The Pirates Own Book: Authentic Narratives of the Most Celebrated Sea Robbers

by Charles Ellms (Compiler), Marine Research Society (Editor)

In these delightfully melodramatic accounts, originally published in an extremely rare 1837 volume, you'll find true stories of the diabolical desperadoes who plundered ships on the high seas and murdered their passengers and crews. The stories — based on contemporary newspaper accounts, trial proceedings, and Admiralty records — describe in lurid detail the life, atrocities, and bloody death of the infamous Black Beard as well as the cold-blooded exploits of Jean Lafitte, Robert Kidd, Edward Low, Thomas White, Anne Bonney, Mary Read, and scores of other maritime marauders.
The first edition of The Pirates Own Book was published in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1837, and during the next 25 years it was followed by at least eight other editions. Today it is a rarity among collectors. Now available once again in this inexpensive edition, it will thrill lovers of drama on the high seas or any reader interested in the true-life adventures of the ruthless men and women who sailed under the black flag so long ago.

Genres: Pirates, History, Nonfiction, Historical, Nautical, Maritime, 19th Century

469 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1837

Reviews

[Edward Hendry · Rating 4 out of 5]

In you want real stories and biographies of pirates this book could be for you. Although it was written in the early 1800's so the language takes getting used to. There are graphic accounts of real piracy- things got so bad around the world, the United States formed the Marine Corps specifically to take them out. Go Marines !

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Treasure Island, I would say that this is the book that started it all for me. My parents returned from New Orleans with this book for me and I devoured it, and after that, I read nearly every book I could get my hands on that was about pirates. Wuv, twue wives.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compilation of contemporaneous stories about pirates, which was compiled in the early 1800s. It is a very, and I want to stress very, general overview on pirate lives. It sounded to me like a good compilation of stories when I received the book however; it seemed to be information obtained for a child's use. This is not a scholarly type of source in the least and should not be read as such. It is however, a good general overview of the basic biography of major/famous pirates.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first, the old timey writing style and jargon was kinda bugging me. Then I realized that the book was originally released in 1837. So upon learning that the author wasn't trying to SOUND old timey, but actually WAS old timey, it didn't bother me as much.(For some reason)
The stories were fairly entertaining and informative, but sometimes hard to follow due to 1830s writing style. But overall a cool read from another era. Reading a book that is part of history instead of just being about history was pretty cool. To think it was written almost 200 years ago and here I am reading it today. And it's not a famous piece of literature by any means. Pretty cool book if you're a fan of piratical history.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

First hand accounts, diary entries and court documents make up these tales of real pirates. Originally published in the 1800's, it's a fascinating look at life on the high seas. Be forewarned: the writing is of the time so the grammar, spelling and syntax take some getting used to.

[Bdoftorrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

What makes this book interesting is both style as it was written in 1837 and it was closer to contemporary at the time. True narrative about many pirates. Really opened up my knowledge about how truly despicable this batch of pirates were. Very educational.

[Shahira8826 · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Pirates Own Book" by Charles Ellms takes some getting used to due to the nineteenth-century writing style, but it's full of interesting characters and small historical details that are going to be the delight of anyone passionate about maritime history and/or piracy.

[Valérie B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my 1st pirate book I read. Very interesting and the documented accounts were very revealing on how violent they were. I shall read another one in future.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of biographical tales dates originally to the first half of the nineteenth century. They cover a broad spectrum from Arabian plunderers to Barbary corsairs to the more familiar Atlantic & Caribbean buccaneers. The writing is quite dense, reading more like an encyclopedic entry than true bio. And it's clear that most of the info is mythic or anecdotal in nature, as opposed to referenced from primary sources. While it's easy to get bogged down in long lists of booty taken or drawn out legal proceedings, the battle scenes, tales of survival, & various geographical details were of great interest to me. While the essays do cover some stars such as Blackbeard, the majority describe long- forgotten but no less devious male & female gangsters of the sea. I would only recommend this collection to those obsessed w/ piratical lore or maritime history.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two centuries old this book breathlessly tells the tales of contemporary and then recent pirates from New England to the Far East. Information is culled from newspapers, first hand accounts, legends and military reports. A wonderful read, it could be much improved by some modern layout techniques, such as whitespace and a little font variation.

[Squeaky · Rating 2 out of 5]

A rather long (469 pages) and slow to read book about various pirates through history. It took me nearly three months to finish. I found it very hard to read, and very uninteresting, mostly. But, some parts WERE interesting. I spent a lot of time looking at maps of the Lynn Massachusetts area to see where the action of the chapter about the Lynn pirates took place.

[Tom Sheppard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although a bit dry in places, this was a very enlightening book to understand the origins and real acts of pirates. It puts the Somali pirates of today into a perspective that will not win them any friends.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

part history, part lore, all from the mouths and pens of pirates. i've had this book perhaps longer than any other book on my shelf. my real bookshelf, that is.

[Walt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of the stories are original and are not the usual stories of famous pirates retold from Johnson and DeFoe.

[Tammy Jorgenson]

those pirates were a nasty bunch!

[Edible Tapestry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ordered it because we are doing a pirat theme this yr. for our home school.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book of pirates and their adventures. Fascinating stories of personalities usually excluded in history class. A bit long.

[Nancy Badger · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good research book about pirates which includes their own letters. The narrations bring the history of pirstes to life.

[Bobby Daugherty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reprinted news articles about pirates when they were actively operating and a problem in colonial America.