Pirates have thrilled and frightened landlubbers for centuries.

Names such as Blackbeard, captain Kidd and Madame Cheng conjure up images of buried treasure, galleons flying the Jolly Roger and swashbuckling tales of derring-do.

This title introduces the reader to the high seas and to the daring, adventurous world of pirates, taking a close look at the lives of the men and women who ruled the oceans, defying the laws of land and sea in their shameless pursuit of booty and adventure.