Henry Morgan leaves the Welsh hills to become the youngest buccaneer on th seas. Appointed the paramount leader of the Spanish Main, he sails the green coasts of the tropics, but the pillage and glory ultimately fail to satisfy him. Instead, he is haunted by the name of La Santa Roja, a woman reputed to be as lovely as the sun. Panama, the city known as the Cup of Gold, is her home, and the quest to win her and to conquer the great city becomes Morgan's overriding ambition.
'Cup of Gold' is Steinbeck's first novel, and shows all the hallmarks of his later, prizewinning work in the retelling of stories of old to examine man's deepest desires and ambitions.
