Why We Love Pirates: The Hunt for Captain Kidd and How He Changed Piracy Forever

5 out of 5

Oya – Dec 27, 2020

The parts on Captain Kidd and 17th-18th century contemporary attitudes to piracy were very good, as were the chapters on trials and executions. Several other sections felt a bit filler-y: An extended description of the Pirates of the Caribbean Ride at Disneyland(??), chunks of conjecture ("it is not too farfetched to say..."), a section written in second-person POV as a spectator at an execution that's followed by more-or-less the exact same information repeated in regular prose... The book is wr The parts on Captain Kidd and 17th-18th century contemporary attitudes to piracy were very good, as were the chapters on trials and executions. Several other sections felt a bit filler-y: An extended description of the Pirates of the Caribbean Ride at Disneyland(??), chunks of conjecture ("it is not too farfetched to say..."), a section written in second-person POV as a spectator at an execution that's followed by more-or-less the exact same information repeated in regular prose... The book is written with an easy, conversational style that's very readable, but interjections like "Boom" and "Spoiler alert" got grating for me after a while. That's entirely a matter of personal preference, though. It's obvious that these style choices are intended to make the book more accessible, and they could be just the thing for a reader who has bounced of "dryer" texts. Overall it covers a lot of ground in a relatively short book, and the author clearly loves their subject. Could be the perfect intro text for someone who is just starting to learn more about pirates, and the details on Kidd and excerpts from court and newspaper accounts during the Golden Age of Piracy make it worth a read even if you're already familiar with some of the other material covered.

4 out of 5

Scarlet Ingstad – Dec 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 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.