Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blackbeard: The Birth of America | 2018 | Samuel Marquis | Buy |
Blackbeard: The Birth of America (2018) is Samuel Marquis’s narrative non-fiction account of Edward Thache, the privateer-turned-pirate who dominated the Atlantic seaboard and Caribbean during the early 18th century. The book uses reliable historical records and recent research to look past the myths that have surrounded Blackbeard for three centuries, presenting him as a more complex figure than popular legend allows.
Marquis has a personal stake in the subject. He is the ninth great-grandson of Captain William Kidd, another famous figure from the same era, and his interest in colonial American maritime history runs deep. The book follows the cat-and-mouse pursuit of Blackbeard by the authorities, revealing the political maneuvering and personal rivalries that shaped the Golden Age of Piracy. Marquis later expanded his non-fiction work with Captain Kidd: A True Story of Treasure and Betrayal (2025), published by Simon and Schuster.