Top 16 Books About Pirates Nonfiction Updated 05 /2024

Piracy, like the tides of the sea, has had its ups and downs, just like the waves. The historical accounts of real-life swashbucklers are full of action and adventure. They go from the thriving golden age of piracy to the devastating anti-piracy naval campaign. We have a lot of information about Blackbeard, but if you're looking for more general information about pirates, you've come to the right place. These 11 books about real-life pirates are must-reads for anyone who wants to live in a time of adventure.

Blackbeard By Craig Cabell, Graham A. Thomas and Allan Richards

To understand Blackbeard, you need to read this book. Edward Teach Blackbeard was an undisputed legend in pirate history during the golden age of the seas. With so many stories about his bloody exploits, Blackbeard doesn't always have the best historical record to look back on. This book tries to get to know the real person behind the legend. Piracy itself and the naval campaigns against it made him into the man he is today, says this book.

Pirate Nation By David Childs

The court of Queen Elizabeth I is often thought of as romantic, but her reign was not without its dark financial underpinnings. Elizabeth became popular at home because of her policy of seizing foreign assets. But this choice also led her to work with pirates, which made her less popular at home. A punishment or reward for a pirate was based on how big the Queen's cut was. This made the Queen's sea laws seem like they were made up. This text gives you a good idea of how Elizabethan naval policy worked in real life.

A General History of the Pyrates By Daniel Defoe

What is the truth behind the idea that pirates are peg-legged, eye patch-wearing treasure hunters? This book has stories and myths from the golden age of piracy. This book tells the stories of Blackbeard, Black Bart, Anne Bonny, Edward Teach, Mary Read, Jolly Roger, Calico Jack, and more. It's important to read this book to understand how pirate culture came to be.

The Buccaneer King By Graham A. Thomas

When pirates were at their most ruthless and violent, Captain Sir Henry Morgan was one of the best. He was from Wales. While many of his friends were hunted down and killed, he was hailed as a hero by English people. Morgan was knighted by the English and became governor of Jamaica, so what made him different from his pirate peers? This is because he had both. This biography goes very far into the life of a very interesting and very good person.

The Golden Age of Piracy By David Head

"The golden age of piracy" has been talked about a lot. But what was it? This book looks at the mythologies of pirates in the 17th and 18th centuries through the eyes of 12 different people. In an anthology of scholarly essays, readers learn about how pirates ran their plundering businesses, how governments tried to stop piracy, and when and why piracy went away.

Pirates and Privateers in the 18th Century By Mike Rendell

This text gives a glimpse into the lives of the buccaneers who were the scourge of merchants in the 1800s. From how the Spanish treasure fleet was sunk in a storm off the coast of Florida to how the King's Pardon gamble paid off, this book is full of interesting stories. Going even further, it looks into why piracy is so popular in the media and how thieves have become swashbuckling heroes.

The Pirates Laffite By William C. Davis

from just after the Louisiana Purchase to the War of 1812, Jean and Pierre Laffite were privateers who lived in New Orleans. They were in business there from the time of the Louisiana Purchase until the War of 1812. It was said that these mythical people were hell-raisers to Spanish merchants on the Gulf of Mexico. They were pirates to the U.S. Navy, and heroes to the people who bought their illegal goods. Soon, these clever brothers formed a group with lawyers, bankers, merchants, and corrupt US officials. They were paid Spanish spies to help them get rid of their friends.

Captain Kidd By Craig Cabell, Graham A. Thomas and Allan Richards

He was hanged on May 23, 1701. Captain William Kidd was killed. During piracy's history, this act of "justice" has been called one of the most controversial. Legends about Kidd's last voyage have grown over the years, from stories of hidden treasure to stories about how he was tried. Some people thought he was just a legal privateer. As a result, some people thought he was bad. This book looks again at the complicated man in order to get through history's complicated ambiguity.

Pirate Killers By Graham A. Thomas

Some of the so-called Pirate King, Bartholomew Roberts, and a lot of other people died off the coast of Africa in the 19th century. The British Royal Navy killed them and a lot of other people. Following the capture of Roberts' fleet, the Admiralty Court executed a lot of people. Those who were pirates didn't see it as a big deal. They just did what they had to do to live. For centuries, pirates were unstoppable. That is, until the Royal Navy launched one of the best anti-piracy campaigns in history.

The Republic of Pirates By Colin Woodard

This book tells the story of a group of Caribbean pirates who were very brave. In the early 1800s, Blackbeard, "Black Sam" Bellamy, and Charles Vane were some of the best pirate captains in the world. They lived in the Pirate Republic. With them and all of the other pirates, there were sailors, people who had been indentured, and people who had been freed. The "Flying Gang" worked together to build a democracy in the Bahamas that defied the rule of the imperial government. Servants were free, blacks could be citizens, and leaders were chosen or thrown out by a vote in this country. The time this Republic was a success was as short as it was beautiful.

Under the Black Flag By David Cordingly

This book is written by David Cordingly, who is a well-known expert on pirates. It tells stories from the golden age of piracy. In this text, we learn the truth about the legends of pirates like Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, Sir Francis Drake, as well as strong female pirates like Mary Read and Anne Bonny. It talks about the weapons they used, the ships they used, and how they fought. Cordingly talks even more about how fictional pirates like Captain Hook and Long John Silver are shown in movies and TV shows.

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