" A thorough, exciting examination of 18th-century pirate life, with wonderful details. " - Publishers Weekly Angus Konstam' s definitive biography of history' s most fearsome and famous pirate draws on the latest historical and archaeological findings- including the discovery of Blackbeard' s flagship- to paint a vivid portrait of Blackbeard' s life and times. From his pirate apprenticeship in the Caribbean to his gory death in a sea battle off North Carolina' s Outer Banks, it takes readers on a turbulent adventure to a brutal world. Angus Konstam (Edinburgh, Scotland, UK) has written more than 50 history books, including The History of Pirates (1-904668-07-0), Pirates: Terror on the High Seas (1-84176-452-3), and The Pirate Ship, 1660-- 1730 (1-84176-497-3). He is a former naval officer, underwater archaeologist, and curator of the Tower of London and the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum.