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Not bad. Book will be a christmas present. In acceptable shape. Was shipped quickly.
Book arrived in a timely manner and in great condition as promised. Excellent buy. Thank you.
The author is well qualified to write about the subject of piracy given his own experience as a victim. Piracy is an issue that has grabbed a lot of headlines in the last couple years, so it was interesting to find a book on the subject that was published back in 2003. It would certainly be interesting to see an updated version, but it is nevertheless highly informative. But rather than simply dwelling on that experience, he actually did quite a lot of research, conducted numerous interviews, and himself became a participant on various vessels in waters known for piracy. All of which makes for a very interesting and eminently credible book, which I recommend without hesitation to anyone who wants to learn more about the subject.
Mr. Burnett provides a detailed and faceted look at modern day piracy. Far from the Hollywood portrayals, the work touches on the dynamics behind this ancient trade, and how it affects the seafarer, law enforcement and ship owners. A well researched work.
Burnett leaves you with a lot to think about. In startling detail and tight-knit writing, Burnett has presented a new danger that is real, threatening, and not easily set aside by some sentimental vision of wind and water.John S. There aren't any satisfactory answers as to how to handle the ever increasing threat. As Burnett points out, it's probable that some accident caused by piracy will cause a major environmental and economic disaster.
In Dangerous Waters: Modern Piracy and Terror on the High Seas the author, John S. The romance is gone and the adventure is more ominous. Knives and guns were brandished, money was demanded and, because he didn't have much money aboard, Burnett had his head gun-butted before the motley crew sailed away with a meager haul of a set of binoculars and some cigarettes. That may be true but entire crews still disappear and ships are turned into ghosts, never to be seen again.
The larger shipping companies have resorted to patrols, mercenary protection placed on board, negotiation, and even payoffs to the main forces behind the attacks. Burnett and his family actually survived being attacked by pirates in the South China Sea south of Singapore. The incident prompted Burnett's interest and closer investigation of piracy. Through research, interviews, and personal travel in some of the most set-upon waters in the world, the author has presented a riveting study of the fear of pirates felt by the crews of the ships who pass through every day - and night. The thrill of the high sea has new meaning today.
I understand the principle behind the no firearms policy, but it would take a steely will to face machetes, knives, attack rifles, and even rocket-propelled grenades, be shoved around and threatened, and then trust in the goodwill of the attackers to leave docilely after their mission is accomplished.Some of the protection techniques outlined by John S. Burnett seem to be effective. Ships no longer carry much money but now the cargoes themselves have become the targets. However, in spite of best efforts, piracy seems to be escalating. Sometimes the crew members escape any real harm, sometimes they don't.I always assumed that my friends Smith & Wesson could ward off trouble but ship owners are advised not to allow firearms on board. Burnett, has thrown a damper on what was once every boy's dream and every man's secret longing. We know that terrorists could intentionally cause enough damage to a Very Large Crude Container (VLCC) ship to spill nearly two million barrels of petroleum product into these vital waterways.
One might wonder how a tanker that is larger than three football fields could be compromised by a ragtag crew of four or five hijackers but it happens regularly. Cooperation and compliance with the terrorists' demands are believed to be a better way to escape harm. But pirates could cause the same damage by taking over a ship and crew while allowing the tanker to continue out of control down a narrow, heavily trafficked corridor only to collide with another heavily loader tanker or to break up on the shoreline rocks. I strongly recommend this book as an early warning about a problem that must be solved.
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