Tag: maritime history

  • Woman, Captain, Rebel by Margaret Willson

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Woman, Captain, Rebel: I would not recommend living in Iceland in the 1800s. Quick synopsis: The life of Captain Thurídur, Iceland’s most famous female sea captain, in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: In 1783, a massive volcanic eruption decimated Iceland which would ultimately kill…

  • Sinkable by Daniel Stone

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Sinkable: Yet another reason not to go on a boat. Quick synopsis: A look at the history of ships and shipwrecks through the lens of the Titanic. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Scientists believe the Titanic will disappear altogether within the next few decades. Fun Fact for History Nerds: Scientists…

  • The Black Joke by A. E. Rooks

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Black Joke: If you can’t beat them, steal their ship and then beat them. Quick synopsis: A story of a slave ship turned freedom ship off the coast of Africa in the 1800s. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: A quarter of all the freed enslaved people were courtesy of…

  • Black Flags, Blue Waters by Eric Jay Dolin

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Black Flags, Blue Waters: The English are the reason we can’t have nice things like a Pirate Republic. Quick synopsis: An overview of piracy in the Americas. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Blackbeard was actually one of the least violent popular pirates. He used theatrics (like lighting fuses and sticking…

  • Born to Be Hanged by Keith Thomson

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Born to Be Hanged: The title is already really good. Quick synopsis: The story of one of the most audacious pirate raids ever on the Pacific Coast of the Americas in 1680. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The pirates immensely enjoyed a sour beer with their native hosts at one…

  • Pirate Queens by Rebecca Alexandra Simon

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Pirate Queens: Pirating is a very short career choice. Quick synopsis: The story of notorious female pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Bonny and Read were only pirates for two months. Fun Fact for History Nerds: During the 17th and 18th centuries, half of all…

  • A Flick of Sunshine by Frederic and Alexander Hill

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for A Flick of Sunshine: If your boat gets shipwrecked, never sail again. Quick synopsis: A biography of Richard Willis Jackson who had some of the most amazing bad luck and good luck simultaneously. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Coconut milk was used by islanders in the Pacific when they had…

  • The Republic of Pirates by Colin Woodard

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Republic of Pirates: The English are the reason we can’t have nice things like a Pirate Republic. Quick synopsis: The story of how pirates tried to create their own society and the man who destroyed it. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The Golden Age of Piracy was relatively short…

  • Enemy of All Mankind by Steven Johnson

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Enemy of all Mankind: Piracy, the original get rich quick scheme or die trying. Quick synopsis: The story of arch-pirate Henry Every. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Henry Every is the most successful pirate of all time. He was only a pirate for two years. He was also never caught.…