Cochrane the Dauntless The Life and Adventures of Thomas Cochrane Published by Bloomsbury Publishing in 2007 The American edition of this book is published under the title: Cochrane: the Real Master and Commander Published by Bloomsbury USA in 2007. Patrick O’Brian, CS.Forester and Captain Marryat all based their literary heroes on Thomas Cochrane but, as this book shows, Cochrane’s own exploits were far more daring and exciting than those of his fictional counterparts. He was a man of action whose bold and impulsive nature meant that he was often his own worst enemy. This impetuousness lay behind his early success as a frigate captain, but also caused him to upset admirals and politicians and culminated in the Stock Exchange scandal of 1814 which saw him blackballed by the British establishment. Undaunted he took his young and pretty wife Kate and his undimished naval abilities to South America, where he helped to liberate Chile, Peru and Brazil from their colonial masters. Drawing on previously unpublished papers, his own travels and wide reading, the author provides a vivid portrayal of a flawed hero who helped define his age. “Most intriguing and satisfying…. Within his nearly eighty-five years Cochrane packed enough drama and history to shame both Horatio Nelson and Sir Francis Drake… O’Brian fans will find great satisfaction in smoking out similarities and differences between Cochrane and Aubrey.”  Washington Post “By rights, Thomas Cochrane should be as well known today as Francis Drake… Cochrane’s adventures in Chile, Peru and Brazil are among the most amazing in naval history.”  Sunday Times “Cochrane was surely the boldest buccaneer ever to swagger across a British Navy quarterdeck… That he was an authentic hero with his heart in the right place, Cordingly’s enthralling biography leaves us in no doubt.” Literary Review