Cup of Gold - John Steinbeck

2025 Reprint of the 1929 Edition. Cup of Gold, John Steinbeck's first novel, published in 1929, is a romanticized historical fiction inspired by the life of the notorious pirate Henry Morgan. The story traces Morgan's rise from a restless young man to a feared and legendary figure, culminating in his notorious sack of Panama, known as the "Cup of Gold." Steinbeck delves into themes of ambition, love, and the illusion of conquest, exploring Morgan's desire for power and the hollow nature of his achievements. Though not as widely known as his later works, Cup of Gold reveals Steinbeck's early interest in complex characters and moral dilemmas.

From the mid-1650s through the 1660s, Henry Morgan, a pirate and outlaw of legendary viciousness, ruled the Spanish Main. He ravaged the coasts of Cuba and America, striking terror wherever he went. Morgan was obsessive. He had two driving ambitions: to possess the beautiful woman called La Santa Roja and to conquer Panama, the "cup of gold." Cup of Gold is a lush, lyrical swashbuckling pirate fantasy, and sure to add new dimensions to readers' perceptions of this all-American writer.