The Illustrious Dead

An eloquent and vivid portrait that includes a view through the telescopes of rear-echelon
commanders, the rifle sights of front-line skirmishers, and the clouded spectacles of field surgeons laboring in candlelit abattoirs . . . the finest kind of popular history."
--William Rosen, author of "Justinian's Flea: The First Great Plague" and the "End of the Roman Empire"
Praise for "Empire of Blue Water"
"A swashbuckling adventure . . . [the] characters leap to life."
--"The New York Times Book Review"
"Reeking of authentic blood and thunder, and as richly detailed as a work of fiction . . . dramatically evokes the rough and tumble age when pirates owned the seas. A thrilling and fascinating adventure."
--Caroline Alexander, author of "The Endurance"
"Stephan Talty's vigorous history of seventeenth-century pirates of the Caribbean will sate even fickle Jack Sparrow fans. A pleasure to read from bow to stern."
--"Entertainment Weekly"
"Serves up swashbuckling history at its briny, blood-soaked best, with enough violence and passion to keep the pages flying by."
--Tom Reiss, author of "The Orientalist"
"Talty's delicious new book succeeds where other volumes of history fail. . . .A ripping yarn, worthy of its gaudy subject."
--"Dallas Morning News" "From the Hardcover edition.