Pirate Spirit: The Adventures of Anne Bonney [Paperback]

Jeffery Williams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 30, 2007

Set in Ireland, the Carolinas, and the pirate-infested Caribbean waters of the 1700s, and inspired by actual historical accounts, this is the tale of Anne Bonney, the unlikely pirate who disguised herself as a man and fought side-by-side with a notorious band of rogues plundering ships around the Spanish Main.

Pirate Spirit follows Bonney from her beginnings as an illegitimate child, to her volatile coming-of-age as a misbegotten aristocrat, rebellious daughter, and hot-tempered teen. But it is her transformation to a cutthroat pirate who pined for seafaring adventure, enduring love, and the lasting bonds of friendship that showcases Bonney’s true spirit. Author Jeffery S. Williams provides insight into Bonney’s relationships with the people closest to her—her mother and father, her guardian angel Edward, her friend Mary, and her husband James—and the vital roles each played in shaping her life.

Rife with intrigue, poignancy, and humor, Pirate Spirit is a vivid portrayal of a young woman’s odyssey from youth to adulthood as she seeks purpose and grace.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jeffery S. Williams worked as a journalist and freelance writer and is currently a high school English teacher. He lives in Fresno, California, with his wife and son. Pirate Spirit is his first novel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse Star (July 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1583484671
• ISBN-13: 978-1583484678
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #363,371 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lively Pirate Tale with a Deeper Message, August 20, 2007

By 

Lisa M. Hendey "Mom, Blogger, Podcaster, Author" (Fresno, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pirate Spirit: The Adventures of Anne Bonney (Paperback)

Pirates are more popular than ever these days, perhaps owing in part to a certain blockbuster summer film. However, most mothers of sons have known for years the male fascination with all things pirate. I've sewn at least two pirate costumes, refereed more than my fair share of sword fights and read numerous story books aloud in my best "matey" voice. So I was prepared to enjoy Pirate Spirit: The Adventures of Anne Bonney (iUniverse, July, 2007, paperback, 244 pages), the inaugural work of novelist Jeffery S. Williams.

What I wasn't expecting was to be uplifted and inspired along the way - to emerge from the literary romp with the sense that somehow, amidst the pages of the really entertaining story I'd just read, I'd walk away edified. Jeffery Williams, supported effectively by his wife Katherine Williams, gives voice so convincingly to main character Anne Bonney that you'd swear he's actually a lusty wench. When I met him in person and learned that he is in point of fact a high school English teacher, I was even more impressed by his writing prowess.

Pirate Spirit is the tale of a one young Irish woman's transition into the world of pirates during the 1700s. Inspired by historical accounts, Williams fleshes out Bonney's tale with great gusto and flair. Readers with a certain sensibility may blush at some of the book's more spicy scenes, but they seem essential to the book's characters and their circumstances. You should be forewarned that the book does contain some language, adult themes and violence which may be offensive to some readers. However, Williams does not seem to write gratuitously or for mere "shock value". I found myself falling hard for Anne Bonney and her comrades, and rooting solidly for her ultimate transformation from strong-willed girl to plundering pirate to graceful woman.

No doubt aided by his incredible font of knowledge of literature, Williams spreads layers of deeper themes and references between the fast paced pages of action and adventure.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I just had to jump aboard!, September 19, 2007

By 

H. Bach "bookworm hiding out in Korea" (Seoul, Korea) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Pirate Spirit: The Adventures of Anne Bonney (Paperback)

I ended up staying up for hours to read this book when I should have been sleeping instead. I couldn't wait to see what happened next. Each chapter was filled with adventure, witty humor, love, and attempts to satisfy many insatiable hearts. As a recent graduate from college going through transition on an annual basis (so far), I can absolutely relate in terms of seeking for the kind of adventure that Anne sought to satisfy her heart. I may not be a pirate, but my desire to find that something that can help me to see more of the world, to give what I can to make this world my playground, to find that soulmate that will be my other half with dignity, strength, integrity, honor, and the desire to jump out of the bubble that so many people want to put me under as a female in a male dominant world-- I can relate. It was a page turner that made me wanna go back to reading it again. Williams did an amazing job creating many unforgettable scenes with vivid imagery and lively dialogues. It was a novel that included everything from growing pains, survival of the fittest, love, hatred, forgiveness and sacrifice-- everything a great book should have.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sailing the Stormy Seas, December 24, 2007

By 

Floyd M. Orr "Nonfiction in a Fictional Style" (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Pirate Spirit: The Adventures of Anne Bonney (Paperback)

Jeffery Williams aptly displays his journalistic experience, as well as his years as a high school English teacher, in the fluid compositional style and tight editing of his first novel. Based on his research of the life of Anne Bonney, a legendary pirate of the Caribbean in the early 1700's, Jeffery's Pirate Spirit is an enlightening read. The story is told in the present tense from the first-person-singular viewpoint of a teenage girl. This was not an easy feat in itself, and I understand that Mr. Williams had adequate help in this regard from Mrs. Williams. My only complaint is that the author should have been a lot more diligent in his proofreading as the typo count is a bit high. This particularly disturbs me because this is the second edition of Pirate Spirit, and you would have thought most of the errors would have been cleaned up when the title was changed and a new cover designed for the 2007 edition.

The most important thing I can say here is that I still give Pirate Spirit five stars. I personally don't give a swashbuckling ship's rat about pirate books or movies, and I had never even heard of Anne Bonney prior to accepting Mr. Williams' book for review. I understand that Johnny Depp isn't hurting the sales of Pirate Spirit and Mr. Williams' student age group probably loves everything pirate oriented, but this book also stands on its own as carefully composed, entertaining literature. What else should you expect from an English teacher? I accept only a select few books for review on my website, and Pirate Spirit is clearly one of the best of those I have accepted. Jeffery Williams fully grasps the entire concept of composition. The story flows over the warm Caribbean waters from the very first page. The dialogue is articulate, yet realistic and believable. The author has shown us just enough detail to help us fall deeply into the story without being bogged down in extraneous developments. Whether or not we agree with the lifestyle choices made by Ms. Bonney, or the moral code she so adequately questioned, we as readers have been sucked into the hold of the pirate ship. We have been presented with the consequences of sailing the larcenous seas with all the maturity of a teenage girl disguised in male clothing. Jeffery Williams knows damn well how to tell a story and I hope he has a fruitful writing career ahead on the stormy seas of the publishing industry.