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The Golden Age of Piracy: A Captivating Guide to the Role of Pirates in Maritime History during the Early Modern Period, Including Stories of Anne Bonny, ... and William Kidd
Buried treasure, pirate accents, swashbuckling sea battles, tricorn hats, and walking the plank—did you know that none of those elements are true regarding real pirates from history?
In fact, there are plenty of other elements about real-life pirates that are simply fiction. But what about the real history of pirates—is it worth exploring, and why?
The history of the Golden Age of Piracy, the one that has shaped the modern conception of a pirate, is complex and long, with lots of information to cover. Until today, there has not been a tome discussing the key details of the Golden Age in a digestible, easy-to-read format.
This book will be your guide to the Golden Age of Piracy, and reading it, you will discover the following:
The original pirate bases and pirate routes
A brief history of piracy before the Golden Age
Stories of multiple prominent pirates, both male and female
Incredible tales of voyages across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans
The ins and outs of a pirate’s everyday life
Various myths and legends related to pirates that persist to this day
Different ways in which the law handled pirates at the time
How the pirates functioned both on land and at sea
How the presence of pirates at the time affected the law and the everyday lives of regular people
And much, much more!
In fact, there are plenty of other elements about real-life pirates that are simply fiction. But what about the real history of pirates—is it worth exploring, and why?
The history of the Golden Age of Piracy, the one that has shaped the modern conception of a pirate, is complex and long, with lots of information to cover. Until today, there has not been a tome discussing the key details of the Golden Age in a digestible, easy-to-read format.
This book will be your guide to the Golden Age of Piracy, and reading it, you will discover the following:
The original pirate bases and pirate routes
A brief history of piracy before the Golden Age
Stories of multiple prominent pirates, both male and female
Incredible tales of voyages across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans
The ins and outs of a pirate’s everyday life
Various myths and legends related to pirates that persist to this day
Different ways in which the law handled pirates at the time
How the pirates functioned both on land and at sea
How the presence of pirates at the time affected the law and the everyday lives of regular people
And much, much more!
- GenresHistoryNonfictionPirates
139 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 10, 2021
63 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 29, 2022
Compelling and easy to digest as a textbook, but the red flags accumulate as it goes on. First off, the author's name isn't even revealed, which is never a great sign of reliability. Secondly, not a single source is cited, yet the book claims to know things like what the atmosphere of a pirate ship was like, the likelihood that pirates were gay, and so on. To break it down more, this book:
-Claims that pirates "never buried treasure" then goes on to describe three instances where it definitely happened and several others where it might have happened
-Claims that there were "no epic battles at sea" then describes at least five, with one even being called a "final battle"
-Claims that there were "no pirate bases" then describes the well-known pirate strongholds and free towns in Nassau and Madagascar, and even two "pirate kings" who held legitimate power
-Claims that there were "no pirate duels" then describes several (such as De Graaf/Van Hoorn and Blackbeard/Maynard, the latter of which the author inconsistently describes each time it's mentioned) and conveniently leaves out other important duels, such as the well-known one involving Mary Read and a member of Rackham's crew
-Claims that pirates were not cool/democratic/open-minded anti-authority rebels, then conveniently leaves out important pirates like Black Sam Bellamy, who literally called himself "Robin Hood" and his crew "Robin Hood's Merry Men" and accomplished countless notable acts while on the account, including a famous speech that constitutes some of the only actual words of a real pirate that were ever captured
-Totally de-emphasizes women, claiming that female pirates were "extremely rare" but dedicating (conveniently incomplete) chapters to Anne Bonny/Mary Read and making throwaway references to Ching Shih, Anne Dieu-le-Vieu, and Grace O’Malley. Furthermore, you REALLY think, that with the way women were treated in 16/1700s Europe (and how the accomplishments of women are routinely erased from history) that women wouldn’t have been jumping on ships and going on the account? And that the pirates themselves would have given a fresh f*ck what gender someone was if (as the book claims) their only goal was profit? The author also describes most of the female supporting cast (usually just wives of the central dudes) by their looks, calling them "beauties" (how the f*ck do you know?) or listing "devout christian" as their only characteristic. (For anyone interested, other great real-life female pirates, who were often far more successful than their male counterparts, include Sadie the Goat, Sayyida al Hurra, Jacquotte Delayahe, Rusila, Alwilde, Teuta, and the above-mentioned names, to list a few).
-Claims that "Hollywood" has created an unreliable image of pirates (actually, it was Howard Pyle) and then goes on to describe the real imagery as being pretty much no different than the "Hollywood" version
-Claims that the well-known pirate flags were "likely" inventions of Captain Charles Johnson. WHO SAYS? Where are the sources? Who decides what was "likely" or not?
-Blames "leftists" for the idea that pirates were noble good guys, etc, totally ignoring the fact that pirates were some of the first people to practice actual trickle-down economics and to understand things like life insurance (not to mention that the authority they were raging against, whether or not each individual pirate was a paragon of virtue, was a conglomerate of some of the most evil and oppressive leadership in human history, which this book even acknowledges at the beginning, describing how bad the life of a regular sailor was, hence the appeal of piracy). This section includes trying to debunk the idea that pirates were "accepting" of homosexuality. Why, of all things, is this the one to focus on? Homophobic much? Queer folks have existed in all time periods, pal, including on pirate ships. I promise. Not saying Stede Bonnet and Blackbeard had a beautiful romance together, but this kind of erasure is dangerous, annoying, and shopworn as hell.
-Claims that pirates "never" lived out their days in peace with their riches in tact after describing Henry Avery, Henry Morgan, Samuel Abraham, and James Plantain as doing exactly that
-Hails Woodes Rogers as an "honorable" guy, yet also describes the lawsuit against him due to not paying his crews, his being forced to govern Nassau due to his debts (not as some noble selfless gesture for the good of the Caribbean) and oh yeah, the fact that he hanged eight people simply for "going against their word"
Overall, it's a text that reinforces the status quo, meat-and-potatoes, buttoned-up, black-and-white interpretation of the Golden Age, and is more than a little incomplete. Where are the pirate history books without colonial/religious biases, erasure of women, and moral propaganda? I say this in all seriousness: I did a history minor in college, and I'm probably a more reliable source than this cash-grabbing lump of biased speculation.
-Claims that pirates "never buried treasure" then goes on to describe three instances where it definitely happened and several others where it might have happened
-Claims that there were "no epic battles at sea" then describes at least five, with one even being called a "final battle"
-Claims that there were "no pirate bases" then describes the well-known pirate strongholds and free towns in Nassau and Madagascar, and even two "pirate kings" who held legitimate power
-Claims that there were "no pirate duels" then describes several (such as De Graaf/Van Hoorn and Blackbeard/Maynard, the latter of which the author inconsistently describes each time it's mentioned) and conveniently leaves out other important duels, such as the well-known one involving Mary Read and a member of Rackham's crew
-Claims that pirates were not cool/democratic/open-minded anti-authority rebels, then conveniently leaves out important pirates like Black Sam Bellamy, who literally called himself "Robin Hood" and his crew "Robin Hood's Merry Men" and accomplished countless notable acts while on the account, including a famous speech that constitutes some of the only actual words of a real pirate that were ever captured
-Totally de-emphasizes women, claiming that female pirates were "extremely rare" but dedicating (conveniently incomplete) chapters to Anne Bonny/Mary Read and making throwaway references to Ching Shih, Anne Dieu-le-Vieu, and Grace O’Malley. Furthermore, you REALLY think, that with the way women were treated in 16/1700s Europe (and how the accomplishments of women are routinely erased from history) that women wouldn’t have been jumping on ships and going on the account? And that the pirates themselves would have given a fresh f*ck what gender someone was if (as the book claims) their only goal was profit? The author also describes most of the female supporting cast (usually just wives of the central dudes) by their looks, calling them "beauties" (how the f*ck do you know?) or listing "devout christian" as their only characteristic. (For anyone interested, other great real-life female pirates, who were often far more successful than their male counterparts, include Sadie the Goat, Sayyida al Hurra, Jacquotte Delayahe, Rusila, Alwilde, Teuta, and the above-mentioned names, to list a few).
-Claims that "Hollywood" has created an unreliable image of pirates (actually, it was Howard Pyle) and then goes on to describe the real imagery as being pretty much no different than the "Hollywood" version
-Claims that the well-known pirate flags were "likely" inventions of Captain Charles Johnson. WHO SAYS? Where are the sources? Who decides what was "likely" or not?
-Blames "leftists" for the idea that pirates were noble good guys, etc, totally ignoring the fact that pirates were some of the first people to practice actual trickle-down economics and to understand things like life insurance (not to mention that the authority they were raging against, whether or not each individual pirate was a paragon of virtue, was a conglomerate of some of the most evil and oppressive leadership in human history, which this book even acknowledges at the beginning, describing how bad the life of a regular sailor was, hence the appeal of piracy). This section includes trying to debunk the idea that pirates were "accepting" of homosexuality. Why, of all things, is this the one to focus on? Homophobic much? Queer folks have existed in all time periods, pal, including on pirate ships. I promise. Not saying Stede Bonnet and Blackbeard had a beautiful romance together, but this kind of erasure is dangerous, annoying, and shopworn as hell.
-Claims that pirates "never" lived out their days in peace with their riches in tact after describing Henry Avery, Henry Morgan, Samuel Abraham, and James Plantain as doing exactly that
-Hails Woodes Rogers as an "honorable" guy, yet also describes the lawsuit against him due to not paying his crews, his being forced to govern Nassau due to his debts (not as some noble selfless gesture for the good of the Caribbean) and oh yeah, the fact that he hanged eight people simply for "going against their word"
Overall, it's a text that reinforces the status quo, meat-and-potatoes, buttoned-up, black-and-white interpretation of the Golden Age, and is more than a little incomplete. Where are the pirate history books without colonial/religious biases, erasure of women, and moral propaganda? I say this in all seriousness: I did a history minor in college, and I'm probably a more reliable source than this cash-grabbing lump of biased speculation.
October 5, 2021
This is a great slice of history from the 1600 and 1700s. It was surprising to learn that piracy was practiced over 5 continents and from the earliest times that men set out in ships (whether it was across the ocean, sea, lake, or river). There are some interesting differences between pirates, corsairs, buccaneers, and the like.
Another surprise was the devastating effects of piracy on European countries' finances. Losing too much cargo could decimate a country and therefore the pirates were considered a threat to society and deserving of severe punishment.
As is the habit of Captivating History, they set the groundwork for the emergence of the Golden Age of Piracy. As the European nations started colonizing new regions, ships started transporting more valuable goods. They also continued to have wars amongst themselves, draining their treasuries. The people attracted to these new colonies (in the Caribbean, India, North and South America) tended to be restless and prone to act out.
But the real pull of piracy was really rather simple. Life during these times was dull and fairly miserable. And then you died. But aboard a pirate ship, if you survived (a mighty big if), you could earn enough to live out your life in splendor and ease. Many people answered the siren's call of the sea.
This is the most entertaining book I've read in a while. The author offered thumbnail sketches of the various "luminaries" in the piracy trade. The author also debunked some of the biggest piracy myths. In some cases, the truth was more interesting than the myth. My favorite factoid (of many) was the presence of a musician on board a pirate ship! In fact, musicians were almost as important as surgeons because they help[ed while away the long boring hours aboard with lively tunes and humor. Great writing!
Another surprise was the devastating effects of piracy on European countries' finances. Losing too much cargo could decimate a country and therefore the pirates were considered a threat to society and deserving of severe punishment.
As is the habit of Captivating History, they set the groundwork for the emergence of the Golden Age of Piracy. As the European nations started colonizing new regions, ships started transporting more valuable goods. They also continued to have wars amongst themselves, draining their treasuries. The people attracted to these new colonies (in the Caribbean, India, North and South America) tended to be restless and prone to act out.
But the real pull of piracy was really rather simple. Life during these times was dull and fairly miserable. And then you died. But aboard a pirate ship, if you survived (a mighty big if), you could earn enough to live out your life in splendor and ease. Many people answered the siren's call of the sea.
This is the most entertaining book I've read in a while. The author offered thumbnail sketches of the various "luminaries" in the piracy trade. The author also debunked some of the biggest piracy myths. In some cases, the truth was more interesting than the myth. My favorite factoid (of many) was the presence of a musician on board a pirate ship! In fact, musicians were almost as important as surgeons because they help[ed while away the long boring hours aboard with lively tunes and humor. Great writing!
September 17, 2021
I received this book as a member of the Captivating History ARC team.
I have long loved pirates, growing up watching Long John Silver and Captain Hook from Walt Disney's movies, to reading the books about Treasure Island, to the now infamous Captain Jack Sparrow of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series. So when this book came up as a book that was available for ARC reading, I jumped at the chance to read and experience the "Golden Age of Piracy".
This book is a quick read that delves into the myths and real histories of the pirates that roamed the waters in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and would be a great add to any history or pirate fan's collection. It is well worth your time and effort to get this book!
I have long loved pirates, growing up watching Long John Silver and Captain Hook from Walt Disney's movies, to reading the books about Treasure Island, to the now infamous Captain Jack Sparrow of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series. So when this book came up as a book that was available for ARC reading, I jumped at the chance to read and experience the "Golden Age of Piracy".
This book is a quick read that delves into the myths and real histories of the pirates that roamed the waters in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and would be a great add to any history or pirate fan's collection. It is well worth your time and effort to get this book!
December 17, 2021
A fun read
Good book interesting keeps your attention. Quite a bit different from anything Hollywood put out. Of course Hollywood doesn't know which way is up or down. Quite a bit of the information came from modern times?! I wonder how accurate that is. What it was very interesting book.
Good book interesting keeps your attention. Quite a bit different from anything Hollywood put out. Of course Hollywood doesn't know which way is up or down. Quite a bit of the information came from modern times?! I wonder how accurate that is. What it was very interesting book.
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October 16, 2021Ahoy Mates!
I have always been interested in how the seas affected history, and certainly this period in history affected many countries, many economies, and many lives. Nice to learn some facts instead of lore.
I have always been interested in how the seas affected history, and certainly this period in history affected many countries, many economies, and many lives. Nice to learn some facts instead of lore.
December 10, 2024
This is a compelling book that dives into piracy from the 1600 and 1700's. It draws you in with tales about infamous pirates that spans five continents. It is an intriguingly well written book with a lot of information that gives you food for thought.
January 19, 2022
A truly spirited review of a period when pirates raided boats and ports for wealth. Obviously I find their actions objectional
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2023
Highlighting my undying love for one piece.
September 14, 2025
interesting but not that great.
December 10, 2024
This is a compelling book that dives into piracy from the 1600 and 1700's. It draws you in with tales about infamous pirates that spans five continents. It is an intriguingly well written book with a lot of information that gives you food for thought.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews