The 17th century's most notorious pirate, Henry Every was wanted by the British government, alive or (preferably) dead. But Steven Johnson argues that Every's lasting legacy was his inadvertent triggering of a major shift in the global economy. When Every and his crew attacked an Indian treasure ship, it sparked the first international manhunt and the trial of the century. Johnson uses this story to explore the emergence of the East India Company, the British Empire, and the modern global marketplace: an interconnected planet ruled by nations and corporations.