From Captain Kidd to Johnny Depp, pirates have long captured the imagination, but behind the spectacle is an extraordinary story of bravery and adventure. In the age of discovery, many buccaneers acted on behalf of their nation, then became outlaws as huge wealth was transported across the oceans. Tom Bowling strips the legends away to reveal the true story of piracy and its legacy across the globe. Tom Bowling is an expert on piracy and has written a number of dramatic seafaring novels including The Antigallican and The Heart of Oak . He lives in Britain.