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For Fans of True-Life Pirate Stories"Only someone who has lived in the shadows chasing faded pirates for an age, and is blessed with creativity, can pull off a book of this high caliber." —
Wreck Watch MagazineMaritime Media Mountbatten Literary Award Nominee
2021 International Book Awards finalist in History: General
#1 Bestseller in Caribbean & West Indies, Central America, and GlobalizationPirates scholar, Rebecca Simon, PhD, explains how the global manhunt for Captain Kidd turned pirates into the romantic antiheroes we love today.Crime and punishment. During his life and after his death, Captain William Kidd’s name was well known in England and the American colonies. He was infamous for the crime for which he was hanged, piracy. Rebecca Simon dives into the details of the two-year manhunt for Captain Kidd. Captain Kidd was hanged in 1701, followed by a massive British-led hunt for all pirates during a period known as the Golden Age of Piracy. Ironically, public executions only increased the popularity of pirates. And, because the American colonies relied on pirates for smuggled goods such as spices, wines, and silks; pirates tended to be protected from capture.
All things pirates. The more pirates were hunted and executed, the more people became supportive of the “Robin Hoods of the Sea”―both because they saw the British’s treatment of them as an injustice and because they treasured the goods pirates brought to them. These historical events were pivotal in creating the portrayal of pirates as we know them today. They grew into romantic antiheroes―which ultimately led to characters like the mischievous but lovable Captain Jack Sparrow.
Learn about:- One of the most famous pirates in history
- Real life pirates and the brutal executions they faced
- The origin of our romanticized view of pirates
If you enjoyed books like Black Flags Blue Waters, Under the Black Flag, The Republic of Pirates, or Villains of All Nations, you’ll love Why We Love Pirates.
List of contents
ContentsIntroduction
Chapter 1:
Who Were Pirates?
Chapter 2:
The Hunt for Captain William KiddChapter 3:
Suppressing Pirates and Bittersweet HeartbreakChapter 4:
Why *WE* Love PiratesChapter 5:
Killing Pirates¿
A Fun Day Out!Chapter 6:
Fake News and Alternative FactsChapter 7:
Stick It to the ManChapter 8:
Pirates and Pop CultureChapter 9:
The End of Piracy and its LegacyAcknowledgments
About the Author
About the author
Rebecca Simon earned a PhD in history at King’s College London about the history of pirates and public executions. She has presented her research all around the world. She has appeared on the BBC and has been the guest on numerous popular podcasts, such as Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness, to discuss all things pirates. She has consulted for Netflix, the History Channel, BBC, and LEGO. Rebecca has previously published her work in History Today magazine and academic journals. She lives in Los Angeles where she writes, teaches, and consults about all things pirates.
Summary
For Fans of True-Life Pirate Stories
"Only someone who has lived in the shadows chasing faded pirates for an age, and is blessed with creativity, can pull off a book of this high caliber." —
Wreck Watch MagazineMaritime Media Mountbatten Literary Award Nominee
2021 International Book Awards finalist in History: General
#1 Bestseller in Caribbean & West Indies, Central America, and GlobalizationPirates scholar, Rebecca Simon, PhD, explains how the global manhunt for Captain Kidd turned pirates into the romantic antiheroes we love today.Crime and punishment. During his life and after his death, Captain William Kidd’s name was well known in England and the American colonies. He was infamous for the crime for which he was hanged, piracy. Rebecca Simon dives into the details of the two-year manhunt for Captain Kidd. Captain Kidd was hanged in 1701, followed by a massive British-led hunt for all pirates during a period known as the Golden Age of Piracy. Ironically, public executions only increased the popularity of pirates. And, because the American colonies relied on pirates for smuggled goods such as spices, wines, and silks; pirates tended to be protected from capture.
All things pirates. The more pirates were hunted and executed, the more people became supportive of the “Robin Hoods of the Sea”―both because they saw the British’s treatment of them as an injustice and because they treasured the goods pirates brought to them. These historical events were pivotal in creating the portrayal of pirates as we know them today. They grew into romantic antiheroes―which ultimately led to characters like the mischievous but lovable Captain Jack Sparrow.
Learn about:- One of the most famous pirates in history
- Real life pirates and the brutal executions they faced
- The origin of our romanticized view of pirates
If you enjoyed books like Black Flags Blue Waters, Under the Black Flag, The Republic of Pirates, or Villains of All Nations, you’ll love Why We Love Pirates.
Foreword
Television
- The Curse of Oak Island interview
- The Treasure of Oak Island (title may change) interview
- Netflix 6-part documentary series interview
- Britain’s Outlaws, episode 2 - Pirates
Podcasts- Friday Night Book Club podcast
- Pride: A History of Gay Pirates podcast
- You’re Dead to Me: Blackbeard podcast
- Hound Tall by Moshe Kasher: Pirates! Podcast
- Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness: Atlantic Pirates - What’s the T? Podcast
Articles- The Revenge of Anne and Mary, Truly Adventurous
- Pirates: Hard, Violent, and Unpredictable, History Today
- Trading Spaces: Smuggling and the American Revolution, History Today
- Atlantic Piracy in the Eighteenth Century, The Gazette
- The Many Deaths of Captain Kidd, History Today
Blogs
- The Princess Bride and How Image Shaped the Pirate, Raiders of the Lost Archive
- 5 Must Reads about Early Modern Atlantic Piracy, Clio@King’s
- Pirate Executions in Early Modern London, English Legal History
