Buccaneer: The Provocative Odyssey of Jack Reed, Adventurer, Drug Smuggler and Pilot Extraordinaire

by MayCay Beeler

#1 AMAZON BEST-SELLER rank in multiple categories including biographies/memoirs, true crime, criminals, historical, South America, Latin America explorers, travelers, and adventurers.

WINNER 2016 Hollywood Book Festival Wild Card category; SILVER MEDALIST 2016 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Book Awards True Crime category; Honorable Mention 2016 Readers' Favorite International Book Awards Non-Fiction Drama;
Award-Winning Finalist in the Biography: Non-Fiction category of the 2015 Readers' Favorite International Book Awards, and in the True Crime: Non-Fiction category of the 2014 USA Best Book Awards.

Think all associates of Pablo Escobar were violent? Then you don't know Jack!

"Buccaneer" is the surprising, true account of the life and times of Jack Carlton Reed, an all-American boy turned drug smuggler; turned Robinson Crusoe, then infamous prison inmate.

For the first time, Reed discloses his extraordinary, tabooed journey as a high flying international cocaine smuggler and personal pilot for Carlos Lehder, associate of Pablo Escobar of the Medellin Cartel. Reed flew drug runs through Lehder's cocaine transport empire based at Norman's Cay, an out island in the Bahamas. Having gained notoriety in the late 70s as a staging point for drug smuggling, Norman's Cay was immortalized in "Blow," a 2001 motion picture starring Johnny Depp.

Reed lands in court as Lehder’s co-defendant in the longest running drug trial in U.S. history. A non-violent offender, he becomes the victim of a tragic judicial sentencing mistake.

Tired of being hounded by media, Reed had denied all interviews until MayCay Beeler came into his life. His story has never been given to any other journalist. In doing research for the book, MayCay would stumble upon a piece of information that would change everything. This book is the stunning true account of Reed’s provocative life with a twist of fate surprise ending that will make you believe in destiny. Fans of Netflix Narcos and Cocaine Cowboy movies may be surprised by this raw honest personal account. Not what media has led us to believe.

Genres: Aviation, Nonfiction, Biography

220 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2014

About the author

MayCay Beeler is a spirited American aviatrix, record-breaking pilot, award-winning television personality, multi award-winning #1 Amazon best-selling author, veteran TV host/producer/journalist, spokesperson, speaker, and active FAA Certified Flight Instructor with a passion for all things flying.

http://www.jackcarltonreed.com/

http://www.strategicmediabooks.com/03...

http://www.amazon.com/Buccaneer-Provo...

http://about.me/MayCay

https://www.facebook.com/MayCayBeeler

https://twitter.com/MayCayBeeler

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maycaybeeler

http://divaflight.com/

https://www.instagram.com/maycaybeeler/

Reviews

[Christopher Madsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buccaneer – The Provocative Odyssey of Jack Reed; Adventurer, Drug Smuggler and Pilot Extraordinaire
By Jack Carlton Reed & MayCay Beeler
Reviewed by Christopher Madsen, November 23, 2015

I was introduced to Buccaneer as the book was being honored at the Reader’s Favorite Literary Awards in Miami, Florida. Drawn by the allure of reading a non-fictional, inside accounting of the exploits of a 1970s small craft pilot turned big time cocaine trafficker, I secured a copy with hopes for a real world version of the multitude of entertaining, yet unbelievable, Miami Vice style dramatizations. I found ever so much more! From page one, I was readily and steadily drawn into a story so exciting, dimensional and delightfully unexpected that all else went on hold and I was unable to put the book down until I had reached its end in a single sitting.
Exponentially beyond the swashbuckling, notorious drug cartel smuggling adventure that I had hoped for, biographer MayCay Beeler connects the reader intimately and emotionally to the very unique man who is the main character as he not only celebrates success, but also is challenged by circumstances few in mainstream society will ever be subjected to. Without giving anything away, I can say it is a story of adrenaline charged adventure, sizzling lust and love, meteoric adversity, and soulful contemplation.
I find it rare when a book can actually evoke an involuntary emotional response from me but Beeler’s storytelling was so powerful that I, a man, was, at times, literally brought to tears. Obviously the creation of this book was a labor of love, and Beeler’s passion to share the amazing life journey of Jack Carlton Reed shines through on every exciting and touching page. FIVE STARS
Christopher Madsen, multi award winning author

[Temple Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freefalling Into Freedom

Buccaneer , by Jack Carlton Reed and MayCay Beeler, tells the story of free spirits drawn into the flame of adventure, power, drugs, sex, and money. Most of the story is told from the inside, literally, because modern-day Robin Hoods inevitably stumble into the merciless grip of Federal authorities.

One does not expect the free spirit to survive inside prison walls, and yet the pen, as always, becomes more powerful than the sword of justice. Unforgiven by society as a hedonistic drug smuggler and daredevil, Jack Reed continues to raise his unbroken spirit above the realities of prison life. He finds an unlikely champion in MayCay Beeler, an award-winning television personality, and record-breaking professional pilot.

Their wings bring them together, entwine their lives in a final victory that spirals both Jack and MayCay into freedom, in every respect. There are many extraordinary lessons learned by reading this 5-star book. Thank you, Ms. Beeler, for shining a bright light on the story.

[HOWARD MCCONNELL · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read.


Good read. Not the same old story. Reed led a very different life compared to people who have taken the same path.

[Michael Tidd · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the first book I purchased solely from Goodreads ratings. 5 stars for all reviewers! Wow! Except that many of those reviewers have just the one book and no other activity since. And many of those reviews are one liners or very simple. Bottom line, someone is trying to inflate the wonder of this book, which is a shame.

The first note is about the writing. This book could have used another two editors and another two months. The biggest problem is odd stylistic choices, like the dash comma "-," that make reading this frustrating. It isn't a clear start to finish narrative, but instead jumps around in time, a little on the macro scale but more on the micro. You get a quote in italics from the author himself, then see that same quote in a regular paragraph 3 pages later. You are introduced to Norman only to find out 10 pages later that he is a dog. Seemingly random lyrics are thrown in from Bryan Adams or Genesis (complete with typos) that do nothing to aid the story. It's a weird ride that feels like journal entries, making some chapters just 3 or 4 pages. The repetition is troublesome too - describing something as a Robinson Crusoe lifestyle 10 times does not help me visualize it anymore than one or two.

Jack Carlton Reed led a very interesting life, and when I saw the book I imagined crazy stories, like an Indiana Jones adventure - crazy air stunts to avoid crashes, ditching in the desert to avoid the fuzz, scary drug dealer encounters, etc. What you get isn't quite that - there are some stories, details of the smuggling route and such, but most of it is around the minutiae - This guy would come over, we'd smoke pot, I loved this teenage girl and took her away from her mom, we visited Colombia, etc. The later chapters of the trial are at least more grounded, but still feel like Jack was not the most knowledgeable about things.

The novel starts when jack is already 45 or so, leaving several ex wives, daughters, and his electric land speed record in the past - and only the latter is given more than a passing mention. What set Jack on this course? Anything about his formative years? Nope, he's just 45, a pilot, and ready to smoke pot, smuggle, and have sex with this teenage girl. Aaaaaand, Action!

He isn't a heroic figure, and his efforts did help a cartel that was making Colombia a hellish, violent place, but this isn't about judgement - it's just not a great read. It does the classic start at the end thing where he is getting captured, but that serves no purpose when so much of the book jumps around. He mentions interesting anecdotes, like being assigned a real estate attorney as his court appointed counsel - but this is done chapters before the relevant trial, where it is mentioned again. The coauthor fell in love with Jack, of course - the scoundrel's charm was everlasting. I think some objective eyes and a massive rewrite would make this book readable and enjoyable, but it's current state leaves much to be desired. You get the glimpse into the smuggling side of the drug business, but putting up with the Tao of Jack and the editorial missteps makes it barely worth it.

[Christian Cipollini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Think Cocaine Cowboys... but then pause, and read this book! Not another retelling of the admittedly fascinating and irresistible era of drug smuggling warlords - this journey is a little more on the 'human' side. Surreal, yes. True, yes. Most importantly though, MayCay Beeler captured the essence of a man who truly did sort of fall into things; his loves, his downfall, his battle with an arguably screwed up judicial system. Reed was never one to talk; not to cops and not to the press. But Beeler, a pilot herself, was able to access Reed's most intimate thoughts, memories and details. Of course the sex, drugs and high flying dope smuggling piloting elements are in there, so expect an all around, 360 view of the story.

[Byron Edgington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here we have a story about a larger than life individual, Jack, the Buccaneer of MayCay Beeler's true-life adventure. If anyone believes tales of derring do, surreptitious flights across foreign borders, near death experiences, and otherwise 'too exotic to be true but they are anyway stories are long gone, here's your answer that, yes indeed, those people still exist. Ms Beeler's rendering of Jack Reed's phenomenal life story reveals the true hidden life of a band of smugglers, scofflaws, pilots, and pirates, showing them to be much different than the general public believes, and that the American media makes them out to be. True or not, it's easy to see how their distaste for violence could be damaging to their brand. True or not, it's easy to understand why these pirates respond to a ready market for their illicit product. We find ourselves agreeing with the motivations of people who are demonized for simply following the supply & demand business model that capitalism reifies: Find out what people want, and give it to them. So they've done that. The fact that the product people want is highly illegal, and addictive, and disruptive matters not. The marketplace rules all, right? Also, readers may come away with the impression that those attempting to hinder the drug trade, working day and night to arrest and incarcerate people like Jack Reed are often themselves twisting legal niceties to get their job done. It appears that no one in the drug business is pure as the snow white product they all owe their living to. Jack Reed is dead. Too bad, I thought. I'd like to have met him, he sounds like someone who lived his life according to his own lights, another sacred tenet of our society. This retired pilot wanted much more aviation treatment, more middle of the night, close calls in crummy weather, aircraft system spit-up stories. I’m quite sure there were many such tales, as the equipment in question had to have been old, ragged, rode hard and put to bed wet aircraft as we say, thus anything but reliable. Maybe there will be a sequel. Buccaneer: The Provocative Odyssey of Jack Reed, Adventurer, Drug Smuggler and Pilot Extraordinaire

[Calvin Sneed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this book and could not put it down. The only view that most people have of the drug culture is what's on the news every night.
What they don't see, is what looks like a cutthroat, back-stabbing world of drug smuggling, which is obviously nothing but a money-making business.
"Buccaneer" is straight from the horse's mouth.. a drug smuggler whom nobody would ever want to live near, yet wonder how he survived.
The Caribbean is supposed to be a sun-washed paradise, but it seems that there's a devil in this paradise, too.
Congratulations, MayCay Beeler for effectively telling the story of a mysterious character who's just plain lucky to be alive.

[Lberube · Rating 5 out of 5]

MayCay captures and artfully documents 1970’s drug smuggling activities on Norman’s Cay.

A must read!

[Jerry Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

My reading is usually an escape from the real world into nether worlds of dark fantasy where my imagination can become unbound by constraints of reality, and so therefore highly unusual for me to feel any passion for another person's life story. Call me self-centered, or say it's "all about me". "Buccaneer" sat on my dresser for almost a week after arrival before I finally looked past the cover! Something unique with the organization of this book quickly drew me further in, and within a very few minutes thereafter found myself hooked !

Most of us know of drug smuggling only from our exposure to the media. This brilliant read takes us into the heart and soul of a true smuggler...and a true human being endowed with a heart and a soul. I'll be the first to admit that I found myself a bit envious to some (not all) elements of this man's lifestyle, and guessing most of us may feel that same yearn.

This candid biography, was only made possible by a very special connection that somehow drew our smuggler and his selected biographer together!

Brilliantly researched, organized, and written, MayCay Beeler has achieved what no other person could have possibly done without the dedication, tireless work, and most importantly...the personal chemistry required to produce such a fine read !

[Craig Peyton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished MayCay's book, and am still in buzz/bubble that can surround the best writing, music, or art. I fully expected wild tales of smuggling, drugs, sex, and outsized personalities, and Buccaneer delivers. In the many years I've flown around the Bahamas and hung out at "McDuffs" on Normans Cay, you hear great stories, but never know what the BS factor is. It's thrilling to get the historic view direct from the horses mouth, and not the embellished, bar version.

What MayCay accomplished far transcends another "cocaine cowboy" tale. That is simply the background noise in the life of a truly fascinating and unique individual named Jack Reed. He was the product of a restless, post war America, looking for something beyond an ordinary life. Jack honestly shares his personal story of going far, far down the road less traveled. It is worth your time to go there with him.

Like some other reviewers, I blasted through the story in two sittings. Now I want to digest and return slowly back to this great adventure story. There is so much to enjoy and learn here. Thank you MayCay!!

[R.N. Shapiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like a renegade, then this is a must read non-fiction book for you. Buccaneer is the true story chronicling the amazing role Jack Carlton Reed fulfilled as Colombian drug lord Carlos Lehder's cocaine smuggling pilot.  Only through resourceful and secretive drug running pilots could the Colombian drug lords service the USA’s insatiable demand for cocaine during the hey day of cocaine smuggling, and Reed was Lehder's trustworthy pilot at the height of these operations, using Norman’s Cay in the Bahamas as the key waypoint.  Buccaneer traces Reed’s smuggling adventures, various international residences, paramours, the longest drug trial in U.S. history involving Reed and Lehder, and then Reed’s long imprisonment.  Finally, accomplished pilot Maycay Beeler befriends Reed during his imprisonment, and brings his story to life as his co-author, while playing an instrumental role in securing Reed's brief taste of freedom through a surprising series of events.  I won’t be a spoiler but this is an intriguing true story that I highly recommend. –R.N. Shapiro, author of ‘Taming the Telomeres, A Thriller’

[Paul E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buccaneer is a wonderfully written book which combines the facts of history with colorfully descriptive imagry. MayCay Beeler has transcribed Jack Reed's story flawlessly into the written word. She has broken the story up into smaller chapters so there are plenty of stopping points (although to be honest, once you start reading it you will want to continue and know what happens next). I recommend this story to anyone ( although the story line of drugs and smuggling is probably better suited to an adult reader ) that is interested in a real-life action story about a high payed smuggler who lived (and died) by his own code.

[T. Sullivan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is not a finished, edited book unfortunately. Spelling mistakes, odd stylistic missteps, and overall a lack of true depth into what you EXPECT the content to be - smuggling, avoiding the law, living in constant fear and excitement. NOPE.

If you want to know more about that island, TURNING THE TIDE gives an in-depth look at the fear, violence, and ruination brought to Norman's Cay. Reed's journal episodes are all fluff, and his true role as drug runner and occasional goon for Lehder is minimalized in favor of romanticizing his easygoing beach lifestyle.

Real wasted opportunity here.

[Mark Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely a must read! "Buccaneer" flows wonderfully and you simply do not want to put it down. The adventures of Jack are mesmerizing to say the least and the unexpected twist in the epilogue is both heartwarming and mind blowing! However...DO NOT SKIP AHEAD....enjoy the full emotional ride! Maycay does a fantastic job of telling Jack's story and her compassionate writing is a thing of beauty...happy reading!

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I abhor the drug trade but I have to confess I have often wondered what motivates people to get involved with it. This was the reason I chose Buccaneer and at the end of the book I was left feeling I had had a genuine glimpse behind the scenes. I couldn't fault the writing and I think anyone with an interest in true crime would find it very interesting.

[LB Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great example of a talented biographer and a very complex character sharing a singular vision for a story that takes on a life of its own over the course of the telling. The main character is not someone you would admire for their life choices but you have to respect them for their vision and their courage. The epilogue was some of the best writing I've read in a while.

[Annastew1144hotmail.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could sum Buccaneer up with just one word......EXCELLENT! I am not usually a fan of true crime books but this a a truly fascinating account about a man who was integral to the drug trade. It doesn't seek to guild the Lilly and I think it's the honesty that really makes it such a special read.

[Daniel Maloney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously amazing!

[ChristyT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed all aspects of this true story - flying drugs for Colombian druglord, living in Panama and the unfair trial that kept him in jail for over 20 years.

[Elissa Quinn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cool story. Poor writing.

[Larry]

I'm not gonna lie. I don't know what made me download this from BookBub. Nope, did not finish it. It might be the finest piece of biographical literature ever but I just can't sit through this ass-clown bragging how he smuggled tons of cocaine into the country in the 90's. Yeah, buddying up to Pablo Escobar makes you MY hero.