Pirates are an endlessly fascinating subject, even if any real study of their history reveals that they weren't the jolly or noble adventurers often seen in big-screen adaptations. They were villains -- thieves and murderers -- but their colorful image is indelibly stamped on the public consciousness.

Eric Jay Dolin, in his new book Black Flags, Blue Waters, looks deeply into the ages of piracy that spanned the history of the Americas. He discusses individual characters whose names dominate the subject -- among them William Kidd, Bartholomew Roberts, Henry Morgan, Edward Low and, of course, Blackbeard -- as well as many lesser-known men (and a couple of women) who took to the high seas to plunder ships off the American coast.

More interestingly, perhaps, Dolin examines closely the impact piracy had on the burgeoning economies of the New World, as well as the image pirates had among their contemporaries. Far from low-life criminals, pirates for a time were seen as exciting, dramatic folk heroes whose stolen booty enriched the coffers of many American merchants and politicians. As the government back home in England worked to eradicate piracy, officials in the colonies often encouraged them.

Of course, that sweet relationship with pirates eventually soured, and Dolin looks keenly at the reasons they fell out of favor -- and what steps were taken to sweep the seas of their kind.

The book is very thorough on the topic, and anyone who enjoys stories of the Age of Sail will savor Dolin's narrative touch. It's an enjoyable read that is both fascinating and educational ... and it likely will cause many readers to look further into the pirates' lives.

Black Flags, Blue Waters will be added to a shelf already sagging under the weight of many books on pirates, where it will stand as one of my favorites in the collection.