These Thrilling Pirate Books Offer High Seas Adventure and Real-Life Treasure

Black Bart Roberts was not your average pirate. He began his pirating career at only 13 years old and dressed head to toe in fine red silk. Roberts was a Christian man who made the musicians on his ships play hymns each Sunday and who was, quite notably, sober. This book pairs firsthand accounts of Roberts and his misdeeds with informative historical analysis to round out the picture of this unusual pirate.

This book explores the world of pirates not just through intriguing tales, but with explanations of the practical logistics of pirate life. Readers will learn how pirates managed to commit crimes, raid ships, pillage villages, and get gold. In addition, this book provides insight into the far-reaching effects of piracy on the world, in politics, culture, and military strategy. A former Navy SEAL and consultant on maritime security, Benerson Little crafts a detailed depiction of life during the Golden Age of Piracy.

While the vast majority of participants in 18th century piracy were men, two women joined forces to terrorize the sea. Anne Bonny and Mary Read were determined to defy the expectations that were set for them as women in their time. The pair was documented in Captain Charles Johnson’s 1724 book, A General History of the Pyrates but much about them remains a mystery. This first full length biography of the two women provides an in-depth examination of who they were, against the context of societal expectations for women.

An example of the brutality of pirates, Ned Low is remembered as exceptionally violent. A thief since childhood, Ned Low incited a mutiny on a logging ship by shooting the captain. After a council of the crewmates, Low’s gang of pirates began by declaring war on the rest of the world and attacking any ship no matter what flag it flew. Soon, even Low’s own crew feared his torturous and murderous spirit. This book tells the story of a man who left unspeakable destruction in his wake until he himself was destroyed as well. 

This book provides a look into the history of pirates based in New England, across the sea from many of their famed counterparts. These sea-bound criminals were unique because when they returned home to Rhode Island after voyages, they were seemingly upstanding citizens who attended church and even held public office. 

For many years, the community of Newport was tolerant of the pirates due to the wealth and goods they brought to the town. However, when foreign pirates began to target Newport’s shipping fleet, the townspeople quickly changed their minds. 

In 1828, an English Quaker ship called The Morningstar was ambushed as it sailed to retrieve soldiers who had been fighting in Colombo, on the island of Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Led by the notorious Benito de Soto, a crew of pirates quickly overtook the ship and the goods it carried.

This book outlines the effects of this attack, which rippled far into the future. Ford covers the immediate violence and bloodshed that followed the assault, the challenge of holding de Soto accountable, and the century-long task of understanding what truly occurred on that day.

This book unravels the legend of Edward Teach Blackbeard, an indisputable icon of the golden age of piracy. With so many tales of his bloody exploits, Blackbeard doesn't always have the clearest historical reflection. This work aims to look behind his legendary status to the man beneath it all—the man forged by the very nature of piracy itself, as well as the naval campaigns launched against it.

The court of Queen Elizabeth I is often immersed in a romantic mythology, yet her reign had its sordid financial underpinnings. Elizabeth gained popularity on home soil with her policy of seizing foreign assets... but this choice also drew her into partnerships with pirates. Punishing or rewarding pirates based on how big her cut was meant that the Queen's sea laws were essentially arbitrary. This text offers a valuable insight into the reality of Elizabethan naval policy.

What truth is there behind the depiction of pirates as being peg-legged, eye patch-wearing treasure buriers? This book collects histories and legends alike from the golden age of piracy. Offering tales of Blackbeard, Black Bart, Anne Bonny, Edward Teach, Mary Read, Jolly Roger, Calico Jack, and more, this text is an essential look at the foundation of our present-day concepts of pirate culture.

Captain Sir Henry Morgan was a Welshman who rose to be one of the most ruthless and brutal buccaneers of the golden age of piracy. While many of his contemporaries were hunted and killed, he was considered to be a hero of England. Given both English knighthood and governorship in Jamaica, what set Morgan apart from his pirate peers? This biography dives deep into the life of an intriguing and exceptional leader.

"The golden age of piracy" has been tossed around a lot in discussion—but what exactly was it? This book utilizes the perspectives of 12 different authors as they shed light on the mythologies of 17th and 18th century pirates. In an anthology of scholarly essays, readers are given insight into how pirates operated their plundering ventures, how governments battled piracy, and when and why piracy declined.

This text offers a look into the lifestyle of the buccaneers who were the scourge of merchants in the 18th century. From how the sinking of the Spanish treasure fleet in a storm off the coast of Florida led to a pirates gold rush to how the desperate gamble of the King's Pardon paid off, this book delivers a riveting history. Going further, it investigates the popularity of piracy in media, and how thieves have developed into swashbuckling heroes.

Jean and Pierre Laffite were privateers who were active in New Orleans from just after the Louisiana Purchase through the War of 1812. These legends were known as hell-raisers to the Spanish merchants on the Gulf, pirates to the U.S. Navy, and heroes to the private citizens who purchased their contraband. These clever brothers soon aligned with lawyers, bankers, merchants, and corrupt U.S. officials—though they soon disappeared from history after selling out their associates as paid Spanish spies.

Captain William Kidd was executed on May 23rd, 1701. This act of "justice" is considered one of the most controversial events in piracy's history. Kidd's final voyage has grown with legend—from accounts of concealed treasure to the retellings of the dubious conduct of his trial. To some, he was merely a legal privateer. Others saw him as a wicked pirate. This book reassesses the complicated man in order to wade through history's complex ambiguity.

In the 19th century, the so-called King of the Pirates—Bartholomew Roberts—and scores of others were killed off the coast of Africa by the Royal Navy. Following the capture of Roberts' fleet, countless others were executed by the Admiralty Court. To the pirates, their terrorization of the shipping in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic was merely a way of life. For centuries, the existence of pirates was unstoppable—until the Royal Navy launched one of the greatest anti-piracy campaigns in history.

This book unveils the little-known tale of a heroic band of Caribbean pirates. In the early 18th century, the Pirate Republic housed such great captains as Blackbeard, "Black Sam" Bellamy, and Charles Vane. Among them and the other pirates were sailors, indentured servants, and runaway slaves. Together, this "Flying Gang" built a democracy in the Bahamas which boldly defied imperial rule. Here, servants were free, blacks could be equal citizens, and leaders were chosen or deposed by a vote. The time this Republic remained a success was a brief as it was glorious.

This book contains riveting accounts from the golden age of piracy from pirate expert David Cordingly. The text dives into the truth behind legends of pirate greats like Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, Sir Francis Drake, as well as fierce female pirates like Mary Read and Anne Bonny. Cordingly details the weapons they brandished, the ships they sailed, and the ways in which they fought. Looking even further past strict history, Cordingly discusses the portrayals of fictional pirates like Captain Hook and Long John Silver.