Pirates: Most Wanted

by John Matthews

Available just in time for the theatrical release of Disney's upcoming blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean comes this volume filled with facts, legends, and illustrations about pirates throughout the ages. Full color.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Pirates, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

Published April 3, 2007

About the author

John Matthews is an historian, folklorist and author. He has been a full time writer since 1980 and has produced over ninety books on the Arthurian Legends and Grail Studies, as well as short stories and a volume of poetry. He has devoted much of the past thirty years to the study of Arthurian Traditions and myth in general. His best known and most widely read works are ‘Pirates’ (Carlton/Atheneum), No 1 children’s book on the New York Times Review best-seller list for 22 weeks in 2006, ‘The Grail, Quest for Eternal Life’ (Thames & Hudson, 1981) ‘The Encyclopaedia of Celtic Wisdom’ (Element, 1994) and ‘The Winter Solstice’ (Quest Books, 1999) which won the Benjamin Franklin Award for that year. His book ‘Celtic Warrior Chiefs’ was a New York Public Library recommended title for young people.

Reviews

[Roos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waaaaaaaaaaah...bukunya keren, gak nyesel nih ngoprek-ngoprek Syl buat nganterin ke Penthouse Radal...Bener kata Syl direviewnya, baca buku ini asyik banget...selain gambar-gambarnya yang keren ada notes yang diselipin juga, favoriteku sih yang di Captain's Cabin, mantaffffs...belum gambar Kapal bajak Laut dijelasin dengan detail, juga gambar-gambar bajak laut yang jauh dari Guanteng...hehehehe. Serem-serem...tapi ada juga yang Modis kayak si Black Bart.

Ada cerita ini nih di Cabinnya Sang Capitan...jadi di cain itu harus ada:Compas atau Gimbals yah tahu sendirilah kenapa ini wajib.Tapi sebelum ada Compas ternyata mereka menggunakan jarum magnetik yang disebutLodestone untuk menentukan arah.Telescop ditemukan awal Abad 17, jadi alat penting dengan nick name "BRING 'EM NEAR", lucu yah?. Dan 'A Well Stock Cabin' tuh, harus ada Rum, brandy,Wine yang mahal. Terus piaraan Sang Capitan seperti: burung, kera, dan binatang kecil lainnya dari tempat-tempat eksotic lainnya. Selain persenjataan Pistol dan Pedang lengkung, ada juga alat-alat lain yang gak kalah pentingnya, tapi ribet nyebutinnya...hehehehe. Pantes ajah setiap Capitan bergerak selalu ada yang berbunyi...apalgi saat diem eh tidur denk.

Karena di review Syl gak ada rekornya, aku tulis ajah yah:

1. The Largest Ever Booty Haul: Capt. John Taylor ( 1719-1721 ) Berhasil menangkap Kapal Portugis "Nostra Senhora de Cabo" ( Keren kan namanya ). Hartanya mencapai $950.000 dalam berlian dan perhiasan dengan tambahan $715.000 di cargo. dan anak buahnya terima $6.800 per orang...Kaya yah.
Biasanya kalau sudah mendarat dan pensiun anak buah kapal ini beli tanah di peternakan dan kalau tidak bikin restoran atau bar.

2. Yang Paling Sukses: Capt. Bartholomew Roberts, Henry Morgan dan Henry Avery. Biasanya dihitung dari berapa banyak harta jarahan dari kapal-kapal dagang, atau berapa banyak kapal yang ditaklukkan.

3. Yang Paling Gak Sukses: Capt. Edward England ( 1717-1720 ) Rekor paling buruk disebabkan karena terlalu bertemperamen, bahkan anak buahnya akhirya berontak dan meninggalkannya di Pulau Kecil Mauritius.

4. Paling Beruntung: Capt. Black Bart keberuntungannya berdasarkan keberhasilannya gitu...berhasil menangkap 400 kapal. Dan ternyata dia lebih suka teh daripada rum atau minuman keras khas bajak laut lainnya...hehehehe. Favoriteku nih kayaknya...

5. Paling Tidak Beruntung: William Kidd dah kurus ceking dan jelek...hehehehe. Akhirnya Mati digantung di tiang gantungan oleh raja William III of England, gara-gara tidak bisa membuat laporan perjalanannya dan berapa harta rampasannya.
Dan tambah gak beruntungnya lagi...laporannya itu ditemukan 200 tahun kemudian...hahahahaha.

6. Paling Kejam: Edward 'Ned' Low dan Francois L'ollonais ( 1650-1668 ). Selain menyiksa tawanan ampe mati, yang paling parah adalah makan jantung tawanannya yang masih berdenyut...halah...kok ngeri yah...

7. Paling modis: Yeaaahhh,Si Black Bart always dress in richly embroidered coats and dashing hat withfeathered plumes. Bahkan harapannya pas mati maunya mau pake baju yang paling bagus meski mayatnya dibuang ke laut...hehehehe...kira-kira ikan-ikan hiu masih nafsu gak
yah?

8. Paling gak terkenal: Si Black Beard, selain kejam, kuat dan rakus makannya, dia juga pemabok, anak buahnya sangat takut, masa aktif berlayar cuma 3 tahun dan prestasi spektakulernya sudah berlayar di 7 Lautan.

Yang tidak kalah menarik adalah tempat-tempat favorite (Pirate Haunt)para bajak laut nih, yaitu: Port Royal, Tortiga salah satu di Kep. Haiti dan Madagascar...Wow.

Terus apa yang dinamakan Pirate Round yaitu: America-Madagascar terus ke Laut Merah dan balik lagi deh...

Buku yang seru...buat para petualang...*halah*...
PS: Dari semua Bajak Laut disini kok gak ada yang lucu dan konyol kayak Jack Sparrow yah?...hehehhe...*ngarep*

[Rebecca L · Rating 5 out of 5]

It never ceases to amaze me how good some children's books can be!
Awesome read, cool pictures, interesting facts!

[miaaa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book about real-life pirates, including facts and informations about pirates.

Let's begin the review with One Piece the Japanese manga and anime. Why? Because I think Eichiro Oda sensei is a fan of pirate world as well and I assumed he creates characters based on real-life pirates captain which some of them mentioned in this book

1. Bellamy "The Hyena" [One Piece] created based on Samuel Bellamy a.k.a Black Sam
2. Marshall D. Teach [One Piece] from Edward Teach; both use Blackbeard as nicknames
3. Bartholomew Kuma a.k.a Kuma the Tyrant [One Piece] from Bartholomew Roberts a.k.a Black Bart
4. Eustass "Captain" Kidd [One Piece] from William Kidd


Syl, thanks for letting me read this awesome book :D

[Sylvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buku ini bisa dibilang biografi singkat dari para bajak laut. Ada 13 bajak laut yang dikupas habis disini. Mulai dari cerita tentang asal mula mereka menjalani karir sebagai bajak laut, hingga fakta-fakta lain yang menyangkut para bajak laut tersebut.

Mereka termasuk bajak laut yang kejam, tegaan, dan pintar. Malah salah satunya adalah perempuan. Namanya Charlotte de Berry. Awal mula dia jadi bajak laut adalah ketika dia berumur 18 tahun dia jatuh cinta pada seorang pelaut. Kisahnya lumayan seru juga, hingga akhirnya Charlotte bertunangan, namun ketika perahunya diserang bajak laut, Charlotte malah memenggal kepala tunangannya yang adalah kapten dari kapal tersebut. Para bajak laut kagum sama dia, trus Charlotte dijadiin pemimpin deh! (Giling!)

Mungkin banyak juga bajak laut wanita yang menyamar jadi cowok, tapi tak tercatat dalam sejarah. Layout buku ini asik banget. Dengan ilustrasi kapak, tengkorak, pedang, pestol, dan berbagai macam senjata yg digunakan bajak laut, foto-foto, plus sedikit cipratan darah disana-sini, menggambarkan banget situasi pada jaman itu.

Kita juga dibawa masuk ke dalam kabin Kapten bajak laut dengan suasana yang suram, hanya diterangi lampu teplok, kamar itu sungguh terasa 'real' nya. (Ilustratornya jago banget!)

Trus di belakang cover juga ada buku kecil gitu semacam booklet yang judulnya The Little Book of Pirates Records. Isinya tentang siapa bajak laut yang paling sukses, yg paling gak sukses, yang paling kejam, dan yang paling oke bajunya (duh kek pemilihan Mr Pirate of the World ajah).

Dan ternyata ada juga the most infamous pirate! Dan itu jatuh pada Blackbeard. Seorang bajak laut yang kejam banget sampe² anak buahnya sendiri takut ma dia.

Katanya kan nenek moyang kita adalah pelaut ya? Ada gak yang nenek moyangnya bajak laut? :D

[Jbondandrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have liked to have more mention of female pirates.

[Cristi McGill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book screams "read me" from the shelf: it's old timey looking and the skull on the cover winks at you with his emerald eye. Inside there are tons of short stories about the "thirteen most bloodthirsty pirates" with cool pictures, maps, newspaper clippings, and even a few foldouts. (The Little Book of Pirates Records" attached to the back cover is a must read!)

These pirates were NOT good people and fate caught up with most of them. The stories have segments like "A Grisly End" or "A Horrible Death" and such that kids will eat up.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief introduction to many of the most famous pirates, this is a good resource for some quick information. I would preferred a bit more information about Charlotte de Berry, Anne Bonny, and Mary Read (all three of them were cramped onto two pages while all the other pirates got two pages each), but it’s a good place to start.

[Thrifty Geek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and sometimes gruesome book. Lots of info on pirates, a great read.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

It may only be thirty-two pages long, but PIRATES MOST WANTED is an in-depth, exciting look into the life and times of thirteen pirates - not to mention three "cruel and unnatural women."

From Blackbeard (otherwise known as Edward Teach) to William Kidd (a pirate who wasn't actually a very successful, well, pirate), pertinent facts, historical dates, and interesting pieces of information can be found about the lives of these men and women who sailed the high seas. Although no one knows for sure where the name Davy Jones (as in Davy Jones's Locker) came from, some say he might have actually been a real-life pirate of the seventeenth century. The words avocado and barbecue? They were introduced into the English language by a pirate - truly. There are many more interesting facts within the beautifully bound pages of PIRATES MOST WANTED, some of which you'll find fascinating, others of which you'll find nauseating.

Whoever designed the layout of the book truly knew what they were doing, from the skull-and-crossbones cover with the bright green jewel eye, to the nifty little unfolding picture of the Captain's cabin, to the extra "The Little Book of Pirates Records" that's attached to the back cover. Inside those pages, you can find out such facts as the largest ever booty haul, the luckiest pirate, and the best dressed pirate.

For pirate lovers of all ages, this is one book you definitely need for your collection!

[Palsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

ternyata beneran ada buku kaya gini...hihihi...thanks Syl..

gw mo ralat nih buku, soal unluckiest pirate, sebenernya ada yang lebih menyedihkan darpada William Kidd...

yaitu bajak laut yang selalu ketemu sama Asterix & Obelix :)
saking takutnya sama Obelix, mereka sampai menenggelamkan sendiri kapalnya....huehuehuehuehue...

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book describes the top 13 most vicious pirates. Each pirate has their own page detailing their lives as pirates with historical illustrations and some pictures of artifacts. The reading is more advanced. I say teacher lead read aloud for k-2 and then more advanced readers for upper elementary. No Table of Contents, glossary and index.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tells of the 13 most "wanted" pirates. Had very interesting information about different pirates including some I didn't know much about.

[Tallis · Rating 3 out of 5]

its fun to see what different pirates did. one of them actually held church meetings every sunday on his ship.

[Mowgli]

penasaran ama buku ini deh..

[Ordinary Dahlia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kereeeeeeeeeen...g suka Bajak Laut!!!
(Walaupun kenyataannya banyak yg kejam)
Niat baca lagi sebelum d kembaliin, maklum...pinjaman!

[Cara]

An interactive look at the 13 most bloodthirsty pirates to sail the highseas. Higher readers only. No index or glossary and only a list of who’s featured in place of a table of context.

[Sylvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice addition for the pirate fanatic