Born to Be Hanged

The Epic Story of the Gentlemen Pirates Who Raided the South Seas, Rescued a Princess, and Stole a Fortune

By: Keith Thomson

Narrated by: Feodor Chin

Discover the “fascinating and outrageously readable” account of the roguish acts of the first pirates to raid the Pacific in a crusade that ended in a sensational trial back in England—perfect for fans of Nathaniel Philbrick and David McCullough (Douglas Preston, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lost City of the Monkey God​)

The year is 1680, in the heart of the Golden Age of Piracy, and more than three hundred daring, hardened pirates—a potent mix of low-life scallywags and a rare breed of gentlemen buccaneers—gather on a remote Caribbean island. The plan: to wreak havoc on the Pacific coastline, raiding cities, mines, and merchant ships. The booty: the bright gleam of Spanish gold and the chance to become legends. So begins one of the greatest piratical adventures of the era—a story not given its full due until now.

Inspired by the intrepid forays of pirate turned Jamaican governor Captain Henry Morgan—yes, that Captain Morgan—the company crosses Panama on foot, slashing its way through the Darien Isthmus, one of the thickest jungles on the planet, and liberating a native princess along the way. After reaching the South Sea, the buccaneers, primarily Englishmen, plunder the Spanish Main in a series of historic assaults, often prevailing against staggering odds and superior firepower. A collective shudder racks the western coastline of South America as the English pirates, waging a kind of proxy war against the Spaniards, gleefully undertake a brief reign over Pacific waters, marauding up and down the continent.

With novelistic prose and a rip-roaring sense of adventure, Keith Thomson guides us through the pirates’ legendary two-year odyssey. We witness the buccaneers evading Indigenous tribes, Spanish conquistadors, and sometimes even their own English countrymen, all with the ever-present threat of the gallows for anyone captured. By fusing contemporaneous accounts with intensive research and previously unknown primary sources, Born to Be Hanged offers a rollicking account of one of the most astonishing pirate expeditions of all time.

©2022 Keith Thomson (P)2022 Little, Brown & Company

Critic reviews

“What a rollicking ride! Born to Be Hanged is serious narrative history delivered as gripping entertainment, with all the panache of an adventure novel. Keith Thomson unspools the excesses and escapades of the high seas in what we come to see is truly the Golden Age of Piracy. From the signing of the buccaneers’ initial charter to their life-or-death trial back in England two years later, I followed every battle, chase, and standoff with rapt attention. Thomson not only brings the seventeenth century to life in vivid detail; he weaves his humor and keen observations into the character studies of the pirates themselves. This book is a riveting historical delight not to be missed.” (Keith O’Brien, author of the New York Times best seller Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History)

“Born to Be Hanged is swashbuckling narrative nonfiction at its best. Thomson skillfully weaves in the history and geopolitics of the period even as he puts the reader in the middle of an action-packed thriller that does not let up. By the end of this myth-busting, stranger-than-fiction tale, I wanted to raise a tankard of rum and toast the death-defying adventures of the greatest buccaneers of the seventeenth-century.” (James L. Swanson, author of the New York Times best seller Manhunt: The Twelve-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer)

“Born to Be Hanged is a thrilling tale of piracy in the South Seas, replete with pitched and bloody battles, treasure hoards, a daring rescue, violent storms, shifting allegiances, mutiny, and a dubious trial. It is full of so many fascinating details and surprising twists and turns that you will not want to put it down until the very end. A wonderful contribution to the history of piracy, and a welcome addition to every pirate lover's library.” (Eric Jay Dolin, best-selling author of Black Flags, Blue Waters: The Epic History of America’s Most Notorious Pirates)

Exquisite Detail

I spent two years of study on the South Seas Expedition and found that the author left little out. Moreover, I am envious of his attention to detail, and l am happy for the learning experience. This work was nicely done.

Great Pirate History

This book was a pleasant surprise the exploits of these pirates made for a great listen.

Great story of neglected history

Although the book started off slowly and spent a lot of time on the first adventure it paid off by setting up later stories. The people came to life and there are numerous nuggets of surprising information about the impact these pirates had on the world. I was especially surprised by the naturalist notes and the use of actual pirate records. I can’t wait for a sequel about the period from 1700 on!

Fascinating tale of 17th Piracy in the Americas

Well-written and witty. Based on the journals of several pirates of the same crew, Born to Be Hanged relates the joys, the dangers, and the revelry of a crew of English pirates in the seas off the American coasts. The detail of the story is authentic and harrowing, and also happens to have formed the basis of Robert Louis Stephenson’s fictional Treasure Island. A jolly good time was had by … well, some at least.

Exciting!

Never a dull moment with this amazing historical narrative of piracy in the new world! Reads like an exciting work of fiction only more fascinating in that it's nonfiction. The narrator was terrific!

Pirates!

What a great & well told story/history! Intriguing & fascinating, I am already looking forward to the next one.

An exciting story well told

Keith Thompson has used journals and other source material to assemble an engaging narrative of the lives of English Pirates raiding Spanish ships and cities on the west coast of South America. It is also a true survival story.

luv it

great pirate stories you want really enjoyed it highly recimmend, im babbling now wontlet reviews be short

Amazing tale of adventure

Likable throughout the entire book. The characters and the fact that we can know about their lives so many years later, is astounding. The brutality and heroism are equally maintained at a very high level.

Pretty good micro history

Seemed like there was a lot of story telling that went into this history. Some of it seemed too centered on the actors at times (rather than taking a step back and saying “because was happening at the same time and this impacted Panama by abc”). But other than that, it was great to deliver a history as to how these people lived