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The Republic of Pirates

Captain Teach, Blackbeard; ca 1736 from Johnson's General History

Thursday, our guest is journalist Colin Woodard, whose book "The Republic of Pirates" is the basis for a forthcoming TV series starring John Malkovich. Woodard tells the story of the Flying Gang, an 18th century coalition of men like Blackbeard and "Black Sam" Bellamy who were more than just criminals on the high seas. In age of oppressive governments and influential commercial interests, they had their sights set on social and political upheaval. We'll talk about the "golden age" of piracy and the mark it left on our world.

  • Colin Woodard is an author and journalist. He is currently State and National Affairs Writer for Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram. His books include The Republic of Pirates [Amazon|Indiebound] and American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America [Amazon|Indiebound]
  • Woodard's new article The Last Days of Blackbeardappears in the February issue of Smithsonian Magazine.
  • Crossbones, starring John Malkovich, is slated to air on NBC this summer.
Doug Fabrizio has been reporting for KUER News since 1987, and became News Director in 1993. In 2001, he became host and executive producer of KUER's RadioWest, a one hour conversation/call-in show on KUER 90.1 in Salt Lake City. He has gained a reputation for his thoughtful style. He has interviewed everyone from Isabel Allende to the Dalai Lama, and from Madeleine Albright to Desmond Tutu. His interview skills landed him a spot as a guest host of the national NPR program, "Talk of the Nation." He has won numerous awards for his reporting and for his work with RadioWest and KUED's Utah NOW from such organizations as the Society of Professional Journalists, the Utah Broadcasters Association, the Public Radio News Directors Association and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.