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Pirate Women: The Princesses, Prostitutes, and Privateers Who Ruled the Seven Seas Hardcover – April 1, 2017

by Laura Sook Duncombe (Author)

47 customer reviews

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In the first-ever Seven Seas history of the world’s female buccaneers, Pirate Women: The Princesses, Prostitutes, and Privateers Who Ruled the Seven Seas tells the story of women, both real and legendary, who through the ages sailed alongside—and sometimes in command of—their male counterparts. These women came from all walks of life but had one thing in common: a desire for freedom. History has largely ignored these female swashbucklers, until now. Here are their stories, from ancient Norse princess Alfhild and warrior Rusla to Sayyida al-Hurra of the Barbary corsairs; from Grace O’Malley, who terrorized shipping operations around the British Isles during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I; to Cheng I Sao, who commanded a fleet of four hundred ships off China in the early nineteenth century.

Author Laura Sook Duncombe also looks beyond the stories to the storytellers and mythmakers. What biases and agendas motivated them? What did they leave out? Pirate Women explores why and how these stories are told and passed down, and how history changes depending on who is recording it. It’s the most comprehensive overview of women pirates in one volume and chock-full of swashbuckling adventures that pull these unique women from the shadows into the spotlight that they deserve.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Thoroughly researched and enthrallingly written, Duncombe shows love and mastery of the subject in equal measure.” —Jason Porath, author of Rejected Princesses: Tales of History’s Boldest Heroines, Hellions, and Heretics

“Duncombe’s well-researched account will appeal to history and women’s studies aficionados, lovers of myth and lore, and all interested in viewing the past through a new lens.” —Booklist

About the Author

Laura Sook Duncombe is an author and feminist who loves all things science fiction, Broadway, and Sherlock Holmes. She lives with her wonderful husband and son in Virginia. Visit her at www.laurasookduncombe.com.

Hardcover: 264 pages
Publisher: Chicago Review Press (April 1, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1613736010
ISBN-13: 978-1613736012
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 47 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #152,280 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #55 in Books > History > World > Maritime History & Piracy
- #115 in Books > Engineering & Transportation > Transportation > History > Ships
- #199 in Books > Engineering & Transportation > Transportation > Ships

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Beate Leirtun

If looking for a book where (female) pirates jump out of the pages and come to life, keep looking.

October 13, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I’m very sorry to say but this is not an engaging book on female pirate characters, either fictional or factual ones. It’s a summary more than a good entertaining story. The idea is brilliant but the finished result is not. The publisher should have given the author better direction and aid. Better luck next time.

An observation (maybe mainly for the author?): When the author in the intro rightfully reflects on the gender bias in historic sources, and the less accurate description of female characters as a result, I had expected her to move beyond that narrative and not recreate it. There are enough sources available today that would have given her a more accurate framework to built on than the books I find in the sources. As a result the (patriarchal) gender bias she set out to avoid is instead being repeated. She herself does not succeed in going beyond it, unfortunately.

Also when writing about a society different from your own, namely here mostly a European one, it would benefit the narrative to know that society a little better. You might not realise it but the European society and culture, also feminism, is very different from the US one.

A footnote: The Viking museum is in the capital of Norway, which is Oslo not Roskilde. Displayed there are amongst other things a burial boat for high ranking female and it’s content. (Roskilde is a village/city in Denmark, today known for its music festival).

6 people found this helpful

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Reed A. Lott

I absolutely loved this book

July 18, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I absolutely loved this book. I learned so much about women's roles in pirating, becoming entrepreneurs of the illegal kind and great leaders in the days when this rarely happened and was not recorded for history. And, I appreciate the context style in which it was presented in that the author stated that certain facts are confirmed and others are not. The research required for this must have been staggering. But one of the walk always from reading this book is that there is overwhelming evidence that many women lived the outlaw life. I also learned a great deal about the culture and political landscape back in the day that influenced the business of pirating. The book is written in a fast story telling style with a few doses of snarky added. And - spoiler alert - the real life of pirates was nothing like Pirates of the Caribbean, Disney style. To other readaholics, you will love this book. Good work Laura.

4 people found this helpful

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Marcin W.

Which the facts were not even that great. Some were speculation

February 6, 2018

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Author has her view points which she stresses quite often. Gets very tiring and old after only a few pages. Wish she would have presented the facts and then later her opinion, or maybe stressed her POV in the foreword and then stuck to facts. Which the facts were not even that great. Some were speculation, opinion and very brief. One pirate women, if I remember correctly, was covered in about 1-2 paragraphs. Author also kept referencing other peoples work which just made me want to ditch this book and look up the other works, Very disappointed. I love pirates, real and fictional, both men and women.

I originally got this book for my girlfriend who was interested in women pirates who regards herself as a feminist and she could barely stomach this book. If you are interested in this topic look elsewhere!

One person found this helpful

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Alice M.

Say It, Sister!

December 23, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Well researched, engaging writing, but this is non-fiction so readers who are looking for the author to “fill in the blanks” with rousing tales need to look for historical fiction. The author is wonderfully honest about what can’t be verified and doesn’t pass off her interpretation of the blanks as fact (as happens too often in so called non-fiction aka “fake history.”) As to complaints about the author’s feminist slant, you are entitled to your opinion, but this isn’t a feminist diatribe but a perspective of the facts.

For those who want rousing tales of a fictional female pirate (that would make excellent movies) there is the Bloody Jack series by L. A. Meyer, about the adventures of Jacqueline Faber, an orphaned street urchin who survives to grow into a plucky and savvy pirate and business woman. Like many recent blockbuster movies, this series is written for young adults, so while Jacky isn’t afraid to do what needs to be done it is in self defense, not blood lust.

2 people found this helpful

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Diane Lowe

I thought it was be more like an novel but it's more of a discussion on ...

November 17, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I was excited about the book when I heard the author on NPR. I thought it was be more like an novel but it's more of a discussion on female pirates. It's interesting but I would have loved more of the approach of a novel based on some information and have her fill out the missing facts.

One person found this helpful

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JAFO

Fairly good, but the author's biases get a little tiresome. Skips over considerable known detail.

January 10, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Overall, pretty good.. a little too heavy on the speculation as to the women pirate's thoughts and motivations. The constant assumptions of misogyny without evidence to back it up gets irritating after a while, too. I was disappointed in the way the author glosses over known historical details, such as the exploits of Ching Shih. So much more could have been said about this remarkable woman, but the author chose not to do so.

Could have been a great book, but instead is merely an overview.

One person found this helpful

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A Michigan Down-State "Fudgie"

More like a textbook

November 13, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

It was OK.....very comprehensive...so I tried speed reading through much of it...didn't realize it was nonfiction when I got it. Cudos to the author though for what must have been an exhausting project!

2 people found this helpful

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Sydney Wheeler

She tells the thrilling stories of these amazing women while always asking the key questions

January 26, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Laura Sook Duncombe is the historian I have been looking for since I was a little girl. She tells the thrilling stories of these amazing women while always asking the key questions: Why is this the first we're hearing about them? Why has history remembered them, or failed to remember them, the way they do?

She takes the "His" out of "history" and I struggle to find the words to describe how much I enjoy it. She sprinkles in just the right amount of sass that leaves me cackling. I recommend this book to every non fiction reader in my acquaintance. It is a wonderful read.

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Most recent customer reviews

Murray

Didn’t enjoy it very much

It started out slow then didn’t get any better as it went on. I understand it is difficult to prove much of these contributions but their seemed to be way more speculation than...Read more

Published 7 days ago

Dylan Benito

Three Stars

There were some cool parts, but it was a just okay read.

Published 2 months ago

Amazon Customer

Fantastic read. Get this book!

This book is outstanding. Informative and fun to read. I couldn't put it down!

Published 4 months ago

Gerald A Ney

Three Stars

It covers a lot of ground, but could do with a little less preaching about women's empowerment.

Published 4 months ago

Beatrice Rolston

Of the 25 pirate women listed in this book, 13 are admittedly not verifiable or are downright fictional.

Overall, this was far more disappointing than inspiring. I had high hopes for this book, despite the previous reviews that tried to warn me.Read more

Published 5 months ago

Danny R. Smith Sr.

Three Stars

Not as interesting as I thought it would be.

Published 5 months ago

Richard N. Rusack

This is a boring book. Not at all what I expected

This is a boring book. Not at all what I expected. It seems well researched, but so what? It was difficult to finish....

Published 5 months ago

Lyndon Turner

I love the blend of history and the editorial comments

I love the blend of history and the editorial comments. Obviously written from a woman’s perspective without apology. I love it.Read more

Published 6 months ago

R. White

No doubt about it, un-arrrgh-uably a good read.

An interesting book as background for some RPGs I'm running. It seems that the author has a bias - not without cause, but repeated frequently - about women being overlooked...Read more

Published 6 months ago

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