Lafitte the Pirate [Paperback]

Lyle Saxon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 30, 1989

Lyle Saxonís superbly written account examines Lafitteís fascinating career and frees the truth of the pirateís life from the web of fantastic myths which grew up around him.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lyle Saxon (1891-1946) ranks among Louisianaís most outstanding writers. During the 1920s and 1930s he was the central figure in the regionís literary community, and was widely known as a raconteur and bon vivant. In addition to Father Mississippi , Lafitte the Pirate, and Children of Strangers, he also wrote Fabulous New Orleans , Old Louisiana, The Friends of Joe Gilmore, and was a co-author of Gumbo Ya-Ya, with Edward Dreyer and Robert Tallant. During the Depression, he directed the state WPA Writers Project, which produced the WPA Guide to Louisiana and the WPA Guide to New Orleans.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Pelican Publishing; Pelican paperback ed edition (April 30, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0882893955
• ISBN-13: 978-0882893952
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #858,880 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good starting point for Lafitte (Laffite) researchers, December 4, 1999

By 

Bradley T. Combs (Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lafitte the Pirate (Paperback)

Saxon provides an decent overview of the life of Jean Lafitte (somtimes spelled Laffite) that is suitable for siting as a secondary resource of information. Although not a scholarly work in itself, the book should provide a most suitable platform or "guide book" from which more in-depth study can be done. While the author's own research is solid enough, the writing is not hampered by an academic, stiff style and his recounting of this fascinating figue carries merit for the recreational reading of amature history enthusiasts. Of the adult level, book length literature in print on the subject, this work could easily be considered as the cornersone of study for anyone interested in Jean Lafitte.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Misleading, outdated and superceded, May 22, 2005

By 

L. K. Coleman (New Orleans, LA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lafitte the Pirate (Paperback)

This is probably the most widely read biography of Jean Laffite, as substantiated by the fact that this work was first published in 1930. However, it mixes fact with mythology and ends up with enough fiction to leave the reader with a false report on the man and his life. For probably the best and most thorough scholarly work on Laffite, see the very recently published "The Pirates Laffite: The Treacherous World of the Corsairs of the Gulf" by William C. Davis' (Harcourt, May 2, 2005) Amongst several revelations: The contributions of Laffite and his men to the 1815 Battle of New Orleans were likely only negligible at best, and of honor he had little to none. However, what is lost to romantic fiction is offset by rare insights into a place and period of transition in American history, the Louisiana Purchase and its early aftermath. (Come to New Orleans for awhile and you'll find that the transition still isn't complete, and if luck prevails, it never will be.)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent, if Romantic, adult intro to a AMAZING man, December 2, 2008

By 

Kathy F. Cannata "Rev. Dr. R. Cannata" (New Orleans, LA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lafitte the Pirate (Paperback)

If you are looking to carefully separate fact from fiction in the story of Lafitte, this is not the first place to turn. If you want a copiously footnoted, modern, scholarly study, look elsewhere. But if you want an intelligent, clearly written introduction to Lafitte, this old classic is not bad.

Saxon has a tendency to accept the most Romantic aspects of the Lafitte mythology. But he tells the story in a clear style, with a lively sense of narrative. The illustrations don't add much to the picture, but they do serve to break up the text.

At $14 don't expect the printing to be stellar. But it held up to a full reading, is decent, and is printed locally.

Anyone who wants to understand the complexities of contemporary New Orleans, and why it remains more European and Caribbean than American, will do well to look at the colorful figure of Lafitte. In many ways, he represents spirit of the city.