Overview

A breakneck adventure of war, romance, and politics in the golden age of piracy. Captain William Kidd stands as one of the most notorious “pirate” outlaws ever, but his legend is tainted by a bed of lies. Having captivated imaginations for more than three hundred years and inspired many stories about pirates, troubling questions remain. Was he really a criminal or is the truth more inconvenient: that he was a buccaneer’s worst nightmare, a revered pirate hunter turned fall guy for scheming politicians? In Captain Kidd, his ninth-great-grandson, bestselling author Samuel Marquis, reveals the real story. Kidd was an English American privateer and leading New York husband and father. The King of England himself dubbed Kidd “trusty and well-beloved,” and some historians describe him as a “worthy, honest-hearted, steadfast, much -enduring sailor” who was the “victim of a deliberate travesty of justice.” With honors far more esteemed than the menacing Blackbeard, or any other sea rover at the turn of the seventeenth century, how can Kidd be considered both gentleman and pirate, both hero and villain? Marquis’ biography recreates Kidd’s perilous world of explosive naval warfare and the daring integrity he exemplified as a pirate hunter, as well as the political scandal that entangled Kidd in British–American history, rocking the New World and the Old, and threatening England’s valuable trade with India. Captain Kidd is both thrilling and tragic. Behind the legend is a real man woven into the tapestry of early America, rendering him a unique colonial hero and scapegoat whose life story was fascinating, exciting, bizarre, and heartrending.

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9781635769685

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Reviews

""Anchored in rapidly globalizing seventeenth century seascapes and crewed by some of the most compelling and historically consequential characters that you’ve never heard of (until now), Marquis takes us on an action-packed voyage to discover the real Captain Kidd and his contributions to the making of America. A Kidd descendant himself, Marquis blends scrupulous attention to personalities, places, and events with a tight chronicle of the dynamic colonial conflicts that transformed the planet and birthed both the United States and the myth of the swashbuckling Kidd."" -- <B>John R. Welch</B>, Professor of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University  ""Anchored in rapidly globalizing seventeenth century seascapes and crewed by some of the most compelling and historically consequential characters that you’ve never heard of (until now), Marquis takes us on an action-packed voyage to discover the real Captain Kidd and his contributions to the making of America. A Kidd descendant himself, Marquis blends scrupulous attention to personalities, places, and events with a tight chronicle of the dynamic colonial conflicts that transformed the planet and birthed both the United States and the myth of the swashbuckling Kidd."" -- <B>John R. Welch</B>, Professor of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University  ""What excites audience interest in pirates is that they represent a challenge to states—specifically, states’ claim to exclusive legitimate authority. They force readers and viewers to articulate to themselves the difference between ‘us’ and ‘them,’ and between legitimate force and illegitimate violence. Captain Kidd, more than any other celebrity pirate of piracy’s ‘golden age’ highlights this tension because of his singular career path. This explains the great controversy about his activities in his own day, a controversy that is still very much alive today. A new book tackling Kidd’s career on both sides of the law with fresh information and evidence is bound to find an enthusiastic audience."" -- <B>Guy Chet</B>, PhD, Professor of History, University of North Texas, and author of The Ocean Is a Wilderness and The Colonists’ American Revolution  ""Marquis has written a fascinating and engaging new study of the pirate Captain Kidd. A must-read for all pirate fans and scholars!"" -- <B>Rebecca Simon</B>, PhD, historian and author of Why We Love Pirates ""Samuel Marquis provides the reader with a remarkable impression of Captain William Kidd, one that attempts to reincarnate the real person rather than the caricatured and often enigmatic villain-trope created to satisfy the one-dimensional schemes of popular works of fiction and fact. Even readers who might disagree with Mr. Marquis’ conclusions will still find much to ponder and enjoy."" -- <B>Benerson Little</B>, historian and author of<I> The Golden Age of Piracy </I>and <I>The Sea Rover’s Practice </I> ""It is hard to imagine that anything new could be discovered about Captain Kidd, the subject of many biographies, but Marquis has done it in a lively and well-researched book. If you enjoy a good read about piracy this is a book for you."" -- <B>Robert Ritchie</B>, PhD, former Foundation Director of Research, Huntington Library, Professor of History-UCSD, and author of <I>Captain Kidd and the War against the Pirates</I> ""The name ‘Captain William Kidd’ has become synonymous with ‘pirate,’ but few really understand the nuanced and complicated history of the man. Happily, Samuel Marquis has done much to bring the true story to light. Captain Kidd is a well-researched and thoroughly readable account of the rise and downfall of this enigmatic character and is a welcome addition to the world of pirate history."" -- <B>James L. Nelson</B>, author of<I> Benedict Arnold’s Navy </I> ""Captain Kidd presents one of the most intriguing tales of all time, with author Samuel Marquis bringing it to life through a blend of Clive Cussler-esque prose and Biblical-scholar-level research. You will taste the salty air, feel the cannonballs buzzing past, and not merely hear the explosions, but feel them in your teeth."" -- <B>Keith Thomson</B>, author of <I>Born to Be Hanged </I> ""Marquis paints the life of the inimitable Captain Kidd in bold, rich colors. A dashing, absorbing tale."" -- <B>Stephan Talty</B>, bestselling author of <I>Empire of Blue Water </I> ""A swashbuckling account of privateers, pirates, and pirate brokers on the Caribbean high seas at the dawn of the 18th century. With Captain Kidd, Samuel Marquis deftly separates the man from the myth in a riveting narrative that includes a compelling cast of characters, cannon fire, sword fights, mutiny, and treasure—all with the fate of empires hanging in the balance. A rollicking tale that proves that true stories are the best ones."" -- <B>Buddy Levy</B>, bestselling author of <I>Realm of Ice & Sky </I>and <I>Empire of Ice and Stone </I> ""A swashbuckling account of privateers, pirates, and pirate brokers on the Caribbean high seas at the dawn of the 18th century. With Captain Kidd, Samuel Marquis deftly separates the man from the myth in a riveting narrative that includes a compelling cast of characters, cannon fire, sword fights, mutiny, and treasure—all with the fate of empires hanging in the balance. A rollicking tale that proves that true stories are the best ones."" -- <B>Buddy Levy</B>, bestselling author of <I>Realm of Ice & Sky </I>and <I>Empire of Ice and Stone </I>

Author Information

The ninth-great-grandson of legendary privateer Captain William Kidd, Samuel Marquis, M.S., P.G., is a professional hydrogeologist, expert witness, and bestselling, award-winning author of twelve American non-fiction-history, historical-fiction, and suspense books, covering primarily the period from colonial America through WWII. His American history and historical fiction books have been #1 Denver Post bestsellers and received multiple national book awards in both fiction and non-fiction categories (Kirkus Reviews and Foreword Reviews Book of the Year, American Book Fest and USA Best Book, Readers’ Favorite, Beverly Hills, Independent Publisher, Colorado Book Awards, and others). His historical titles have garnered glowing reviews from bestselling authors, colonial American history and maritime historians, U.S. military veterans, Kirkus Reviews, and Foreword Reviews (5 Stars).

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