Cindy Vallar's Blog - Posts Tagged "blackbeard"

Quest for Blackbeard: The True Story of Edward Thache and His World by Baylus C. Brooks

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Who was Blackbeard? The answer to this is far from simple, because many legends surround this elusive person. In Quest for Blackbeard, Brooks sifts through genealogical and historical records to provide a fact-based response to this question. His use of these primary documents, some of which haven’t been seen before, allow him to distill facts from fiction. He does refer to secondary sources, but only to highlight how these narratives diverge from or defend his findings.

Since 1724 and written six years after Blackbeard’s death, a main source on pirates, including Blackbeard, has been Captain Charles Johnson’s A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates ever. Its author was a contemporary, familiar with the political and social constraints of the early eighteenth century. His true identity remains unknown, although Daniel Defoe and Nathaniel Mist are two candidates for this person. Brooks sides with historian Arne Bialuschewski, who makes a good case for the latter being Johnson, and this becomes evident as readers delve into the pages of Quest for Blackbeard. Over time, however, historians have come to recognize that Johnson blurred true history with fiction, so A General History is more semi-biographical in nature. This is why Brooks seeks information from more reliable resources to uncover the truth about Edward Teach, alias Blackbeard the pirate.

While Blackbeard’s piratical career is known, his origins are mired in mystery. Brooks, with assistance from other researchers and genealogists, has uncovered documentary evidence in Jamaica that sheds light on this quandary. Blackbeard’s real name was Edward Thache, although through the years it has been spelled Teach, Thatch, Theach, and Tach – a byproduct of an era when spelling wasn’t uniform. He was probably born in the environs of Bristol, England, and immigrated to Jamaica as a young lad with his parents and sister. His family had wealth and social standing in the island’s capital of Spanish Town (St. Jago de la Vega). During Queen Anne’s War (known as the War of the Spanish Succession in Europe), he served aboard HMS Windsor. While no ship’s logs or muster books support this – and Brooks provides good reasons why this might be – a Jamaican deed provides this information.

History has often been taught in a vacuum, so our understanding of events doesn’t always include the whole picture. In order to truly understand Thache, it’s important to view him from the perspective of the world in which he lived and through the eyes of those who either knew him or were impacted by him. Brooks ably provides this historical context, sometimes diverting from the straight and narrow, but he always brings the focus back to Thache. For this reason, readers simply seeking a book just about Blackbeard won’t find it within these pages. Instead, we are treated to a treasure trove of information that gives a better understanding of Thache’s world, piracy in general, and how politics, the media, and changing attitudes influence how he was and is viewed.

Brooks touches on a wide variety of interconnected topics that may have influenced Blackbeard in varying degrees. These include Jacobites, class, and religion, as well as locations such as Jamaica, the Bahamas, and the Carolinas. Among the many pirates discussed are Elizabethan Sea Dogs, Benjamin Hornigold, Henry Avery, Robert Searle, Charles Vane, Henry Jennings, Samuel Bellamy, and Stede Bonnet. Brooks also spotlights men who either supported or worked against pirates, such as Sir Thomas Modyford, Nicholas Trott, Charles Eden, Tobias Knight, William Rhett, and Alexander Spotswood. By examining all these people within the proper historical context, Brooks suggests we need to revisit and revise our “general modern view of dirty, poor, and destitute pirates, at least their leaders.” (9)

Throughout the 651 pages of this book Brooks shares what other historians and authors have written about Blackbeard. Among these are Peter Earle, Colin Woodard, Marcus Rediker, Mark Hanna, Robert E. Lee, and David Cordingly – names many readers familiar with pirate histories readily recognize. While Brooks agrees with some, he disagrees with others. Authors’ personal biases and agendas influence their writing, and readers should understand these while reading non-fiction. Brooks certainly recognizes this and, for the most part, his presentation is equally weighted; however, his discussions on armchair historians (those with no formal training in historical research) and those who “adopted” Thache as a North Carolinian demonstrate his own biases because the arguments come across more as rants than impartial evaluations.

While revising our understanding of pirates is one of Brooks’ goals in writing Quest for Blackbeard, he states two others. One pertains to corrupt private colonies and the need for “central government control for any progress to commence once . . . Britain dominated in America.” (9) The second pinpoints an epicenter for the dawning of the Golden Age of Piracy: the July 1715 hurricane that resulted in the catastrophic wreck of eleven of Spain’s treasure ships. The information he puts forth in this narrative masterfully supports these goals.

Each of the fifteen chapters begins with a quotation and has numerous subheadings. Footnotes are provided on pages where the source is referred to, but there is no bibliography. This requires readers, who are interested in locating the resource, to find its original footnote for the full citation. Figures (illustrations, maps, family trees, timelines, and charts) are renumbered with each chapter and no master list with page numbers is provided for easy reference. Nor are they always referred to within the narrative. There are three appendices, although the references to them within the narrative aren’t uniformly indicated. (The print in Appendix C is small and may require a magnifying glass to read.) The extensive index, however, mitigates these oversights to some degree.

Quest for Blackbeard is an absorbing account of Brooks’ quest to learn the history behind the legend. He admits that genealogy involves assumptions and identifies where he speculates on some aspects of Thache’s life and his contemporaries. This is why readers will encounter words such as likely, probably, and possibly throughout their reading. But these suppositions don’t detract from the importance of his research. The book is an invaluable addition to any pirate collection, and the “new” historical evidence and thought-provoking conclusions provide stimulating areas for future research and conversation.




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Blackbeard: The Birth of America by Samuel Marquis

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Once an officer in the Royal Navy, Edward Thache (pronounced “Teach”) has become disenchanted with the restrictions and interference the British government in London enacts on her colonies in the New World. Nor is he the only one who feels as he does. A growing portion of sailors, as well as some colonists, see themselves as Americans first and Englishmen second, and their dislike of these infringements and London’s unequal treatment of her colonies mirrors his own. Such thoughts seem foreign to the love of his life, Margaret of Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania. When he announces his intention of sailing to Jamaica to become a privateer and salvage gold from the Spanish treasure fleet wrecked off the coast of La Florida, she sees nothing legal about such a venture. He will just follow in Captain Kidd’s footsteps – become a pirate and hang.

Gold and silver, as well as other riches strewn across the ocean floor in July 1715, lure many others to the wreck site. By the time Edward sets sail in September, arrives in Jamaica to get his commission from the governor, and then heads to the coast of La Florida, little remains to salvage. But Henry Jennings has a plan, and Edward and three other captains join forces to raid the Spanish wreck camp ashore. No sooner do they succeed in capturing the wealth they seek, than Edward realizes he has crossed the threshold Margaret predicted and is now a pirate. No longer able to return to Jamaica or Pennsylvania, the flotilla heads for New Providence; the British colony lacks a government and none seems forthcoming, so the pirates claim it for their own. Two principal factions form this pirate republic: those who follow Jennings, an upper-middle-class landholder from Bermuda, and the Flying Gang, whose leader is Benjamin Hornigold, whom Jennings considers beneath him, a common thief and wrecker with no scruples. Although Edward burns no bridges, he decides to sail in consort with Hornigold.

Alexander Spotswood, the lieutenant governor of Virginia, finds himself once again at odds with the House of Burgesses and other leading citizens of Williamsburg, who disagree with the king’s proclamations, especially those that endanger their livelihoods. Such thoughts not only rub Alexander the wrong way, they also border on being treasonous, for he is a stalwart Loyalist. Nor are they happy with his edicts, which ostensibly are to protect the colony, but always seem to profit him as much as the king and the absentee governor. They are at such loggerheads that they have a representative in London working to have Spotswood recalled.

While these hassles demand much of his attention, Alexander works on another plan – one that involves the treasure wrecks. His advisor cautions against doing so without permission, and once it arrives, Spotswood sends a friend and naval officer on a two-pronged mission: recover what silver and gold he can and then proceed to the Bahamas to determine a truer count of pirate numbers and learn as much as possible about their strengths, weaknesses, and whereabouts. This information will ultimately allow Alexander to devise a plan to eradicate the threat the pirates pose to his colony and trade. During the interim, he explores Virginia and oversees the building of his palace in the capital.

Sent by his owner, Tobias Knight, Caesar accompanies men from Bath County, North Carolina to the wreck site. Soon after he surfaces after one dive, pirates capture their vessel. When the captain discovers that Caesar is an educated slave, he invites Caesar to join the pirates and become a free man. It is an opportunity Caesar welcomes, and he quickly becomes Edward Thache’s trusted steward.

Having taken the path of piracy, Edward understands that he can’t go back to the life he knew. What he doesn’t expect is the lonesomeness that accompanies his new life. To visit his family in Jamaica or Margaret in Pennsylvania risks their lives as well as his own. Even though he is surrounded by his men, whose lives he won’t risk unless he can win, they cannot fill the void he feels until Samuel Bellamy arrives in New Providence. This audacious newcomer pirate had the temerity to steal Jennings’ ship laden with 30,000 pieces of eight after the pirate captain entrusted the vessel into his care. Sam sees himself as a Robin Hood of the sea, which strikes a chord with Edward, and their shared experience in the Royal Navy gives them a bond that allows a friendship to grow. The more time they spend in each other’s company, the more Edward comes to see Sam as a feisty younger brother. But Sam has no qualms about attacking ships of all nations, and this eventually causes a rift within the Flying Gang.

Another newcomer to the pirate republic is Stede Bonnet. Compared with other pirates, he is an odd fellow and his arrival is less than auspicious. Ever since he was a child, Stede dreamed of becoming a successful buccaneer like Sir Henry Morgan and Henry Avery. Death, boredom, a nagging wife, and a deep melancholy eventually lead him to forsake his family and follow his dream. Rather than acquire a ship and crew in normal pirate fashion, he buys the former and hires sailors to go on the account with him. But Stede hasn’t a clue how to sail the ship and his crew shows him little respect. Against their advice, he attacks a more powerful Spanish vessel, which causes the death of many of his men and nearly kills him. With no other options, his men sail to New Providence where the brethren there can deal with Stede.

Most of the Flying Gang pay him little heed, but Edward admires Bonnet’s sloop and has met this gentleman pirate once before, back when he was an honest man. Their similar backgrounds provide a common bond, and Edward offers to repair the sloop and acquire a crew and new captain for her. In exchange, he will give Stede his own cabin aboard his vessel and teach him about navigation and sailing.

In time, news reaches New Providence of Sam Bellamy’s death, King George’s pardon for pirates, and the imminent arrival of Governor Woodes Rogers who has orders to put an end to the pirate republic. Edward senses the tide is changing and the days of pirates are numbered. The more successful he becomes, the more infamous the newspapers paint him. The future looks bleak, but a small beacon of hope offers him way to regain respectability, to marry Margaret, and to settle down to raise a family. While he works toward making his hopes a reality, Spotswood is determined to bring about his demise no matter what.

This historical novel is a riveting portrayal of the legendary Blackbeard, two of the men who sailed with him, and their nemesis Alexander Spotswood. Marquis does a superb job incorporating historical research unveiled in the past two decades with global archival documentation to reconstruct a bygone era in places as they existed during the golden age of piracy. In nearly 400 pages, I came across only one short chapter where Thache’s actions seem out of character, but when you consider that the historical events are equally incongruous, Marquis’ retelling becomes somewhat plausible. The only low mark I give this book concerns the very small font size that was used. It’s a strain on the eyes and makes it easy to lose one’s place.

Marquis does a commendable job sifting through 300 years of myths and legends that surround Thache. The depth of his research and strict adherence to history’s timeline combine to add threads of authenticity to what is in reality a fictional story that allows us to see these men as living, thinking people with hopes and dreams and to understand what motivated them to do as they did. The manner in which Bonnet is depicted makes him less of the anomaly that he is in pirate history. Even though most readers know the outcome of the story as regards Blackbeard, the fight between Lieutenant Maynard and Thache is just as gripping as if we are present to witness the battle. Nor does the story end there. The last chapter where Caesar and Spotswood finally meet is a rousing scene that leaves readers feeling well satisfied and eager to learn more about these characters and piracy in general, not to mention looking forward to reading other stories written by this author.

While I might not see Blackbeard as the patriot that Marquis does, Blackbeard is one of those rare historical novels that transports us back to the past where Thache, Spotswood, Caesar, Bonnet, and all the other pirates and colonists lived in ways that make them truly memorable. Each scene is a you-are-there moment forever frozen in time and each character elicits an emotional response, be it good or bad, with which we can identify. Blackbeard is both thrilling and thought-provoking, and an adventure only a reader with an ardent dislike of historical fiction would want to miss.




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Blackbeard's Sunken Prize: The 300-Year Voyage of Queen Anne's Revenge by Mark Wilde-Ramsing

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Anyone familiar with golden age piracy has probably encountered two names: Blackbeard and Queen Anne’s Revenge. Three hundred years ago, on 10 June 1718, this pirate’s flagship ran aground in North Carolina waters. She remained lost to history until 21 November 1996 when Intersal, a treasure-salvage company, and North Carolina state archaeologists discovered a debris field of cannons and anchors on the seabed. To celebrate the tercentenary of this shipwreck, Wilde-Ramsing and Carnes-McNaughton bring together the findings from their investigation and interpretation of the artifacts of this vessel and the history of her legendary captain. This is not an academic treatise, but a book geared toward lay readers who want to know more about nautical life in the early 1700s, how archaeologists work, and what they discovered.

Blackbeard’s piratical career spanned a mere two years, yet even young children recognize his name. He was born Edward Thache (variant spellings include Thatch and Teach, but the pronunciation mirrors the latter) around 1683 in England, but his family soon moved to Jamaica where he grew up. During Queen Anne’s War (also known in America as the French and Indian War and in Europe as the War of the Spanish Succession), he served aboard a Royal Navy ship before becoming a privateer and later a pirate.

In November 1717, he and his men captured a French privateer-turned-slaver, which he appropriated as his flagship and renamed the Queen Anne’s Revenge. He also acquired fourteen additional crewmen – ten were forced, four joined willingly – and 157 Africans, some of whom would later be sold as slaves. Thus began six months of “hit and run” attacks, in concert with three smaller vessels, on merchant ships in the Caribbean and along the North American coast. At the time of his blockade of Charles Towne in South Carolina, the QAR was armed with forty guns, the same armament found on a fifth rate naval ship – a rare sight in American and Caribbean waters – and, in total, his four ships carried 300 to 400 pirates. Then one day in 1718, the QAR and another vessel grounded on a sandbar in Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina and five months later, Thache was dead and his men were captured or deceased.

This book is divided into eight chapters, each of which focuses on a particular aspect of the history, discovery, or legacy of the QAR.

Meeting a Pirate Captain
A Wild and Crazy Ride
The Prize Is Lost
Opening the Pirate’s Chest
Fragile Remains
An Eye to Detail
A Tale from the High Seas
The Legacy of the Sunken Prize

Interspersed through the chapters are color photographs, pictures, maps, graphs, and tables, as well as two-page, informative essays that examine a subtopic of a particular subject in greater depth.

A Dive to Remember
Queen Anne Appears aboard QAR
Sugar and Slavery
Infestation of Pirates in the New World
North Carolina Invaded by Virginia
Sand and Sonar Provide Unique Protection
Tribute to the Late Phil Masters
Pirate Archaeology and the Archaeology of Pirates
The Sweet Sound of Blackbeard’s Bell
Aprons of Lead
The Duties of a Ship Surgeon
Tales of Pirate Repasts
The Pirates “Stript Them Naked”
Dive Down!

These are written either by the book’s authors or other contributors. Enhancing the reading experience are end notes, which indicate consulted sources and add extra tidbits of information not found within the text, and an index.

Blackbeard’s Sunken Prize is a fascinating exploration of history and seafaring life, and a compelling collection of artifacts, what archaeologists do, and how they concluded that this was indeed the wreckage of Blackbeard’s pirate ship. Tantalizing tidbits of treasure abound within the pages of this comprehensive volume. Particularly intriguing are the artist’s rendering of excavation activities on two expeditions (page 65); the challenges faced in balancing public interest and researching the site; what materials have survived the passage of time and the environment’s impact on the wreckage; how archaeologists tracked down information to learn as much as possible about specific artifacts; learning what happened to various people after the wreck in 1718; and discovering that there is still more to excavate and analyze. Aside from being an invaluable addition to any collection on pirate history and Edward Thache, this volume serves as an excellent introduction to a career in archaeology and the legacy that the history, site, artifacts, and research provide to current and future generations.




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A Pirate's Life in the Golden Age of Piracy by Robert Jacob

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This hardback book resembles a chronological encyclopedia, of which the majority (forty-one of the sixty chapters) recounts the history of piracy during the golden age. The remainder focuses on aspects of pirate life. Three chapters introduce the subject before the author subdivides the most prolific period in pirate history into four time segments: The Buccaneers 1640-1670, The Buccaneer Pirates 1670-1702, Pirates and Privateers of the War of 1702-1713, and The Pyrates 1714-1722. He also focuses on three particular pirates, whom he identifies as classic representatives of the men who hunted during this time span: Henry Morgan, Blackbeard, and John “Bartholomew” Roberts.

Jacob correctly points out that during these eighty-two years, political support and society’s acceptance of these marauding men and women did not remain static. The same holds true for why they went on the account. This was a time of flux, where one year pirates might be deemed acceptable comrades, but the next they were seen as enemies to be eradicated.

Among the many people and topics discussed in the history section are Christopher Myngs, François L’Olonnais, Henry Morgan’s lawsuit pertaining to the English translation of Alexandre Exquemelin’s The Buccaneers of America, Port Royal, Petit Goave, Michel de Grammont Le Chevalier, Laurens Cornelius Boudewijn de Graaf, William Dampier, Thomas Tew, Governor Benjamin Fletcher, Robert Searle, Marcus Hook, William Snelgrave, Howell Davis, and many more. Some of these can be found in most pirate histories, but others are either merely mentioned or not included at all. The lifestyle section covers such aspects as tools of the trade (ships, weapons, navigation), treasure, food, captives, and textiles.

Scattered throughout this volume are seventy-three pictures and maps. Jacob also includes sidebar notes to point out important dates, key points, and specific people, or to define unfamiliar words. There are no footnotes or endnotes to identify source material quotations and statements. Nor is there an index, which makes it difficult for readers to locate specific information. He does, however, include a glossary and bibliography.

Lack of consistency and clarity are two aspects that readers will notice as they read this book. For example, sometimes ships’ names are italicized; sometimes they are not even in the same paragraph. Several times the text says that a particular subject will be discussed later in chapter; in actuality, the discussion takes part later in the book, which breaks the narrative’s flow and makes it difficult for readers to know where the particular subject matter continues.

There are a number of missing words and misspellings and “many” and “most” are overused. While newspaper articles are a great source of information for cultural aspects of the period, they must be taken with the same grain of salt in which the author objects to the use of Charles Johnson’s A General History of Pirates as a reliable resource. Newspaper editors embellished stories the same way Johnson did, yet Jacob seems to take the articles at face value. Another questionable source is The Pirates Own Book; in fact, Jacob states that “It appears to be accurate.” (125) In actuality, this resource is just as questionable in its historical accuracy as Johnson’s book is.

He believes that Edward Thache and Edward Beard are two acquaintances who went to sea, but that Thache died and Beard adopted his name as alias. If any evidence exists to support this highly speculative hypothesis, Jacob doesn’t provide it. There are a few factual errors. For example, two men who were aboard Whydah at the time of her demise did survive the wreck. Contrary to the author’s belief that “Black” as a name is related to the pirates’ black flags (229), (as in Black Sam Bellamy) the adjective actually refers to the person’s swarthy appearance. Jasper Seagar and Edward England were not the same person.

Jacob is an historical reenactor, whose pursuit of history and historical accuracy led him to write this book. This research shines through in the amount of material that he provides, although some readers may prefer a greater focus on pirate life than the history of these sea rovers, especially since that was a primary reason for his writing this volume. Aside from providing readers with a well-rounded picture of the time period, he also explores what may have motivated the pirates to do what they did. There are times when he inserts his own thoughts into the recounting; these appear in a different font from the main text so readers can easily separate fact from opinion.

Its value lies not in being a book for reading night after night, but in the abundance of information contained within nearly 500 pages. Overall, with the caveats in mind, this is a good resource for those in search of a comprehensive volume on pirate history during the buccaneering and golden piracy eras.

(This review originally appeared at Pirates & Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Jacob.html...)



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Blackbeard: The Truth Revealed by Robert Jacob

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Everyone knows the story of Blackbeard, or do they? Myth and legend permeate Edward Thache’s life, which is why Jacob delves further to separate fact from fiction in his latest offering. Comprised of thirty-six chapters, this book attempts to examine all aspects of Blackbeard’s entire life. Jacob relies primarily on contemporary documents to accomplish this goal, although there are instances where he uses poetic license to enliven some events for readers rather than presenting a list of dry facts.

As much as he wants to tell Blackbeard’s story from beginning to end, there are occasional gaps in the historical record. When these occur, Jacob does speculate; that speculation, which is usually identified as such, is grounded in facts and schooled hypothesis. If he cannot provide an educated response, he shares existing viewpoints and discusses the pros and cons of conclusions drawn by “historian authors.” (He uses this collective term to denote professional historians, amateur researchers like himself, and authors who write on subjects of interest.)

The opening chapters lay the groundwork for readers and discuss Jacob’s search for information, the many variations of Blackbeard’s name (Thach, Teach, and Thache to name a few), Jacobite pirates, the scavenging of the 1715 treasure fleet, early pirates of the golden age (Benjamin Hornigold and Henry Jennings, for example), and Captain Charles Johnson’s bestseller and the start of the Blackbeard legends. Chapters six through twenty-five examine Thache’s early years to his demise at Ocracoke at the hands of Lieutenant Robert Maynard and his men. Among the topics covered here are Stede Bonnet and his partnership with Blackbeard, Queen Anne’s Revenge, various cruises, the siege of Charles Town, South Carolina, and Thache’s time in places like Bath, North Carolina and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The subsequent five chapters deal with the aftermath of the Ocracoke battle and the politics involved, what happens to the crew, and the charges levied against Tobias Knight, a government official in colonial North Carolina. The final six chapters examine the legends and mysteries surrounding Israel Hands, Black Beard and Edward Thache, and Blackbeard’s wife, as well as some of the stories of the pirate and his treasure.

Sidebar notes define words (an example being reales, a Spanish coin of silver) or provide historical facts (such as 1603-1625 when James I ruled England or HMS Scarborough, a fifth-rate warship, carried thirty-two guns). Eighty-six black-&-white figures (maps, illustrations, and historical documents) are included as is an appendix that summarizes pirate activity (not just Blackbeard’s), vessels taken and what happens to them, and the dates of the attacks. In addition to end notes, there is a glossary, a bibliography, and an index.

In his preface, Jacob identifies this book as “the first comprehensive and definitive look at the world’s most famous pirate.” (xii) This is accurate because he also looks at more than just the historical Blackbeard, whereas Baylus C. Brooks’s Quest for Blackbeard focuses almost exclusively on the historical record and who Blackbeard is and the world in which he lives. Together they make compelling resources for anyone who wants to know the truth and seeks the historical evidence without having to do the hands-on research themselves. The difference between the two books is that the latter is written by an academic historian, whereas Jacob is a reenactor who thrives on ferreting out the truth and sharing that knowledge with readers.

While this is a fascinating investigation into the man who was Blackbeard and the myths surrounding him, there are occasional missteps. Contrary to Jacob’s belief in Arne Bialuschewski’s 2004 theory, there is no definitive proof that Captain Johnson and Nathaniel Mist are one and the same. A copyeditor would have picked up on some of the misspellings, incomplete sentences, and formatting issues. There are times when the phrasing of sentences presents something as fact, when it’s actually Jacob’s belief. One example occurs when Blackbeard and Hornigold are discussing the King’s pardon. “John Martin was certainly in on the discussion, as well as Blackbeard’s current quartermaster, William Howard.” (150) This is supposition because there is no historical record of the meeting that lists who was or wasn’t there.

What Jacob does well is to show his resources and the depth of his research. He clearly demonstrates that the story of Blackbeard is “the most complicated pirate tale ever told. There is nothing straightforward about it. Political intrigue abounds. Challenging relationships within his crew and between him and his partners add to the complexity.” (1)

(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/adult-bio-...)



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Blackbeard, Feared Pirate Captain by Jessica Gunderson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


When England is at war with France, a youth named Edward Teach joins a crew of privateers, but when peace comes, he signs aboard a pirate ship captained by the infamous Benjamin Hornigold, who teaches Edward how to be a pirate. Before long, he becomes famous in his own right and earns a moniker that instills fear in anyone who crosses his path: Blackbeard.

Rather than farm the land, John Roberts joins the British Navy and seeks adventure. Later, he joins the crew of a merchant ship, which encounters pirates. He is forced to join their ranks, but soon discovers that the perks of plundering other ships will make his life richer. When his captain is ambushed and slain, the crew elects Roberts to be their commander. He chooses a new name and wreaks havoc everywhere he sails in Black Bart.

Daughter of a chieftain and pirate, Grace O’Malley chops off her hair and hides aboard her father’s ship until they are so far out at sea that he can’t tell her to go home. The day eventually comes when her mother puts her foot down and Grace must follow the traditional role of a woman in 16th-century Ireland. Later, she returns to the sea to become a pirate leader and dares to meet face-to-face with the English queen to save her son in Grace O’Malley.

To survive, young Ching Shih serves men who visit her place of work. She overhears men talking, and she offers the information to a pirate for a price. They marry and she becomes his partner. Their success garners them many riches and much power. When her husband dies, she finds a way to continue to lead the Red Fleet and to instill fear in the heart of the Chinese emperor in Ching Shih.

Notorious Pirates is a series of four graphic novels geared toward pirate apprentices. Each pirate’s life unfolds from earliest days to the end of his or her piratical career. Fact is entwined with legend, sometimes to fill in gaps, sometimes to further entice readers. Each book is divided into five chapters and includes additional facts about the pirate, a glossary, and several internet sites where additional information can be found. The text combines dialogue and narrative to provide a cohesive tale from start to finish. The artwork grabs the reader’s attention and the artists incorporate a variety of techniques to instill emotion into the scenes. Those found in Blackbeard are particularly good at portraying victims’ terror and Blackbeard’s fearsomeness. I particularly like how the artists of this book depict the final battle between Blackbeard and Lieutenant Maynard; it’s visually stunning without being bloody and gory. Equally compelling is how the artists depict a duel between a pirate and a sailor in Black Bart.

There are some issues with the books that may or may not bother readers. Unfortunately, the inclusion of websites is problematic. It’s great to provide additional information, but not all of the URLs are current. For example, the last one listed in Grace O’Malley – Twinkl: Who Was Grace O’Malley? – is no longer viable. I did a search to see whether the URL had changed, but the information that answers the question is no longer there. Instead “Grace O’Malley” turned up a variety of visuals and activities for use in the classroom.

While most of the artwork vividly depicts scenes and action, the graphics do have some shortcomings. The clothing in Grace O’Malley is that of a later period than the one in which she lives. Vessels of the 1500s do not have staircases – nor do those of Blackbeard’s days – and the types of cannons used on the ships differ from those of later centuries. The vessels Ching Shih and her pirates sail are junks, yet those pictured show them as being predominately Western-style ships. This detracts from the setting and misleads the reader.

There are also a few historical inaccuracies. One graphic perpetuates the myth of walking the plank. The golden age of piracy does not begin in 1701; it occurs after the War of the Spanish Succession ends in the next decade. This is supposedly why Blackbeard turns to piracy. While the depiction of how he meets Stede Bonnet is humorous, in actuality, Bonnet is gravely injured and on the mend at the time Blackbeard commandeers Bonnet’s ship.

Since this series is geared toward younger pirates in training (Reading Level: grades 2-3, Interest Level: 4-6), these books will be popular with this age group and the reinforced library bindings of the hardback editions guarantee they will stand up to frequent usage. They serve as good introductions to the pirates, and the inclusion of two females and two males ensures that the books will interest girls and boys equally. The stories do gloss over some of the seamier aspects of these pirates’ lives, so parents and teachers need not worry about this. I recommend that further investigations into these pirates be paired with these books so readers receive a fuller and more accurate picture of who Grace O’Malley, Blackbeard, Black Bart, and Ching Shih really were.


(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/YA-biograp...)



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