The best books on pirates, history, and legend

If you want to know the “history” of ye olde pirates, this is the penultimate of pirate history books. A General History of the Pirates was first published in 1724 for a surprisingly eager audience of readers. Daniel Defoe was, (and is), known for his fiction, such as Robinson Crusoe and Moll Flanders, so he was a popular author at the time. However, it could not have been predicted that readers were so interested in the details concerning the scourge of the high seas, our beloved “bloodthirsty” pirates. Yet, this book, despite it being a flamboyant and rather colorful embellishment of actual pirate activity, was and remains a popular title. Every pirate fan, and certainly pirate historian, has at least one copy of this text on a shelf or table nearby. I always have my copy close at hand and referred to this text frequently while authoring my book.

The Republic of Pirates is a brilliant book. Though it’s non-fiction, Woodard makes the text extremely readable, even entertaining. The book focuses on the “Golden Age” of pirating, primarily in the Caribbean and eastern seaboard, and how the pirate “kingdom” was imagined, built, and then torn asunder by Woodes Rogers. Woodard takes the reader through the rise of piracy, the terror and fear that these pirates spread, and then the chilling hunt that brought nearly all of them to the gallows. It’s a history of men who wanted to be free and govern themselves and not by some faraway dolt wearing a crown. It’s also a tale of betrayal and relentless pursuit as Woodes Rogers systematically rids the ocean of those who flew the cross and bones. This is another title that is always close at hand with worn pages from repeated reference.

While researching for my own book, and feeding my own passion for all things pirate, I was surprised and then curious to learn that the term “buccaneer” of the high seas refers to a different tribe, if you will, of the pirate brotherhood. This text was first published in 1678 and is a firsthand, eyewitness account, of buccaneer activities by the author himself, Alexander Exquemelin. The author claims, (and there is no reason to doubt him, by the way), that he was “employed” as a surgeon with a group of buccaneers and what follows in the text are his harrowing, and fascinating, observations of life as a buccaneer in the 17th century. This is another “must-have” and “must-read” for the modern-day pirate.

Simply put, this title is indeed a bonafide pirate classic novel. In fact, many people believe that Stevenson was writing about a real treasure, but what else would a pirate fan think? Real or not, (probably not), Captain Flint, Long John Silver, Jim Hawkins, the Admiral Benbow Inn…these are classic pirate archetypes and they were birthed and nurtured in Stevenson’s story. There are some great, (and not so great), film renditions of the story, but nothing can replace the original novel with all of its glorious detail. Treasure Island can be funny, terrifying, and, in the end, a harsh mistress in the lessons of trust and greed. This book is an absolute must-read and must-have-on-the-shelf, multiple editions, for any pirate fan.

This is a beautifully illustrated and well-presented book that covers everything pirate from slang to weapons. It’s a gorgeous book, cover to cover, with detailed pirate history and fun pirate myths. This one is an easier read with beautiful illustrations and memorabilia. This title absolutely belongs on ye olde pirate bookshelf.