Quelch's Gold: Piracy, Greed, and Betrayal in Colonial New England (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This book is recommended for all readers who have an interest in pirates and early American politics. It would make excellent outside reading for any American history class.”–Catholic Library World

“Beal cuts to the heart of one authentic pirate in his new book Quelch's Gold. John Quelch is not as famous as Captain Kidd and Edmund "Blackbeard" Teach, who also sailed these waters, but his story reveals much about how pirates actually lived....Quelch's Gold is a thrilling pirate story, now finally and dramatically told, as bizarre as anything Disney might dream up but this one is true.”–SeacoastNH.com

“Quelch's Gold is an excellent read - a pirate tale from beginning to end, but also one that has strong links to the early American spirit. Sometimes it's difficult to see how events from 300 years ago had their affect on our present world, but author Clifford Beal crafts a story that feels at once historical yet entirely relevant The trial itself is conveyed in an equally compelling manner, and opens up many legal and ethical questions that should make for excellent conversational fodder amongst fellow pirate and historical buffs.”–Bilgemunky.com

“[T]he plot of Quelch's Gold is elaborate and the scenery amazing, reminding us of New England's ties to the wide Atlantic world.”–H-Atlantic

“Beal, a defense and security affairs writer, tells the story of pirate John Quelch, who was commander of the Charles and arrested on charges of piracy and murder in 1704. He recounts the ship's voyage, the subsequent trial and Quelch's execution in America, and how it was an early sign of the Revolution.”–Reference & Research Book News

“Discusses the 1704 trial and hanging in Boston of John Quelch, captain of the Charles, and members of his crew, for piracy in Brazilian waters against Britian's ally Portugal.”–The Chronicle of Higher Education

Book Description

A thrilling tale of piracy, murder, and political and corporate intrigue involving one of the most successful English pirates of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, as well as high ranking colonial officials.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Praeger; annotated edition edition (March 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0275994074
• ISBN-13: 978-0275994075
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,067,206 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars history without pain., May 14, 2007

By	Morna Chisholm (France) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Just finished this great book. Not being a history buff, I opened the cover to this book with some doubts - how wrong can you be. This story picks you up on the first page, and has you snared through the rest of the journey. The story is well told, deeply researched and written in such a way as to deliver accurate historical events to the reader, whilst pulling you along at a good pace. I tried to put the book down a couple of times over the weekend, but found my mind constantly returning to the story, and compelled to pick up the story and see it through to its conclusion. And who would have thought you could bring together pirate gold, the british treasury and Isaac Newton all within the covers of one book !
A cracking good read - try it....

5.0 out of 5 stars A worthwhile acquisition for history buffs, November 8, 2008

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Quelch's Gold: Piracy, Greed, and Betrayal in Colonial New England (Paperback)

A victim of something he didn't understand, a sad fate indeed. "Quelch's Gold: Piracy, Greed, and Betrayal in Colonial New England" is the tragic story of John Quelch. With a massively valuable haul in his ship coming to the American colonies in 1704, Quelch finds himself charged with piracy against ally Portugal. Baffled at the accusation, Quelch stood powerless as his fate was decided. A history of a Massachusetts legend and look at the law of the early eighteenth century, "Quelch's Gold" is a worthwhile acquisition for history buffs.