Pirate Women

The Princesses, Prostitutes, and Privateers Who Ruled the Seven Seas

By: Laura Sook Duncombe

Narrated by: Hillary Huber

Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

In the first-ever 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 400 ships off China in the early 19th 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.

©2017 Laura Sook Duncombe (P)2017 Tantor

Critic reviews

"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)

Satisfactory

It’s a good book. A lot of other reviews are down marking it due to some of its historical inaccuracy but that fact is it’s nature and Duncombe differentiates exactly what is fact and fiction and (unknown which one). The only thing I didn’t like was the clear 4th wave feminist biased she exhibits throughout the novel but especially her conspiracy theories about the patriarchy in film in the last chapter.

Good, I liked it

Interesting to hear about more female pirates than I was aware of. It was padded out more than I would have liked with current social commentary than I cared for but a good listen

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Fantastic Book & Narration

I read a lot of pirate books -nonfiction and fiction and this is my favorite. It explores women pirates that weren’t even mentioned in other books as well as how these women’s stories are perceived and were recorded. The narrator was also excellent.

Storytelling at It’s Finest

Fascinating look at the history of Pirate Women that includes researched-based facts as well as long-supported myths. All accounts are woven into a full-throttled, highly-accessible her-story of brave women out to get what some would deny them. Laura Sook Duncombe’s historical tapestry successfully brings it all home to 21st century women. Hillary Huber offers a pitch-perfect performance.

New stories to learn

As a pirate fan, I had to pick up this audiobook and it was so interesting!!! I really like how it goes through time, and it doesn't only focus on pirates as we see them, it's very much about women in the margin of society, that had to turn to other means during their lives, and there is very much a conversation about women in society, and the power you can have as your own, and also how that power most often will relate to men, because of the patriarchy...
Then focusing on the Golden Age, which is the one I read the most about, this book had a lot of interesting things to say, focusing on women outside of Anne Bonny and Mary Read, and then with these curious theories - that are exactly just theories - about some other pirates, including Black Bart, and one of Blackbeard's wives, that I certainly want to hear about!!!
This was definitely a fascinating read and you'll learn things you haven't hear about before!!!

Pirate Women!

History has numerous examples of pirate men, but how about pirate women? This book does a great job of telling the stories of pirate women throughout history.

I just like this book

I like the progression and the storytelling. I have a hard copy and an audible version. I probably listen 3-4 times a year. There are so many characters that re-listening (rereading) is like a refresher for anything first missed. Or a story to revisit because it was simply a good story.

History should always be told as stories

Engaging to listen to, with a broad scope and depth - rising and falling, speeding up and slowing down like good fiction. Satisfying in a way that so much factual information rarely is. All that and a call to arms too - I feel inspired! The narrator is also a good match to the text - she adds so much warmth it feels like I’m listening to the storyteller directly.

bedtime stories

Excellent book, good to fall asleep to, narrator has too soothing/robotic voice to listen otherwise