TIME-LIFE The Golden Age of Pirates

In film, pirates are romanticized as swashbuckling outlaws who defy authority, pursue danger, and cruise the world's oceans in search of wealth and adventure. They are celebrated in books, comics and rock 'n' roll lyrics. Their ruffled shirts and tricorne hats inspire fashion designers; their cruel exploits are immortalized in art. But pirates through time have not been lovable, witty tricksters, they were often societal outcasts and pioneers who helped forge political and social revolt.