The Last Pirate of New York

A Ghost Ship, a Killer, and the Birth of a Gangster Nation

By: Rich Cohen

Narrated by: Ari Fliakos, Rich Cohen

Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Was he New York City’s last pirate...or its first gangster? This is the true story of the bloodthirsty underworld legend who conquered Manhattan, dock by dock - for fans of Gangs of New York and Boardwalk Empire.

“History at its best...I highly recommend this remarkable book.” (Douglas Preston, number one New York Times best-selling author of The Lost City of the Monkey God)

Handsome and charismatic, Albert Hicks had long been known in the dive bars and gin joints of the Five Points, the most dangerous neighborhood in maritime Manhattan. For years, he operated out of the public eye, rambling from crime to crime, working on the water in ships, sleeping in the nickel-a-night flops, drinking in barrooms where rat-baiting and bear-baiting were great entertainments.

His criminal career reached its peak in 1860, when he was hired, under an alias, as a hand on an oyster sloop. His plan was to rob the ship and flee, disappearing into the teeming streets of lower Manhattan, as he’d done numerous times before, eventually finding his way back to his nearsighted Irish immigrant wife (who, like him, had been disowned by her family) and their infant son. But the plan went awry - the ship was found listing and unmanned in the foggy straits of Coney Island - and the voyage that was to enrich him instead led to his last desperate flight.

Long fascinated by gangster legends, Rich Cohen tells the story of this notorious underworld figure, from his humble origins to the wild, globe-crossing, bacchanalian crime spree that forged his ruthlessness and his reputation, to his ultimate incarnation as a demon who terrorized lower Manhattan, at a time when pirates anchored off 14th Street.

Advance praise for The Last Pirate of New York:

“A remarkable work of scholarship about old New York, combined with a skillfully told, edge-of-your-seat adventure story - I could not put it down.” (Ian Frazier, author of Travels in Siberia)

“With its wise and erudite storytelling, Rich Cohen’s The Last Pirate of New York takes the reader on an exciting nonfiction narrative journey that transforms a grisly nineteenth-century murder into a shrewd portent of modern life. Totally unique, totally compelling, I enjoyed every page.” (Howard Blum, New York Times best-selling author of Gangland and American Lightning)

©2019 Rich Cohen (P)2019 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“The Last Pirate of New York is an absolutely incredible true story. From the opening scene of a blood-drenched ship drifting in the fog, severed fingers lying on deck, to the evocative depictions of the New York waterfront teeming with murderers, mountebanks, and crooks, this is not a book for the faint of heart. Rich Cohen’s research is masterful, and he brings alive nineteenth-century New York in raucous and fascinating detail. This is history at its best, full of drama, crime, dogged detectives, curious characters, smoky taverns, and dark byways. I highly recommend this remarkable book.” (Douglas Preston, number one New York Times best-selling author of The Lost City of the Monkey God)

“The Last Pirate of New York is a riveting tale of Gotham City’s first gangster and most notorious serial killer. Rich Cohen, a superb writer and brilliant storyteller, delivers a chilling true-crime narrative - from murders to manhunt, courtroom to gallows. This book takes you to the darkest places of the human soul, and will keep you up all night once you start it.”(Linda Fairstein, author of the Alexandra Cooper crime novels)

“Rich Cohen has a knack for finding untold stories, and a talent for telling them exceptionally well. The tale of the murderous Albert Hicks is by turns upsetting, surprising, grisly, and peculiarly seductive - in other words, perfect material for this fine and original writer.” (Daniel Okrent, author of The Guarded Gate)

Not Great, But Interesting

Interesting story about Albert Hicks, a vicious 19th-century killer. The narration was a bit like listening to Jack Webb's 'Dragnet' voice-overs, but I suppose I got used to it. The case that Hicks was 'the first gangster' wasn't made, in my opinion. In fact, it seemed to be more a promotional angle than an actual historical reality. That said, the story is well told, thanks to an abundance of contemporary records, newspaper stories, and the criminal's confession.

Could have been a long New Yorker article

Interesting historical story, but Cohen stretched the source material with too many inferences and not enough facts. His premise was that Hicks was the missing link in a NY criminal genealogy bridging the eras of Captain Kid and Lucky Luciano, but he provided scant evidence beyond his own hardboiled assertions. Those men were leaders and organizers of vast enterprises while Hicks was just a psychopath, more in the vein of a Carl Panzram than a Meyer Lansky. Further, the repeated claims that Hicks in some way epitomized the dark side of America's fundamental nature was overblown and, again, unsupported. An interesting approach would have been viewing Hicks as a virus, a mindless destruction unleashed by the mobility and anonymity of the Industrial Revolution presaging the more famous psychopaths of the post Civil War wild west.

Great Book on lost History

This was a interesting book on the last real pirate on NYC. Well written book.

Argh, It's a Good Read!

I loved this book. The history of NYC is fascinating. This was the fastest 7 hours!

Incredible book!

This book was fascinating from the very beginning. Just when I thought the end was coming, you get two more hours of fascinating story about this larger than life character notice Albert Hicks. Highly recommend!

Facinating

A somewhat obscure story that really comes to life and paints a great portrait of the times. The narration by Mr. Fliakos is excellent, the narrative leaves you waiting on the next twist and turn.

When is the Movie coming out?

One of the best listenings I have had in a long time. This should be made into a movie. I have spent so much of my youth fishing in many of the NY Bay areas mentioned in the book never realizing that something like that took place there. Amazing details as well.

Fantastic

Great book. Highly recommended. Thanks for the suggestion Ben Shapiro. If you like crime books, this is for you.

Add this to the historical canon of NYC

Rich Cohen took a deep dive into original documents to put together a terrific yarn. He ties together modern gangster lore with pirate tales of the 19th century. Was much more fun to listen rather than read, although I really liked reading Tough Jews.
Highly recommend checking this out.

Chilling

This tale carries lessons deep under the story surface. For you to fathom, dear companion reader.