Enemy of All Mankind

Democratically elected captains overseeing multi-ethnic crews in floating meritocracies conducting rogue assaults against an autocratic, kleptocratic, slaveholding world is actually a quite appealing concept.

Yet, this both simplifies and overlooks the often savage and sadistic nature of the violence contained within the so-called Golden Age of Piracy (1650s to 1730s). Johnson deconstructs these complexities through a deep, dive into Henry Every, the 17th Century’s most notorious pirate and his vicious attack on an Indian treasure ship.

His crew was rewarded in rape, murder, mayhem, and financial riches beyond their wildest dreams. I love that the book strips away all our… show more.

Enemy of All Mankind is entertaining, and fun to read and it actually debunked a lot of things I thought I knew about pirates. First and foremost I was surprised to learn that pirates were the epitome of social justice – for real. The captain was chosen by the crew democratically and could be demoted (not beheaded) if they didn't deliver enough bounty. But it was how bounty was divided that blew me away. The captain share, in most cases, was only about twice as much as a regular seaman. That's it! In today's market CEOs get slightly more –… show more.