The Hostages the World Forgot

When the "Albedo" was hijacked, its crew was abandoned to their fate by their employer, who was unable to pay the $20 million ransom. For years the hostages stayed, until Colonel John Steed launched a mission to rescue them. The hostages themselves conspired with him to come up with an ingenious escape plan. Guest: Colin Freeman, author of "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea: The Mission to Rescue the Hostages the World Forgot" Image Credit: Omar Sheikh Ali

Though golden-age pirates are often romanticized by popular culture, a pirate’s life was far less appealing than is often portrayed. Reviewing the histories behind these storied individuals reveals that their lives were usually nasty, brutish, and short. Guest: Eric Jay Dolin, author of "Black Flags, Blue Waters: The Epic History of America's Most Notorious Pirates"