This maritime history “from below” exposes the history-making power of common sailors, slaves, pirates, and other outlaws at sea in the era of the tall ship.

Marcus Rediker, preeminent scholar of maritime history, is poised to break new ground with his latest book. In Outlaws of the Atlantic, Rediker turns maritime history upside down, exploring the dramatic world of maritime adventure, not from the perspective of admirals, merchants, and nation-states but from the point of view of commoners — sailors, slaves, indentured servants, pirates, and other outlaws-whose seafaring experiences are brought together for the first time. Rediker shows that oceanic history is crucial to understanding historical processes like the rise of capitalism and the formation of race and class.