Booty: Girl Pirates on the High Seas [Paperback]

Sara Lorimer (Author), Susan Synarski (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2002

A treasure trove of high adventure and bad behavior, Booty tells the all-true tales of real women pirates who prowled the seas from the 9th to early-20th centuries in search of easy prey and easy profit. Raiding ships, boozing, brawling, and looting, they struck terror in the hearts of men from the Mediterranean to the South China Sea to the rivers of New York. Meet Rachel Wall, who traded her devout religious upbringing for "lewd and wicked company"; Cheng I Sao, who led a fleet of 2,000 ships and made her men drink cocktails of wine and gunpowder; Mary Read, who killed one pirate for the love of another; and Sadie the Goat, who headbutted her victims before fleecing them of cash. Their exploits and those of many more swashbuckling women fill these pages, along with salty illustrations and an informative look at the finer points of pirate life (grog, flogging, fashion, and more). Arrrrr.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School-Brief but colorful accounts of 12 women who terrorized sailors in waters throughout the world, from the ninth century to the 1930s. Subjects range from Alfhild, a Viking who roamed the Baltic and North Seas, to Lai Choi San of Macao, who was probably the original "Dragon Lady." Americans include Mary Read and Anne Bonny. Through these fascinating misfits, readers get a close-up view of many cultures and times, and each life is made vivid and memorable. Synarski's bold, quirky, color illustrations and a variety of eye-catching typefaces create the amusing impression of a demented picture book. One chapter includes a glossary and explains pirate arcana. Unfortunately, the sketchy bibliography doesn't offer much practical guidance to students: many of the books listed would not be easily found, and some of these tales are more folklore than history in any case. Pirates are not usually considered to be positive role models, and Lorimer's matey gusto and humorous slant might raise hackles in some quarters; but while her enthusiasm for her subject is contagious, the author does not gloss over the cruelties inflicted, and hardships endured, by these women. Booty offers some fresh perspectives on the past, and it should attract graphic-novel fans as well as the most reluctant of readers.
Christine C. Menefee, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Sara Lorimer s travels have taken her to regions ranging from Fiji to the Arctic Circle. She now lives in New York City.

Susan Synarski s illustrations have appeared in Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, the Boston Globe, and other periodicals, and are featured in Rolling Stone: The Illustrated Portraits (also by Chronicle Books). She lives in Oakland, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books; First Edition edition (January 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811832376
• ISBN-13: 978-0811832373
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 7.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #686,224 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Arrrr! Entertaining AND Educational!, February 24, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Booty: Girl Pirates on the High Seas (Paperback)

I couldn't ask for more: a lighthearted yet informative look at female pirates, suitable for children and adults alike. This book proves that women's history doesn't have to be shrill and defensive.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Escape to the High Seas, February 21, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Booty: Girl Pirates on the High Seas (Paperback)

As kids, many of us daydreamed of running away and becoming pirates, girls too. But, in the days when Jolly Rogers flew, were there pirate women? In her lively debut work, author Sara Lorimer answers yes, there were and "these women were real pirates who led lives just as adventurous and colorful as the male counterparts." Lorimer's well-researched book, which cites from a wide array of sources including a book of Danish history dating from the thirteenth century, relates both facts and lore from the lives of eleven pirate women including the famous Mary Read and Anne Bonny and lesser knowns such as Rachel Wall. Humor and wit pervade each chapter's recounting. With the added pleasure of Susan Synarski's illustrations, BOOTY pays off as a reader's ticket to escape to the high seas.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book on an unusual subject, February 26, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Booty: Girl Pirates on the High Seas (Paperback)

This book is a lot of fun, on a subject that doesn't get as much attention as it should. Piracy is a good career for a girl, too! For a terrific adult book on the subject, I would also recomend The Sweet Trade by Elizabeth Garrett.