The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pirates [Paperback]

Gail Selinger (Author), Jr., W. Thomas Smith (Author)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gail Selinger is a college lecturer and teacher of pirate lore. Active in the Port Royal Privateer Re-Enactment Workshops, she has also written several pirate-themed romance novels, as well as serious articles for publications for pirate enthusiasts.
W. Thomas Smith, Jr., a life-long enthusiast of pirate history and lore, is a teacher of journalism at the University of South Carolina. His articles have appeared in Business Week, USA Today, and U.S. News & World Report.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Alpha (April 4, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592573762
• ISBN-13: 978-1592573769
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #925,034 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Very Good Book, January 14, 2007

By 

OldSchool (Pleasant Hill, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pirates (Paperback)

This book is just darn solid. There is a ton of information on everything from pirate clothes to their lifestyle to where they lived and who they were. You even get a history lesson on pirating which goes back to the Romans.

The book seems to do a remarkable in that it gives you just enough detail but not so much that you are begging for a chapter to end. Every time I started to get bored I'd turn the page and I'd be at the end of the chapter. It's always just enough to be informative and not so much that you get bored.

At the same time, because it covers a lot of ground, you may not learn as much about someone you wanted to know more about. Pirates often come and go in a couple of pages but then this book isn't selling itself as an in-depth historical treatise. If you want a book on a specific individual or facet of pirate life seek elsewhere.

Overall, it's a fast, informative, good read and well deserving of 5-stars.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Swashbuckling good fun!, May 15, 2006

By 

Diane A. S. Stuckart "Ladyhart" (Southern Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pirates (Paperback)

Whether your taste in pirates leans toward Errol Flynn or Johnny Depp or Robert Louis Stevenson's creations, you'll enjoy this book. It's a treasure chest's worth of facts and history that brings to life the true story (often more interesting than the fictionalized version!) behind the pirates of film, novel, and legend. Open the book to any page, and you're sure to find a fascinating tidbit that you didn't know. I was surprised to learn how many common expressions ("going off half-cocked") had their origins in the pirate life. The appendices are a fun addition for anyone wanting to delve further into pirate lore or pirate reenactment groups.

My only small quibble is that the book covered so much about the subject that sometimes only a few lines were devoted to a particular topic before the author moved onto the next one, leaving me wanting to know more. But, overall, a fun-filled sail through pirate history that is guaranteed to shiver the reader's timbers!

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars informative fun read, August 1, 2006

By 

Laurene (Southern California United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pirates (Paperback)

I purchased this book at a book signing .I thought I was knowledgeable about pirates, but Ms. Selinger taught me a think or two! I found this book to be easy and fast, plus you could skip around to your favorite parts.She brought up many interesting but not as recognized characters like Grace O'Malley for instance. Her love for the sea and pirates is clear and she passionately tries to pass this on to her readers. I found this book to be interesting and overflowing with information.! I wish I had it as a reference in school. I would recommend it highly! I give it five swords!