The Pirate Captain Ned Low His Life & Mysterious Fate written by
Dr Nicky Nielson and published by Pen & Sword Books - £20 - Hardback - Pages 224
Edward ‘Ned’ Low’s career in piracy began with a single gunshot. While working on
a logging ship in the Bay of Honduras the quick-tempered Ned was provoked by the
ship’s captain. He responded by grabbing a musket and inciting a mutiny. Then the
London-born sailor and a dozen of his crewmates held a council, stitched a black
flag and voted to make war against the whole world preying on ships from any nation,
flying any flag. Low’s name became synonymous with brutality and torture during the
1720s as he cut a swathe of destruction from the shores of Nova Scotia to the Azores,
the coast of Africa and throughout the Caribbean. Ned Low’s life was one of failed
redemption: a thief from childhood who briefly rose in the world after moving to America,
only to fall again lower and harder than before. He was feared even by his own crew,
and during his life on the wrong side of the law he became infamous for his extreme
violence, fatalistic behaviour, and became perhaps one of the best examples of why
pirates were classed in Admiralty Law as hostis humani generis: the common enemies
of all mankind.
This book follows the life of Captain Ned Low, a man from very humble beginnings, I must admit I had not heard of Captain Ned Low but thanks to Pen & Sword Books my knowledge of piracy has started to increase thanks to three books I’ve read recently on different pirates. This book is very interesting in that the author Dr Nicky Neilson has done a great job in mixing educated opinions and sources of information. We have a great story mixed in with great information and sources, of a man who seemed to attain the ability to be quite a prolific pirate. This has been a great book that I’ve fully enjoyed, here’s hoping for books about other pirates.
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