Chasing the Horizon

Those who have ruled the waves have forever captured popular imagination and those who have done so illegally, even more so. Our history books are full of swaggering pirate villainy, renegade sea captains and plundering rogues. But save for a few famous names that are frequently cited, the true nature of historic global piracy has not yet been fully explored.

Until now. In this fascinating study drawn on largely previously unseen records held at the National Archives, historian Oliver Finnegan reveals the true account of piracy between 1500 and 1850, whilst also examining its impact on our seas today. Spanning three distinct eras, Chasing the Horizon covers a wider geographical and chronological scope than readers generally associate with piracy, while engaging with very current themes such as migration, colonialism, gender and social networks.

This is a history of the waves that is as yet untold. The richness of these stories is staggering; from the day-to-day of life on board a ship, to the planning of ambushes and selling of stolen goods, and a pirate's eyewitness description of taking a merchantman deck by deck, the intricacy of Chasing the Horizon brings forth a cast of characters, all of whom played their own unique part in this important aspect of global history