Skip to content

Outlaws of the Atlantic

Sailors, Pirates, and Motley Crews in the Age of Sail

Book cover of Outlaws of the Atlantic by Marcus Rediker

This maritime history “from below” exposes the history-making power of common sailors, slaves, pirates, and other outlaws at sea in the era of the tall ship.

Marcus Rediker, preeminent scholar of maritime history, is poised to break new ground with his latest book. In Outlaws of the Atlantic, Rediker turns maritime history upside down, exploring the dramatic world of maritime adventure, not from the perspective of admirals, merchants, and nation-states but from the point of view of commoners — sailors, slaves, indentured servants, pirates, and other outlaws-whose seafaring experiences are brought together for the first time. Rediker shows that oceanic history is crucial to understanding historical processes like the rise of capitalism and the formation of race and class.

Outlaws of the Atlantic has been translated into into Chinese (coming), French, German, and Korean (coming).


View: Table of Contents | Purchase