In the 1670s 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: one to possess the beautiful woman called La Santa Roja, the other, to conquer Panama, the "cup of gold.""John Steinbeck's first novel, and the only historical novel he ever wrote, CUP OF GOLD is a lush, lyrical fantasy. The themes of quest and disillusion echo in all his later work." (Publisher's Source)