Born to Be Hanged: The Epic Story of the Gentlemen Pirates Who Raided the South Seas, Rescued a Princess, and Stole a Fortune

In 1680, over three hundred pirates gather on a remote Caribbean island to plan a raid on the Pacific coastline. They cross Panama on foot, slashing their way through the Darien Isthmus, and liberate a native princess. They plunder the Spanish Main in a series of historic assaults, often prevailing against superior firepower. Keith Thomson's novel Born to Be Hanged offers a rollicking account of one of the most astonishing pirate expeditions of all time, fusing contemporaneous accounts with intensive research and previously unknown primary sources.

Format: Hardback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 02 June 2022
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

In the year 1680, amidst the Golden Age of Piracy, a gathering of over three hundred daring and hardened pirates convened on a remote Caribbean island. Their plan was audacious: to unleash havoc on the Pacific coastline, raiding cities, mines, and merchant ships. The treasure they sought was the bright gleam of Spanish gold, and the chance to become legends in their own time. This remarkable adventure, long overlooked, begins with the company, inspired by the intrepid exploits of pirate-turned-Jamaican governor Captain Henry Morgan. They embarked on a daring journey, crossing the treacherous Darien Isthmus, one of the thickest jungles on the planet. Along the way, they liberated a native princess, adding an unexpected twist to their mission.

Once in the South Sea, the buccaneers, predominantly Englishmen, launched a series of historic assaults on the Spanish Main. Despite facing staggering odds and superior firepower, they often prevailed, showcasing their bravery and cunning. The western coastline of South America trembled as the English pirates, waging a kind of proxy war against the Spaniards, embarked on a spree of marauding up and down the continent.

Keith Thomson, in his novelistic prose, takes us on a thrilling journey through the pirates' legendary two-year odyssey. We witness the buccaneers evading Indigenous tribes, Spanish conquistadors, and even their own English countrymen, all with the ever-present threat of the gallows for anyone captured. By combining contemporaneous accounts with extensive research and previously unknown primary sources, Born to Be Hanged presents a captivating account of one of the most astonishing pirate expeditions of all time.

The pirates' exploits were not without controversy, as they often engaged in acts of violence and destruction. However, their daring and audacity captured the imagination of people around the world, and their legacy continues to inspire adventurers and storytellers to this day. The story of the pirates of the Caribbean is a testament to the human spirit's thirst for exploration, freedom, and the pursuit of fortune.

Weight: 592g
Dimension: 162 x 240 x 34 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780316703611