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Why We Love Pirates: The Hunt for Captain Kidd and How He Changed Piracy Forever
During his life and even after his death, Captain William Kidd’s name was known around England and the American colonies. He was infamous for the very crime for which he was hanged, piracy. This book by Rebecca Simon dives into the details of the two-year manhunt for Captain Kidd and the events that ensued afterward. Captain Kidd was hanged in 1701, and from that sprung a massive hunt for all pirates led by the British during a period known as the Golden Age of Piracy. Ironically, public executions only led to pirates’ growth in popularity and interest. In addition, because the American colonies relied on pirates for smuggled goods such as spices, wines, and silks, they sought to protect pirates from being captured. The more pirates were hunted and executed, the more people became supportive of them. They felt for the “Robin Hoods of the Sea”—both because they saw the British’s treatment of them as an injustice and because they treasured the goods that pirates brought to them. These historical events were pivotal in creating the portrayal of pirates as we know them today. They grew into romantic antiheroes—which ultimately led to characters like the mischievous but lovable Captain Jack Sparrow. Simon has presented her research on the history of pirates around the world, and now she’s bringing the spectacular story of Captain Kidd to her readers. Learn more about
256 pages, Paperback
First published November 17, 2020
43 people are currently reading
782 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Simon
3 books47 followersI am a Los Angeles native with a PhD in history from King's College London (2017) specializing in pirates and public executions. I have written two books about pirates:
- Why We Love Pirates: The Hunt for Captain Kidd and How He Changed Piracy Forever
and
- Pirate Queens: The Lives of Anne Bonny and Mary Read (published under a different name)
My third book, The Pirates' Code: Laws and Life on the Pirate Ship will be out in 2023. I am currently gearing up to finish my pirate novel during NaNoWriMo (2022).
When I'm not writing you can find me reading in coffee shops, teaching history, singing, seeing friends and family, playing with my dog (Pippin), and off on an adventure somewhere.
- Why We Love Pirates: The Hunt for Captain Kidd and How He Changed Piracy Forever
and
- Pirate Queens: The Lives of Anne Bonny and Mary Read (published under a different name)
My third book, The Pirates' Code: Laws and Life on the Pirate Ship will be out in 2023. I am currently gearing up to finish my pirate novel during NaNoWriMo (2022).
When I'm not writing you can find me reading in coffee shops, teaching history, singing, seeing friends and family, playing with my dog (Pippin), and off on an adventure somewhere.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
August 25, 2021
i feel like this would be a good place to start if you haven't consumed much pirate history / nonfiction. it did have some interesting points and the light, comedic tone and writing style made the information easy to digest. however, i did feel it fizzled out by the end; it just started feeling somewhat too general and repetitive. as for the pop culture sections, i feel like anyone who is reading pirate nonfiction actively has already consumed the media Simon mentions (but maybe that's just me).
this review sound more negative than i would hope, but i insist, it's an entertaining read and a good place to start with pirate nonfiction.
this review sound more negative than i would hope, but i insist, it's an entertaining read and a good place to start with pirate nonfiction.
May 5, 2024
It's a decent book about the history of Caribbean pirates in the great age of piracy at the beginning of the 1700s. The star of the story is Captain Kidd, as the subtitle suggests. He was a violent man, who did things that were on the edge of what was permitted in his capacity as an authorized privateer, but he was perhaps more a victim of chance than bad guy or a full pirate.
Ms. Simon's principal answer to the question posed by the title is that the great age of piracy coincided with the growth of literacy and the printing business, which made much of its money from publishing one-page broadsides with tabloid-style journalism and popular ballads about contemporary events. The public ate up the stories that made the pirates seem glorious, romantic and unfairly persecuted. Then, of course, a century later Robert Louis Stevenson came along and gave us most of our popular (mis)conceptions of piracy in Treasure Island.
One of the things that I found interesting about the perspective of the book was the idea that the pirates of the great age of piracy were not so bad as we might think. Just as we have a romantic idea of pirates from popular writing, there was an equally false counternarrative propagated by the English government when pirates ceased to be convenient to them as a way to harass the Spanish and began to be seen as an obstacle to the English desire to rule the seas and control world maritime trade. Pirates were generally not violent; they wanted to steal and terrify people, not to fight and kill. They didn't make their victims walk the plank. They had their own codes of conduct and discipline that were rigorously enforced. And they were generally welcomed in most American ports where they helped the colonists to get around English restrictions on trade.
Ms. Simon's principal answer to the question posed by the title is that the great age of piracy coincided with the growth of literacy and the printing business, which made much of its money from publishing one-page broadsides with tabloid-style journalism and popular ballads about contemporary events. The public ate up the stories that made the pirates seem glorious, romantic and unfairly persecuted. Then, of course, a century later Robert Louis Stevenson came along and gave us most of our popular (mis)conceptions of piracy in Treasure Island.
One of the things that I found interesting about the perspective of the book was the idea that the pirates of the great age of piracy were not so bad as we might think. Just as we have a romantic idea of pirates from popular writing, there was an equally false counternarrative propagated by the English government when pirates ceased to be convenient to them as a way to harass the Spanish and began to be seen as an obstacle to the English desire to rule the seas and control world maritime trade. Pirates were generally not violent; they wanted to steal and terrify people, not to fight and kill. They didn't make their victims walk the plank. They had their own codes of conduct and discipline that were rigorously enforced. And they were generally welcomed in most American ports where they helped the colonists to get around English restrictions on trade.
June 25, 2021
I heard Rebecca Simon on a podcast. She was fun and articulate. She made me want to learn more about her research - which informed her PhD thesis. So, I bought the book.
Turns out that everything she knew about pirates was divulged in that ONE , hour-long podcast. The book offered nothing more. I kept reading…and reading. Nope. Nothing new. I’d already heard her talk about Captain Kidd’s capture and death. How the concept of buried treasure was a recently developed one. And how “The Pirate of the Caribbean” movie franchise sparked new interest in pirates. Rebecca seems fun. She said that people loved to have her over for cocktail parties because she was always introduced as a “pirate expert”.
I’m glad I didn’t invite her to my party.
Turns out that everything she knew about pirates was divulged in that ONE , hour-long podcast. The book offered nothing more. I kept reading…and reading. Nope. Nothing new. I’d already heard her talk about Captain Kidd’s capture and death. How the concept of buried treasure was a recently developed one. And how “The Pirate of the Caribbean” movie franchise sparked new interest in pirates. Rebecca seems fun. She said that people loved to have her over for cocktail parties because she was always introduced as a “pirate expert”.
I’m glad I didn’t invite her to my party.
June 9, 2022
The author is a historian who has written her PhD thesis about pirates and cites a vast array of sources for this book. I am therefore utterly baffled how this work ended up containing such a staggering amount of inaccuracies and factual errors that I wouldn't trust anything I read in it without looking for a corroborating source. The breezy, lighthearted tone will surely appeal to some readers, personally I thought it a little too casual.
September 22, 2021
Best fit for late teens who are just getting into pirate history.
June 19, 2021
Have you ever read a book that holds your attention from beginning to end, but from time to time a statement strikes you as odd or wrong or leaves you wanting more clarification? Think about this while I introduce this recent addition to pirate lore.
Buried treasure. Eye patches. Peg legs. Walking the plank. These are but a few of the tropes we associate with pirates. Particularly those of the golden age of piracy. For the most part, these piratical associations are fictional and stem from a late 19th-century book – Treasure Island. So who were the real sea bandits and what did people think of them when they were most prevalent? How do they differ from their pop culture image? Is there one pirate, above all the rest, who most influenced those who came after him?
Dr. Simon believes Captain William Kidd “is responsible for pirates’ eternal fame in popular culture.” (20) He was ruthless, especially toward his own men, going so far as to kill one of them for defying him. He was a snappy dresser. He considered himself an honest man who got a bum rap. His actions, the worldwide manhunt he instigated, and the plethora of publications and rumors of buried treasure that he inspired serve as the intertwining thread of Why We Love Pirates. Simon’s goals are to investigate “piracy through the lens of Captain Kidd’s pirate life . . . discover exactly who pirates were and why people chose this profession . . . uncover the true story of Captain Kidd, and of how and why the British government sought to exterminate pirates at all costs . . . unbury how exploding print industry influenced public opinion about pirates and how cultural and social norms of the era made us love pirates so much. And . . . how their deaths gave them permanent infamy.” (21-22)
She begins by showing the complexity of one question: Who Were Pirates? This topic is not as simple as black and white. It depends on who was asked and what interaction they had, if any, with these marauders, as well as the historical events occurring at a specific time and place. From there, she delves into Captain Kidd, who he was, what he did, how he “became a martyr for the pirate community,” and the myths and legends that his exploits inspired. (57) Chapter three discusses government attempts to suppress piracy, as well as who the pirates were who came after Kidd. Subsequent chapters cover pirate codes, relationships, executions, alcohol, fake news and twisting facts to suit a purpose, execution sermons and last words, and portrayals in literature, film, and other media. The book also includes a Timeline of the Golden Age of Piracy, Cast of Characters, maps, illustrations, bibliography, and endnotes, but no index.
If you seek an introduction to the buccaneers and the pirates who followed them, this is an entertaining and engaging pirate history with contemporary quotes to illustrate the narrative. If you want to stimulate a lively discussion, Why People Love Pirates provides food for thought.
So why my opening question? There are several reasons. Some of Simon’s statements come across as facts when, in reality, they are assumptions that cannot be proven one way or the other. One example: she asserts that Anne Bonny and Mary Read were gay. There’s no historical proof of this. It’s a hypothesis that some historians believe and others do not. A few other sentences left me scratching my head. For example, she writes that Stede Bonnet “suffered a leg injury during his first battle alongside Blackbeard and was lame for the rest of his life.” (109) No other resource I’ve read over the past twenty years mentions this fact, and Simon doesn’t provide her source for this information.
Another reason for my reservations pertains to inaccurate statements, especially those pertaining to Captain Kidd, the underlying theme for this book. Most readers won’t pick up on these, but those familiar with pirate history will. Captain Kidd did not work for the British East India Company, although his commission to hunt pirates included those who preyed on their ships and one of his financial backers was the director of the New East India Company. After Kidd attacked the Quedagh Merchant, the book says that “as a compromise [the crew] let some of the hostage crew leave on the Adventure Galley. The ship immediately set sail to England to deliver the news.” (68) Kidd and his men sailed Adventure Galley back to Madagascar, where she was beached and burned because she was no longer seaworthy. Nor was he immediately arrested when he arrived in Boston in1699. He got there on 1 July, heard the Reverend Cotton Mather’s sermon on 2 July, met with Lord Bellomont on 3 July, and was finally taken prisoner on 6 July. His commission did not allow him to attack Dutch ships as stated on page 73; at the time, England’s king was Dutch and the two countries were allies. The commission gave Kidd the authority to attack French ships, which is why the passes he confiscated from the Quedagh Merchant were so important for his defense. Robert Culliford did not hang “for being associated with Kidd.” (150) Culliford got off scot-free after testifying against another pirate and disappeared from the historical record. Kidd was executed with one of his men and two French pirates.
Still, Simon achieves the goals outlined in her introduction. You may not agree with all her conclusions, but she is persuasive and spurs you to delve deeper into the real history of pirates.
Buried treasure. Eye patches. Peg legs. Walking the plank. These are but a few of the tropes we associate with pirates. Particularly those of the golden age of piracy. For the most part, these piratical associations are fictional and stem from a late 19th-century book – Treasure Island. So who were the real sea bandits and what did people think of them when they were most prevalent? How do they differ from their pop culture image? Is there one pirate, above all the rest, who most influenced those who came after him?
Dr. Simon believes Captain William Kidd “is responsible for pirates’ eternal fame in popular culture.” (20) He was ruthless, especially toward his own men, going so far as to kill one of them for defying him. He was a snappy dresser. He considered himself an honest man who got a bum rap. His actions, the worldwide manhunt he instigated, and the plethora of publications and rumors of buried treasure that he inspired serve as the intertwining thread of Why We Love Pirates. Simon’s goals are to investigate “piracy through the lens of Captain Kidd’s pirate life . . . discover exactly who pirates were and why people chose this profession . . . uncover the true story of Captain Kidd, and of how and why the British government sought to exterminate pirates at all costs . . . unbury how exploding print industry influenced public opinion about pirates and how cultural and social norms of the era made us love pirates so much. And . . . how their deaths gave them permanent infamy.” (21-22)
She begins by showing the complexity of one question: Who Were Pirates? This topic is not as simple as black and white. It depends on who was asked and what interaction they had, if any, with these marauders, as well as the historical events occurring at a specific time and place. From there, she delves into Captain Kidd, who he was, what he did, how he “became a martyr for the pirate community,” and the myths and legends that his exploits inspired. (57) Chapter three discusses government attempts to suppress piracy, as well as who the pirates were who came after Kidd. Subsequent chapters cover pirate codes, relationships, executions, alcohol, fake news and twisting facts to suit a purpose, execution sermons and last words, and portrayals in literature, film, and other media. The book also includes a Timeline of the Golden Age of Piracy, Cast of Characters, maps, illustrations, bibliography, and endnotes, but no index.
If you seek an introduction to the buccaneers and the pirates who followed them, this is an entertaining and engaging pirate history with contemporary quotes to illustrate the narrative. If you want to stimulate a lively discussion, Why People Love Pirates provides food for thought.
So why my opening question? There are several reasons. Some of Simon’s statements come across as facts when, in reality, they are assumptions that cannot be proven one way or the other. One example: she asserts that Anne Bonny and Mary Read were gay. There’s no historical proof of this. It’s a hypothesis that some historians believe and others do not. A few other sentences left me scratching my head. For example, she writes that Stede Bonnet “suffered a leg injury during his first battle alongside Blackbeard and was lame for the rest of his life.” (109) No other resource I’ve read over the past twenty years mentions this fact, and Simon doesn’t provide her source for this information.
Another reason for my reservations pertains to inaccurate statements, especially those pertaining to Captain Kidd, the underlying theme for this book. Most readers won’t pick up on these, but those familiar with pirate history will. Captain Kidd did not work for the British East India Company, although his commission to hunt pirates included those who preyed on their ships and one of his financial backers was the director of the New East India Company. After Kidd attacked the Quedagh Merchant, the book says that “as a compromise [the crew] let some of the hostage crew leave on the Adventure Galley. The ship immediately set sail to England to deliver the news.” (68) Kidd and his men sailed Adventure Galley back to Madagascar, where she was beached and burned because she was no longer seaworthy. Nor was he immediately arrested when he arrived in Boston in1699. He got there on 1 July, heard the Reverend Cotton Mather’s sermon on 2 July, met with Lord Bellomont on 3 July, and was finally taken prisoner on 6 July. His commission did not allow him to attack Dutch ships as stated on page 73; at the time, England’s king was Dutch and the two countries were allies. The commission gave Kidd the authority to attack French ships, which is why the passes he confiscated from the Quedagh Merchant were so important for his defense. Robert Culliford did not hang “for being associated with Kidd.” (150) Culliford got off scot-free after testifying against another pirate and disappeared from the historical record. Kidd was executed with one of his men and two French pirates.
Still, Simon achieves the goals outlined in her introduction. You may not agree with all her conclusions, but she is persuasive and spurs you to delve deeper into the real history of pirates.
March 13, 2024
Probably would have been 3 stars if I hadn’t just finished playing assassin’s creed black flag.
April 5, 2023
While not an overly in-depth history of pirates, this is a fun light dive into Captain Kidd's life and how his legacy has impacted the public's consciousness regarding pirates.
I enjoyed this and think its a good entry point into pirate history as it definitely makes you leave wanting to learn more about several of the mentioned pirates.
I enjoyed this and think its a good entry point into pirate history as it definitely makes you leave wanting to learn more about several of the mentioned pirates.
January 15, 2022
I got a few pages in and realized this author, as passionate as she may be about pyrates, had some glaring inaccuracies. She claims that Captain Kidd was the *first* subject of a global manhunt. Nope. That was Henry Every a few years earlier (read Steven Johnson's "Enemy of all Mankind"). When called out on this mistake, she said how she said the first "live-documented" manhunt. Basically, you have to know what she meant to say for her written word to convey her true meaning, not take the text at face value.
After this, I skimmed and came across the Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl plot synopsis....another inaccuracy. Simon writes (not to quote verbatim) that the cursed pyrates kidnapped Elizabeth Swann because they believed she might have the piece of Aztec gold. No. They knew she had the coin because "it called to them". They kidnapped her because she falsely identified herself as "Elizabeth TURNER". She thought they came to take her because she was the governor's daughter. However, with this new last name, the pyrates believed her to be the kin to Bootstrap Bill Turner, whose blood they needed to break the curse. Because Bill was dead, they needed a blood relation instead, and so they took Elizabeth "Turner" back to where they found the gold pieces.
It's mistakes like these that made me put the book down, and refuse to read cover to cover. Not only that, but it seems she took her format/outline for this book from another pyrate historian, Laura Sook Duncombe (check out "Pirate Women"...excellent book full of references to other works). I saw on a social media outlet that Simon was advertising her own featured article in a magazine, and admitted how she basically compiled the works of a bunch of other pyrate history authors for this particular article...yes, I guess she gave them credit, but it still rubbed me the wrong way since it seemed she took the easy way in writing: she let others do the work for her (if I remember correctly, she even said something to that effect). One other reviewer here even remarked that this book seems like she just sampled parts covered at length in other, well known books.
Skip this one. There are far better books on pyrate history, for their writing and their content.
After this, I skimmed and came across the Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl plot synopsis....another inaccuracy. Simon writes (not to quote verbatim) that the cursed pyrates kidnapped Elizabeth Swann because they believed she might have the piece of Aztec gold. No. They knew she had the coin because "it called to them". They kidnapped her because she falsely identified herself as "Elizabeth TURNER". She thought they came to take her because she was the governor's daughter. However, with this new last name, the pyrates believed her to be the kin to Bootstrap Bill Turner, whose blood they needed to break the curse. Because Bill was dead, they needed a blood relation instead, and so they took Elizabeth "Turner" back to where they found the gold pieces.
It's mistakes like these that made me put the book down, and refuse to read cover to cover. Not only that, but it seems she took her format/outline for this book from another pyrate historian, Laura Sook Duncombe (check out "Pirate Women"...excellent book full of references to other works). I saw on a social media outlet that Simon was advertising her own featured article in a magazine, and admitted how she basically compiled the works of a bunch of other pyrate history authors for this particular article...yes, I guess she gave them credit, but it still rubbed me the wrong way since it seemed she took the easy way in writing: she let others do the work for her (if I remember correctly, she even said something to that effect). One other reviewer here even remarked that this book seems like she just sampled parts covered at length in other, well known books.
Skip this one. There are far better books on pyrate history, for their writing and their content.
March 16, 2024
Ok, I'm back on it and after getting over the narrators voice I enjoyed the content. Lots of information and not boring either.
February 17, 2024
I appreciate Simon’s enthusiasm for the subject. That comes through very clearly throughout the book, which also shows her wide research. Perhaps my rating is harsh, as my non-fiction book immediately before this one was The Wager, which I adored. I think that primed me to expect more of a narrative or story (since Captain Kidd is also mentioned in the subtitle and blurb). This is more of a broad overview, but I don’t feel like I got the most coherent picture or narrative about Kidd’s life. The chapters are split into smaller sections, which felt choppy to me, and transitions between topics/ideas weren’t always clear. I would have loved a different organization or framework for much of the same material. Perhaps use each chapter to tell a different pirate’s story and illustrate some ideas that way? I know you might lose some of the synthesis, but maybe a different organization would help to avoid the repetition of some information, and maybe help to develop a more consistent tone as well.
July 22, 2021
As someone who only knows pirates from pop culture, I found this book to be very informative and approachable. But where the book truly shines is in contextualizing pirates and the Golden Age of piracy in a way that brings their lives and exploits to life in a real and human way. I now feel like I Get It. To separate the fact from the pop culture embellishments and myths. The chapter on Kidd is fascinating—the only-slightly dramatized courtroom scenes are especially compelling. I’ve been catching up on Black Sails and Why We Love Pirates is a perfect companion.
July 29, 2025
Fairly interesting but nothing new or unique for someone who has read other histories of the Golden Age. It seemed to play into some of the common myths and sensationalism that surrounds this topic and would sell, similar to the pamphlets published during the age.
September 2, 2021
There are some really interesting chapters in this book concerning popular reactions to trials and executions of pirates and the nature of Captain Kidd's reputation during his own lifetime. There's also some good analysis of the relationship between pirates and their families including final bequests to parents and spouses. The opening chapters about pirate motivations and pirate codes, however, will be familiar to anyone who has read another book on his topic and the portrayal of pirates and popular culture was already discussed at length in Under the Black Flag by David Cordingly. A good introduction to pirate history and cultural legacy but some of the material has been covered elsewhere.
July 30, 2022
Hier had ik veel van verwacht, maar het was een teleurstelling. Slordig geschreven, iets wat je niet verwacht van iemand die zo groot haar titel op de voorkant heeft staan. Niets nieuws.
August 31, 2022
A solid and accessible introduction to the swashbuckling world of piracy!
If there was a list of 'badass jobs', then Pirate Historian would certainly be near the top. Why We Love Pirates is the first book written by pirate historian Dr Rebecca Simon, offering nautical drama and pirate mythology.
Dr Simon gives us a brilliant introduction to the Golden Age of Piracy, mainly focusing on Captain William Kidd. The book offers a wonderful insight into the lives of pirates, why they fascinate us, and how their reign of terror over the Caribbean was finally cut short.
Easy to follow and simply written, Why We Love Pirates is a must-read for anyone wanting a basic overview of the pirates that inspired the legends. Although concise, Dr Simon ends the book with dozens of sources and further reading for those inspired to learn more.
You will by no means be an expert on pirates by the end, but you will hopefully understand why pirates were the celebrities of their age and have been immortalised in history ever since. There are plenty of pop culture references throughout the book, which superbly frames piracy for a 21st century audience.
If I could change one thing, I would just have a bit more. The book is short, but maybe that was intentional (to be as accessible as possible). I think readers would have appreciated a chapter or two away from the Caribbean, maybe even dedicated to more female pirates like Zheng Yi Sao (China) , and Grace O'Malley (Ireland).
Overall, a great introductory book that I keep on recommending!
If you are still unsure as to whether this book is for you, why not check out Dr Simon on TikTok - @piratebeckalex
If there was a list of 'badass jobs', then Pirate Historian would certainly be near the top. Why We Love Pirates is the first book written by pirate historian Dr Rebecca Simon, offering nautical drama and pirate mythology.
Dr Simon gives us a brilliant introduction to the Golden Age of Piracy, mainly focusing on Captain William Kidd. The book offers a wonderful insight into the lives of pirates, why they fascinate us, and how their reign of terror over the Caribbean was finally cut short.
Easy to follow and simply written, Why We Love Pirates is a must-read for anyone wanting a basic overview of the pirates that inspired the legends. Although concise, Dr Simon ends the book with dozens of sources and further reading for those inspired to learn more.
You will by no means be an expert on pirates by the end, but you will hopefully understand why pirates were the celebrities of their age and have been immortalised in history ever since. There are plenty of pop culture references throughout the book, which superbly frames piracy for a 21st century audience.
If I could change one thing, I would just have a bit more. The book is short, but maybe that was intentional (to be as accessible as possible). I think readers would have appreciated a chapter or two away from the Caribbean, maybe even dedicated to more female pirates like Zheng Yi Sao (China) , and Grace O'Malley (Ireland).
Overall, a great introductory book that I keep on recommending!
If you are still unsure as to whether this book is for you, why not check out Dr Simon on TikTok - @piratebeckalex
August 28, 2022
Why We Love Pirates is a fun romp through all things pirate, literally covering their lives and their deaths, their facts and their fictions. The book primarily focuses on The Golden Age of Piracy (the early 1700's) and Captain Kidd, who personifies the quagmire of political and public opinion surrounding their actions and motives. But the book also branches off to explore myths and half-truths, classic pirate novels, and modern movies. Even pop culture references such as the ride at Disneyland and the fourth Assassin's Creed game are acknowledged as part of their lore.
Simon does a great job disseminating the difference between pirates and privateers and explaining how the latter were both idolized and villainized depending on their relationship with any given society. However, this is not to say that all pirates were mere victims of zeitgeist. Some were heroic Robin Hoods in the truest sense, plundering from the wealthy and giving to the disadvantaged, while others were nothing short of sadistic anarchists. A pirate's life provided an outlet to both eschew societal norms and live by an alternate code, for good or ill. Above all, Simon balances the pros and cons of piracy, by no means proclaiming it as entirely grandiose or villainous.
Although I consider myself a generally law-abiding citizen, I can certainly understand its appeal. I imagine if I were on the right ship, with the right captain and plenty of rum... it would be a pirate's life for me.
Simon does a great job disseminating the difference between pirates and privateers and explaining how the latter were both idolized and villainized depending on their relationship with any given society. However, this is not to say that all pirates were mere victims of zeitgeist. Some were heroic Robin Hoods in the truest sense, plundering from the wealthy and giving to the disadvantaged, while others were nothing short of sadistic anarchists. A pirate's life provided an outlet to both eschew societal norms and live by an alternate code, for good or ill. Above all, Simon balances the pros and cons of piracy, by no means proclaiming it as entirely grandiose or villainous.
Although I consider myself a generally law-abiding citizen, I can certainly understand its appeal. I imagine if I were on the right ship, with the right captain and plenty of rum... it would be a pirate's life for me.
November 30, 2025
A good book, providing a broad account of piracy in its so‑called “Golden Age” in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The author, historian Rebecca Simon, explores both the myth and the reality of piracy, tracing how these figures became cultural icons while also examining their practical roles in the Atlantic world. Simon connects piracy to the economic and social life of the North American colonies, showing how pirates were not just romanticized rebels but also participants in broader trade networks and colonial development. The book carefully distinguishes between the mythmaking that surrounded pirates, with its stories of freedom, adventure, and defiance, and the harsher realities of their practices, including violence, opportunism, and survival at the edges of society. A great book for those interested in the economic and cultural dimensions of piracy beyond its popular image. Highly recommended for fans of maritime history, colonial studies, and the cultural fascination with pirates.
December 2, 2023
While this is an entertaining read that offers a pretty decent introduction into the world of pirates, it is a bit biased towards Captain Kidd and the piracy that impacted the British (I get it, we sucked but piracy impacted a lot of other countries too). There were also several inaccuracies even I managed to pick up, including some in relation to modern pirate movies which should really have been picked up at some point. Simon clearly has a passion for piracy but I feel this book has done it a bit of a disservice and doesn't show all the sides to it, nor does it really demonstrate the varied nature of the sources, the differing theories and views, and how in many cases we'll just never know, which for me is part of the fun of reading about these times and people.
November 8, 2024
Some very good research in this book, but then she skips around at random in the present, attempting to hit on popular pirate films, games and TV shows to prove how the history of pirates is still not only enjoyed by people today, but still used and rehashed to make new stories and add to the pirate lexicon. However, she only succeeds in showing what limited knowledge she has of modern pirate media and omits far better and more popular, obvious and accurate pirate films and books. I did enjoy the history of Captain Kidd and the history of Blackbeard among others she becomes fixated on in several chapters of this book, but it ultimately should have been edited by a historian. It is not a book written for children, but it is edited that way, unfortunately.
December 24, 2020
I absolutely LOVED this book. As a pirate history fanatic, I am constantly on the lookout for fresh insights into this niche realm of history. Dr. Simon's work is thoroughly researched and written in a narrative format so most of the time you feel as if you're reading an adventure novel when in fact you're really just going through the incredible history of the pirates.
Her resources in the back of the book are ESSENTIAL for anyone looking to read the primary sources themselves or anyone seeking to continue the adventure.
Easily one of the best overall studies on pirates. This book is a must-read.
Her resources in the back of the book are ESSENTIAL for anyone looking to read the primary sources themselves or anyone seeking to continue the adventure.
Easily one of the best overall studies on pirates. This book is a must-read.
April 21, 2024
Like many people I've always had a general interest in pirates and wanted a more historical perspective than what we get in fiction. Unfortunately this book missed the mark for me. It read much more like a book for young readers than adults...maybe that's the intention, but some of the content covered is not really suitable for young people. Reading through is like reading a long series of 3-paragraph essays: here's what I'm going to tell you next, point 1, point 2, point 3, then the next thing I'm going to tell you. There's no through line to hold it together or present a real narrative structure. This made it a chore to get through.
May 19, 2025
A facinating dive into the history of piracy and how it became the media frenzy that it is. I learnt a good bunch of facts, particularly surrounding the politics and influence that Britain had in our vision of who and what a pirate is today.
I found it particularly interesting learning what led people to piracy, and what rewards it provided to many disadvantaged groups. Theatre still plays a role in how we view pirates today, but I can see this is no new concept and one that has been consistent with time. 🏴☠️ ⚔️ ⚓️
I found it particularly interesting learning what led people to piracy, and what rewards it provided to many disadvantaged groups. Theatre still plays a role in how we view pirates today, but I can see this is no new concept and one that has been consistent with time. 🏴☠️ ⚔️ ⚓️
September 13, 2023
I enjoyed this book because it gave me some insight on Captain Kidd that I hadn’t read in some of the other books I’ve been reading on pirate history. It also brought up the fictional works of pirates which people associate as truth. She did a good job of separating fact from fiction and gave some interesting details of life as a pirate. Towards the end though, it did get a little tiresome but as a whole. I enjoyed it and learned from it.
December 29, 2023
It reads like a first year dissertation of somebody who likes the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise a bit too much, without much historical insight and with lots of modern bias, as well as rehashed, repeated and often contradictory points.
Don't waste your time reading this, read 'A General History of the Pyrates' which is the primary source material for both this, and all other (decent) pirate-related media.
Don't waste your time reading this, read 'A General History of the Pyrates' which is the primary source material for both this, and all other (decent) pirate-related media.
December 13, 2024
Really good! The writing style is pretty casual, but engaging as well. There's a few times it feels like we backtracked but it generally isn't confusing. I enjoy how thoroughly she covers the politics of the WORLD during these times, from the UK, to the American colonies, the Caribbean, as well as parts of Asia.
"Those who sail under the black flag will never be gone. Their allure will never die. So pour yourself a glass of rum, raise it to the sky, and give a 'yo-ho!'"
"Those who sail under the black flag will never be gone. Their allure will never die. So pour yourself a glass of rum, raise it to the sky, and give a 'yo-ho!'"
August 22, 2025
This book is definitely good as an entry way into pirates. Whilst I definitely did learn things from this book, it felt very surface level. The narrator was charming but I did have higher expectations for the quality of written expression since on the cover the author states she has a PHD in this topic.
Overall this was an okay book, I’d recommend this to someone who knows absolutely nothing about pirates, but not for someone looking for more of a deep dive into pirates.
Overall this was an okay book, I’d recommend this to someone who knows absolutely nothing about pirates, but not for someone looking for more of a deep dive into pirates.
August 2, 2022
I heard Rebecca Simon on a podcast and was really excited to spend more time with her and her voice in this book. I wanted to love it, but I was ultimately disappointed. I found the tone to be overly casual, and the writing could be hard to follow at times--sometimes it even felt like she was contradicting herself.
Perhaps others will enjoy it more than I did, but this one was a miss for me.
Perhaps others will enjoy it more than I did, but this one was a miss for me.
December 29, 2022
It was a good read, albeit short. Good for a casual delve into pirate history, but this won’t be your one-stop-shop for a deep-dive into the subject. I will say I had hoped for a bit more depth knowing the author’s qualifications, but the book was interesting nonetheless. I would’ve enjoyed it more as a teenager with my limited base knowledge of pirates then!
August 28, 2024
This is an OK book on Pirates.
It reads like a Dissertation, but slightly more conversational.
The chapters tend to repeat information given in other chapters and often multiple times.
There are much better Pirate books. Such as The Republic of Pirates.
https://www.amazon.com/Republic-Pirat...
It reads like a Dissertation, but slightly more conversational.
The chapters tend to repeat information given in other chapters and often multiple times.
There are much better Pirate books. Such as The Republic of Pirates.
https://www.amazon.com/Republic-Pirat...
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