Spanish have kidnapped his granddaughter, asks them for help. The chief can supply men, food, and boats, but perhaps his most valuable contribution is a letter of mark. Because he is a recognize government leader, he can hire the pirates as privateers, giving them legal cover for their raids.
Now that is a great set-up for a story, and I was certainly hooked. And, if Thomson doesn’t write with quite the novelistic skill that some reviews seem to declare, he does bring gusto to the project. He’s good at describing settings, and he knows the material well. He’ll digress on certain aspects of ship or pirate life, and it’s good information.
But then, barely a quarter of the way through the book, they rescue the princess. There’s a great story there but, since Thomson is writing nonfiction, there’s not enough of it to spread across a whole book. So we get the routes they had to travel, the politics in which they acted, and the two or three battles that matter. Then, we’re ‘done.’
That’s where Thomson’s other stories come in. And they’re good, too. The men charge fortified cities. They get becalmed at sea. They mutiny. They split into different cohorts. They navigate rivers. They cross the Panama peninsula on foot to harry the Spanish settlements on the far coast.
They do a host of cool things. But, just as the book falters when the title story wraps up so quickly, it turns into a nonfiction picaresque as the pirates change one short-term goal for another.
What’s more, because there is no central protagonist, we jump from perspective to perspective. I can tell these are real characters to Thomson – who, to his credit, doesn’t seem to invent what isn’t there – but they are too often just names to me as a reader.
There’s a lot of fun here, and I did find myself dreaming about what it would be like to see a new blockbuster pirate movie – though I guess Pirates of the Caribbean is just that – but that’s the rub as well. I had to dream about the story because, while we get the historical facts about several of them here, no one of them seems quite to command the imagination in the way the book promises.
I’ve been in Thomson’s shoes. In writing my gangster histories, I’ve come across dozens of stories that seem so rich that I have to share them. The trouble is, very few of those stories make sense without the context of the others. If I tell them all, it turns into one thing after another. If I privilege one, I neglect the others.
Thomson has done a little of both of those strategies in this study of English buccaneers of the Spanish Main. And, intriguing as both are, that leaves us with a book that doesn’t quite hold together as narrative.
If you take the subtitle here – The Epic Story of the Gentlemen Pirates who Raided the South Seas, Rescued a Princess, and Stole a Fortune – you get the story that inaugurates the book. A group of pirates including Richard Sawkins, William Dampier, Basil Ringrose, and Bartholomew Sharper – all of whom wrote memoirs that Thomson draws upon – determine to attack Spanish ships for as much booty as they can muster.
Their adventure takes a turn when a native chieftain, angry that the Spanish have kidnapped his granddaughter, asks them for help. The chief can supply men, food, and boats, but perhaps his most valuable contribution is a letter of mark. Because he is a recognize government leader, he can hire the pirates as privateers, giving them legal cover for their raids.
Now that is a great set-up for a story, and I was certainly hooked. And, if Thomson doesn’t write with quite the novelistic skill that some reviews seem to declare, he does bring gusto to the project. He’s good at describing settings, and he knows the material well. He’ll digress on certain aspects of ship or pirate life, and it’s good information.
But then, barely a quarter of the way through the book, they rescue the princess. There’s a great story there but, since Thomson is writing nonfiction, there’s not enough of it to spread across a whole book. So we get the routes they had to travel, the politics in which they acted, and the two or three battles that matter. Then, we’re ‘done.’
That’s where Thomson’s other stories come in. And they’re good, too. The men charge fortified cities. They get becalmed at sea. They mutiny. They split into different cohorts. They navigate rivers. They cross the Panama peninsula on foot to harry the Spanish settlements on the far coast.
They do a host of cool things. But, just as the book falters when the title story wraps up so quickly, it turns into a nonfiction picaresque as the pirates change one short-term goal for another.
What’s more, because there is no central protagonist, we jump from perspective to perspective. I can tell these are real characters to Thomson – who, to his credit, doesn’t seem to invent what isn’t there – but they are too often just names to me as a reader.
There’s a lot of fun here, and I did find myself dreaming about what it would be like to see a new blockbuster pirate movie – though I guess Pirates of the Caribbean is just that – but that’s the rub as well. I had to dream about the story because, while we get the historical facts about several of them here, no one of them seems quite to command the imagination in the way the book promises.
May 10, 2022
“Born to Be Hanged: The Epic Story of the Gentlemen Pirates Who Raided the South Seas, Rescued a Princess, and Stole a Fortune,” by Keith Thomson (ISBN: 9780316703611, publication date 10 May 2022), earns five stars.
Author Keith Thomson weaves an absolutely fascinating and factual tale of English privateers, plunder, a princess, and perseverance despite the worst odds of success and dangers of the greatest sort. Thompson’s lively prose transports us to the 17th Century. There we sail with them along the Pacific coast of South America, which was Spain’s “possession,” Great Britain’s enemy.
The author’s impressive research is evident, making amazing use of the privateers’ contemporaneous diaries and testimony. This gives the reader extraordinary personal insights into these adventuring pirates sailing out of the Caribbean as they capture opposing vessels, pursue great wealth, and protect their nation’s interests.
Their words treat us to their view of their world as they sail the seas, engage in combat, make daunting treks, and receive justice from the highest maritime court. It is an epic journey and a momentous book. Definitely a five-star adventure.
Thanks to the publisher, Little, Brown and Company, for granting this reviewer the opportunity to read this Advance Reader Copy (ARC), and thanks to NetGalley for helping to make that possible.
Author Keith Thomson weaves an absolutely fascinating and factual tale of English privateers, plunder, a princess, and perseverance despite the worst odds of success and dangers of the greatest sort. Thompson’s lively prose transports us to the 17th Century. There we sail with them along the Pacific coast of South America, which was Spain’s “possession,” Great Britain’s enemy.
The author’s impressive research is evident, making amazing use of the privateers’ contemporaneous diaries and testimony. This gives the reader extraordinary personal insights into these adventuring pirates sailing out of the Caribbean as they capture opposing vessels, pursue great wealth, and protect their nation’s interests.
Their words treat us to their view of their world as they sail the seas, engage in combat, make daunting treks, and receive justice from the highest maritime court. It is an epic journey and a momentous book. Definitely a five-star adventure.
Thanks to the publisher, Little, Brown and Company, for granting this reviewer the opportunity to read this Advance Reader Copy (ARC), and thanks to NetGalley for helping to make that possible.
October 25, 2022
Wow! This story should TOTALLY be made into a movie. My family kept asking what I was listening to, seeing me laugh, or gasp, or jaw drop. It is incredible what this gang of buckaneers got tangled up in... and that many of them lived to tell their tales. This book is engaging, entertaining and informative, but it takes an alert reader to keep pace. I'd recommend reading with a map handy - since I listened to the audiobook, it was tricky to remember all the places (the islands, bays, rivers, etc.). If you are at all interested in pirates, this is a great book!
April 11, 2023
Like real life Pirates of the Caribbean! I couldn’t believe that half of this book was real. It was so interesting to learn more about the accounts of these English pirates’ escapades. I loved learning about how narrowly the highlighted pirates in this book escaped impossible odds and how some even came to be pardoned. At times the battle scenes or sea travel went a little over my head and the amount of characters could be hard to keep up with, but I learned a lot. It was a very thorough and well researched story. 3.5 ⭐️ rounded up
December 14, 2023
This book reads like a good novel but it is the true story of pirates in the South Seas after plunder and facing down danger. Some of the pirates were educated men who wrote down observations of the area and it was this intel whose value to England that saved them from the gallows. Born to be Hanged was an interesting and fascinating travelogue of the Spanish Main that kept me reading to the end. These pirates were no heroes to admired though since they killed Indians and were after ill gotten gains to spend on whores and booze.
May 13, 2022
I received my copy through the GoodReads Givaways. This is an interesting look into what piracy looked like, following one group over their rise and fall in the South Seas. It has a tendency to meander a bit with no solid endgame in sight (the Princess is rescued quite early on and after that it's just random raid after raid), and I felt like it might be missing some overarching mission statement. Why were these pirates the focus of the story, instead of others? What was this book trying to teach? Is it even a show of what pirates looked like in general, or were these different?
I enjoyed it, but I wish there was more of a main concept to hold onto throughout the narrative.
I enjoyed it, but I wish there was more of a main concept to hold onto throughout the narrative.
October 19, 2022
If you are a historian, this is a great book. The author fills the pages with such detail about the adventures of pirates, I was simply fascinated. Down to the poisonous plants to the money the pirates make.
I personally am glad I had this on audible. For me listening was so much better. I think I would have lost it reading all the details. But listening was really fascinating.
I personally am glad I had this on audible. For me listening was so much better. I think I would have lost it reading all the details. But listening was really fascinating.
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