What started as an interest in pirate history has grown into something much bigger: a complete series dedicated to the people, battles, mysteries, and legends of the Golden Age of Piracy. My first book explored the life of Blackbeard, one of the most feared and recognizable pirates in history. Writing that book gave me the opportunity to look beyond the famous beard, burning fuses, and frightening reputation to examine the man behind the legend. Now, the journey continues wit