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pp. 416, “The age of the English sea dogs can still conjure up romantic images of brave, flamboyant mariners who challenged the mighty Spanish empire. Of course, the reality was more sordid. Hazlewood, a freelance journalist, has chosen a fairly representative figure of a brutal period: John Hawkyns, born into a prominent, prosperous middle-class family in the port of Plymouth. He was attracted to the sea as a youth, and he also displayed an early propensity for violence. Hazlewood acknowledges Hawkyns’ bravery, leadership ability, and even his occasional acts of compassion. But, as his deep involvement in the blossoming Atlantic slave trade shows, he was ruthless, intolerant, and chillingly indifferent to human suffering. This story is not all shame and sin. Hazlewood knows how to spin a good yarn, and there is plenty of excitement as Hawkyns’ adventures span four continents”Remainder mark on the base of the book