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The Pirate's Wife: The Remarkable True Story of Sarah Kidd
The dramatic and deliciously swashbuckling story of Sarah Kidd, the wife of the famous pirate Captain Kidd, charting her transformation from New York socialite to international outlaw during the Golden Age of Piracy
Captain Kidd was one of the most notorious pirates to ever prowl the seas. But few know that Kidd had an accomplice, a behind-the-scenes player who enabled his plundering and helped him outpace his enemies.
That accomplice was his wife, Sarah Kidd, a well-to-do woman whose extraordinary life is a lesson in reinvention and resourcefulness. Twice widowed by twenty-one and operating within the strictures of polite society in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century New York, Sarah secretly aided and abetted her husband, fighting alongside him against his accusers. More remarkable still was that Sarah not only survived the tragedy wrought by her infamous husband’s deeds, but went on to live a successful and productive life as one of New York’s most prominent citizens.
Marshaling in newly discovered primary-source documents from archives in London, New York and Boston, historian and journalist Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos reconstructs the extraordinary life of Sarah Kidd, uncovering a rare example of the kind of life that pirate wives lived during the Golden Age of Piracy. A compelling tale of love, treasure, motherhood and survival, this landmark work of narrative nonfiction weaves together the personal and the epic in a sweeping historical story of romance and adventure.
Captain Kidd was one of the most notorious pirates to ever prowl the seas. But few know that Kidd had an accomplice, a behind-the-scenes player who enabled his plundering and helped him outpace his enemies.
That accomplice was his wife, Sarah Kidd, a well-to-do woman whose extraordinary life is a lesson in reinvention and resourcefulness. Twice widowed by twenty-one and operating within the strictures of polite society in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century New York, Sarah secretly aided and abetted her husband, fighting alongside him against his accusers. More remarkable still was that Sarah not only survived the tragedy wrought by her infamous husband’s deeds, but went on to live a successful and productive life as one of New York’s most prominent citizens.
Marshaling in newly discovered primary-source documents from archives in London, New York and Boston, historian and journalist Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos reconstructs the extraordinary life of Sarah Kidd, uncovering a rare example of the kind of life that pirate wives lived during the Golden Age of Piracy. A compelling tale of love, treasure, motherhood and survival, this landmark work of narrative nonfiction weaves together the personal and the epic in a sweeping historical story of romance and adventure.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published November 8, 2022
About the author
Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos
2 books17 followersDr. Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos is a historian, journalist and author of The Pirate Next Door: The Untold Story of Eighteenth Century Pirates' Wives, Families and Communities (Carolina Academic Press, 2017) and The Pirate's Wife: The Remarkable True Story of Sarah Kidd (Hanover Square Press, an imprint of HarperCollins, November, 2022). Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, the Washington Post, Southern Living, Virginia Business and other outlets. She lives in South Yarmouth, Massachusetts with her husband, David.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
June 18, 2023
Historian and researcher, Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos, has written a fascinating biography, The Pirate's Wife: The Remarkable True Story of Sarah Kidd, which is based in the late 1600s and early 1700s. Sarah Kidd's mother passed away when Sarah was a young child. Her first two husbands died by the time she was twenty-one years old. Based on cultural and marital norms during the 1600s, Sarah's personal successes were very much dependent on the men she married.
She wed Captain William Kidd two days after her second husband's death. There isn't a lot of information about how or why her second husband died. What is clear is that Sarah and William loved each other very much. Captain Kidd was a Scottish sailor who moved to New York. He was commissioned by Earl of Bellomont, the governor of New York, to protect English interests in North America and the West Indies while at sea.
Captain Kidd was at sea for three years. The book describes the thin line between privateer and pirate. The political winds changed while Kidd was away and he was tried and executed for piracy. He is viewed as an infamous, notorious pirate with possible treasure buried somewhere near Long Island.
The book focuses on Sarah's resourcefulness and reinvention, particularly with so many deaths during her life. As the wife of an accused pirate, she faced incarceration and being charged as an accomplice.
She wed Captain William Kidd two days after her second husband's death. There isn't a lot of information about how or why her second husband died. What is clear is that Sarah and William loved each other very much. Captain Kidd was a Scottish sailor who moved to New York. He was commissioned by Earl of Bellomont, the governor of New York, to protect English interests in North America and the West Indies while at sea.
Captain Kidd was at sea for three years. The book describes the thin line between privateer and pirate. The political winds changed while Kidd was away and he was tried and executed for piracy. He is viewed as an infamous, notorious pirate with possible treasure buried somewhere near Long Island.
The book focuses on Sarah's resourcefulness and reinvention, particularly with so many deaths during her life. As the wife of an accused pirate, she faced incarceration and being charged as an accomplice.
November 16, 2022
whew, a swing and a miss for me. clunky, awkward prose from an untrained non-fiction writer who does not know how to edit (did we really need to know the exhaustive lists of specific gifts the random people and landlords received as thanks? no. no we did not.) the author also has a habit of naming random people without introduction which makes it very hard to follow (it almost seems as if the author is presuming some knowledge of the subject on our part, which for a trade biography book is a bit strange). the lack of context as to the greater historical situation at the time re: the golden age of piracy also makes this a difficult read for people not already familiar with the time period. at times it read like a book report.
furthermore the assumptions made (the governor hesitated to arrest kidd in boston because he was...impressed by the love between him and his wife? what?) were thin and at times really odd, and when there was speculation or a description of the "likely scene", it was badly executed (the description of sarah's arrest for example - not sure we needed the author's weird invention of how, specifically, the soldiers might have manhandled her). and then you have sentences like this: "Sarah was using Bellomont, luring him with her charm, just like he had lured them to Boston under false pretenses. She was playing cat and mouse with him, a shrewd move under the cover of sweet marital love. Her street-savvy smarts were at full power" - that are just straight up cringe. the author's clumsy attempt also to build narrative tension by telling the story out of order just makes it more confusing in the end. (why, when we know so little about sarah kidd's life, would you gloss over william kidd's actual piracy career, cramming it into a single short chapter? and what a missed opportunity, especially after an exhaustive description of 17th c. piracy's surprisingly democratic culture, to complicate it with kidd's reported violence and brutality - not to mention sarah's complicity in it. a single paragraph condemning sarah for not "using her power in the relationship" to convince him to free his slaves is...not it.)
also just unbearably cheesy also the way the author keeps referring to "pirate's wife" as a title. "the pirate's wife had taken on the governor and won..." "the pirate’s wife survival kit..." etc. - lord please spare me
interesting historical subject but in untrained hands it falls flat. sorry babes this did not hit for me
furthermore the assumptions made (the governor hesitated to arrest kidd in boston because he was...impressed by the love between him and his wife? what?) were thin and at times really odd, and when there was speculation or a description of the "likely scene", it was badly executed (the description of sarah's arrest for example - not sure we needed the author's weird invention of how, specifically, the soldiers might have manhandled her). and then you have sentences like this: "Sarah was using Bellomont, luring him with her charm, just like he had lured them to Boston under false pretenses. She was playing cat and mouse with him, a shrewd move under the cover of sweet marital love. Her street-savvy smarts were at full power" - that are just straight up cringe. the author's clumsy attempt also to build narrative tension by telling the story out of order just makes it more confusing in the end. (why, when we know so little about sarah kidd's life, would you gloss over william kidd's actual piracy career, cramming it into a single short chapter? and what a missed opportunity, especially after an exhaustive description of 17th c. piracy's surprisingly democratic culture, to complicate it with kidd's reported violence and brutality - not to mention sarah's complicity in it. a single paragraph condemning sarah for not "using her power in the relationship" to convince him to free his slaves is...not it.)
also just unbearably cheesy also the way the author keeps referring to "pirate's wife" as a title. "the pirate's wife had taken on the governor and won..." "the pirate’s wife survival kit..." etc. - lord please spare me
interesting historical subject but in untrained hands it falls flat. sorry babes this did not hit for me
November 6, 2022
An interesting look at Sarah Kidd, the wife of privateer/pirate Captain Kidd. The author does a good job giving you the feel for what early colonial New York life was like, and I liked seeing a different angle on the story of pirates. I wasn't thrilled with all the speculative parts-what Sarah must have done/felt/thought/etc.- those put me off, and there were times where the writing wasn't the best, but still and interesting and informative book for history lovers.
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
June 24, 2022
The works I have been reading lately have largely centered around Pirates and otherwise New York History. There've been a few exceptions. Even what doesn't seem to have an immediate association did end up with some connective tissue. It's been a great year for reading.
When I first came across this book, I had just finished a biography on Captain Kidd. It occurred to me that by learning more about his wife, I would get a look at that period and Pirates in general from a different point of view. I finished another book on a pirate, that of Captain Ned Low, a few days ago. That was adequate but it suffered the faults many books on Pirates do. There simply isn't that much unbiased or otherwise completely fabricated documentation on them. So where do we go? To fill the holes in history, we should start with those who were connected to these fabled people.
Sarah's story starts long before and ends long after her time with Kidd. He is husband number three (of four). She is a socialite of New York who, based on her actions in trying to save her Husband's life, must have been a force of a woman. There is much said about her early marriages and life in New York. The betrayal of Captain Kidd seems to hijack the story. Sure, the point is that she was, for a time, the wife of a Pirate. But for the years he is at sea and never returns I wished we had more on the day-to-day life of Sarah. What else was going on in her world?
A tidbit I hadn't known was that for a spell, Sarah and her fourth husband lived in Rahway, NJ. There is a persistent rumor that I feel has no weight to it that some of Captain Kidd's treasure is buried along the Rahway River. I lived for a while in Rahway. For all of its mentions of George Washington and other historical figures, I've never seen a single mention of her there outside of this narrative. She's not as prominent as a founding father but wife of a pirate has some heft to it.
This is a wonderful biography of Sarah and a great insight into her relationship with Kidd. The glutton in me wishes there was more but I'll take what I can get.
When I first came across this book, I had just finished a biography on Captain Kidd. It occurred to me that by learning more about his wife, I would get a look at that period and Pirates in general from a different point of view. I finished another book on a pirate, that of Captain Ned Low, a few days ago. That was adequate but it suffered the faults many books on Pirates do. There simply isn't that much unbiased or otherwise completely fabricated documentation on them. So where do we go? To fill the holes in history, we should start with those who were connected to these fabled people.
Sarah's story starts long before and ends long after her time with Kidd. He is husband number three (of four). She is a socialite of New York who, based on her actions in trying to save her Husband's life, must have been a force of a woman. There is much said about her early marriages and life in New York. The betrayal of Captain Kidd seems to hijack the story. Sure, the point is that she was, for a time, the wife of a Pirate. But for the years he is at sea and never returns I wished we had more on the day-to-day life of Sarah. What else was going on in her world?
A tidbit I hadn't known was that for a spell, Sarah and her fourth husband lived in Rahway, NJ. There is a persistent rumor that I feel has no weight to it that some of Captain Kidd's treasure is buried along the Rahway River. I lived for a while in Rahway. For all of its mentions of George Washington and other historical figures, I've never seen a single mention of her there outside of this narrative. She's not as prominent as a founding father but wife of a pirate has some heft to it.
This is a wonderful biography of Sarah and a great insight into her relationship with Kidd. The glutton in me wishes there was more but I'll take what I can get.
January 6, 2023
Would have been much more interesting had it been written as historical fiction. Every other mention of Sarah was "Sarah may have felt". It was repetitive and tiresome to read speculation on what was billed as "the remarkable true story".
December 7, 2022
I was seduced by the title. With the exception of one chapter on the "Golden Age of Piracy" this is an account of the life of a woman named Sarah who went through husbands every several years. one of those was Captain Kidd.
This is a well-researched book and, especially in the first half, the history of early colonial New York and life was interesting. There was much supposition and guesswork, but the historical background was interesting. Once Kidd was convicted and hanged, though, the book ends with scores of pages of filler.
"The Remarkable True Story" is not that interesting. The background is.
This is a well-researched book and, especially in the first half, the history of early colonial New York and life was interesting. There was much supposition and guesswork, but the historical background was interesting. Once Kidd was convicted and hanged, though, the book ends with scores of pages of filler.
"The Remarkable True Story" is not that interesting. The background is.
November 16, 2022
There are some interesting segments and bits of information here, but unfortunately it doesn't really seem like the author had enough sourcing / primary information to write this book. It feels like almost every other sentence includes phrases like "X probably did this" or "X likely felt" or "X surely would have." A TON of supposition and filling in the blanks, to the point that I'm not really sure what I learned from this book. A cool idea for a book, but it just doesn't seem like the historical record is enough to make it work, leaving the author having to resort to filler.
November 23, 2022
I did enjoy this, and I did learn some things, but I didn’t like how the author was often presuming what Sarah might have felt, thought, etc. I guess that added to the narrative style, but I think I’d rather just have the facts. For every guess the author made, there were several other scenarios I could immediately think of. There were also a few parts that were repetitive…that seemed odd to me. It seemed like an editor should have pointed out that she just said that same thing a few sentences earlier. Nevertheless, I suppose nothing is perfect and it was fun and interesting.
November 7, 2022
The Pirate’s Wife is a great nonfiction about Sarah Kidd. It followed her life as she was married and widowed several times. I enjoyed seeing how the wife of a privateer/pirate lived. The home front was interesting and intrigued me. Sarah was an engrossing person to read about. She lived through so many events and found a way to bounce back every time. It was so good and worth the read for any pirate lovers out there.
I received an arc via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
I received an arc via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
April 21, 2023
For those wondering about my “speed-reading,” the last 60 pages are bibliography. As for the book itself, I kind of enjoyed learning about Captain Kidd’s wife Sarah but found the speculative nature of the account annoying. “She might have seen this.” “She may have felt this way.” “She must have done this.” It just felt like barely enough information to write “The Pirate’s Wife.” Ultimately, I’d rather have read a well-researched historical fiction book about her and Kidd’s (doomed) romance instead.
May 7, 2024
Frankly, I found this book disappointing.
The print is large, and there are 50 pages of notes and bibliography at the end, so there is not much actual content.
The writing also detracted from the story. The text is riddled with waffling language such as "she may have" "most likely" "could have" "might have" and so on. Obviously it is a problem when serious historians don't have verifiable facts, but there are ways to write popular history without tiptoeing around everything.
Sarah was said by this author to be "street savvy" (whatever that means) as well as mostly innocent. However, there is one development that the author chooses not to explore too deeply: the circumstances of Sarah's marriage to William Kidd. Sarah was on her second marriage when the relationship started with Kidd; her husband then died suddenly. Sarah and Wm Kidd got married two days after her husband died! The author does speculate about these suspicious circumstances, but never mentions it again in terms of Sarah being an innocent "pirate's wife".
Unfortunately once I become disappointed every fault, however minor, looms large. Towards the end, the author mentions that Sarah "served time in prison," but that is not what was previously described in the text. When her husband fell out of favour and arrested, Sarah was also arrested, jailed, and then released. "Serving time in prison" is technically different, and occurs after being convicted and serving a sentence.
Sarah did not intend to be "a pirate's wife" and at the time of their marriage both were considered respectable in New York. The title of this book, therefore, leans more towards the sensational rather than towards respecting her subject.
The print is large, and there are 50 pages of notes and bibliography at the end, so there is not much actual content.
The writing also detracted from the story. The text is riddled with waffling language such as "she may have" "most likely" "could have" "might have" and so on. Obviously it is a problem when serious historians don't have verifiable facts, but there are ways to write popular history without tiptoeing around everything.
Sarah was said by this author to be "street savvy" (whatever that means) as well as mostly innocent. However, there is one development that the author chooses not to explore too deeply: the circumstances of Sarah's marriage to William Kidd. Sarah was on her second marriage when the relationship started with Kidd; her husband then died suddenly. Sarah and Wm Kidd got married two days after her husband died! The author does speculate about these suspicious circumstances, but never mentions it again in terms of Sarah being an innocent "pirate's wife".
Unfortunately once I become disappointed every fault, however minor, looms large. Towards the end, the author mentions that Sarah "served time in prison," but that is not what was previously described in the text. When her husband fell out of favour and arrested, Sarah was also arrested, jailed, and then released. "Serving time in prison" is technically different, and occurs after being convicted and serving a sentence.
Sarah did not intend to be "a pirate's wife" and at the time of their marriage both were considered respectable in New York. The title of this book, therefore, leans more towards the sensational rather than towards respecting her subject.
February 10, 2023
What an interesting mix of historical accuracy and engaging telling of an extraordinary woman of the late 1600’s and early 1700’s.
Piracy and swashbuckling tales have always intrigued me since my earliest days of reading. And while I have often read fictional tales and semi-historical hybrids, this will be memorable for a true tale well told.
It is always a treat to have light shed on the women of history. This makes a case for Susan Kidd’s fulsome and remarkable life. In researching and writing this book the author gives voice to the catastrophic loss of women’s accomplishments and rightful place in our histories.
Piracy and swashbuckling tales have always intrigued me since my earliest days of reading. And while I have often read fictional tales and semi-historical hybrids, this will be memorable for a true tale well told.
It is always a treat to have light shed on the women of history. This makes a case for Susan Kidd’s fulsome and remarkable life. In researching and writing this book the author gives voice to the catastrophic loss of women’s accomplishments and rightful place in our histories.
January 3, 2023
Sarah Bradley was 14 years old when her family arrived in Manhattan in 1684 and less than a year later she was married to William Cox, a merchant who run her own shop as a seller of housewares, dry goods and luxury goods along with milliners textiles. Cox drown in 1689 and Sarah was a 19 year old who was to inherit his estate although the assumed lt. governor of New York City tied up the estate and confiscated what he could. She married another merchant, Dutchman John Oort, in 1690 who mysteriously died in 1691 with Sarah marrying William Kidd in May of 1691 - days after her second husband's death.
It was Kidd that she 'loved' and eventually had three daughters with even as she was forced to wait as he travelled to England, to attain letters of marque/privateering assignment from not only the local governor of NY/NH/MA but other prominent Whig merchants in 1695. He was to capture French vessels and cargo but was reminded to avoid East India and the Mocha fleet of the Great Mugal of India who was a current ally.
Away for three years, he was accused of going rogue, attaching English shipping - he said it was his mutinying crew that forced him to make those attacks as they would not receive any pay unless they captured prizes. He wasn't believed - even with the approved-of French passes (proof that he maintained his assignment) but they disappeared. The governor (who was one of his investors) had him jailed and eventually sent to London for trial. Of course, he was convicted and hung - twice! since the rope broke the first time (a illegality) in 1701.
Sarah was in Manhattan at Kidd's death and with her husband's estate confiscated and unable to get access to her own personal wealth, she and her children were in dire straits financially and reviled for their connection to Kidd. Sarah was considered an accomplice but no charges stuck. So Sarah did what she needed to do - she married for a fourth time in 1703 to Christopher Rousby with who she had two sons. Their marriage lasted until 1729 at Rousby's death and she followed in 1744 at the age of 74. She supposedly took the secret of where additional buried treasure to her grave - when Kidd returned, he had gold, silver, gems, textiles, and massive amounts of other valuable goods and much was buried in the Long Island areas for his family 's protection. It is unknown if it all was discovered and treasure hunters to this day still look for what Sarah described as 'elsewhere'.
It's an interesting tale of a strong, determined woman in a time period when females controlled the house but every other parts of their lives were completely under the control of their male relatives and husbands. They could not even own a business or property and yet Sarah Kidd managed to maneuver - with the assistance of her elderly father and numerous husbands - to have a productive and successful life.
2023-002
It was Kidd that she 'loved' and eventually had three daughters with even as she was forced to wait as he travelled to England, to attain letters of marque/privateering assignment from not only the local governor of NY/NH/MA but other prominent Whig merchants in 1695. He was to capture French vessels and cargo but was reminded to avoid East India and the Mocha fleet of the Great Mugal of India who was a current ally.
Away for three years, he was accused of going rogue, attaching English shipping - he said it was his mutinying crew that forced him to make those attacks as they would not receive any pay unless they captured prizes. He wasn't believed - even with the approved-of French passes (proof that he maintained his assignment) but they disappeared. The governor (who was one of his investors) had him jailed and eventually sent to London for trial. Of course, he was convicted and hung - twice! since the rope broke the first time (a illegality) in 1701.
Sarah was in Manhattan at Kidd's death and with her husband's estate confiscated and unable to get access to her own personal wealth, she and her children were in dire straits financially and reviled for their connection to Kidd. Sarah was considered an accomplice but no charges stuck. So Sarah did what she needed to do - she married for a fourth time in 1703 to Christopher Rousby with who she had two sons. Their marriage lasted until 1729 at Rousby's death and she followed in 1744 at the age of 74. She supposedly took the secret of where additional buried treasure to her grave - when Kidd returned, he had gold, silver, gems, textiles, and massive amounts of other valuable goods and much was buried in the Long Island areas for his family 's protection. It is unknown if it all was discovered and treasure hunters to this day still look for what Sarah described as 'elsewhere'.
It's an interesting tale of a strong, determined woman in a time period when females controlled the house but every other parts of their lives were completely under the control of their male relatives and husbands. They could not even own a business or property and yet Sarah Kidd managed to maneuver - with the assistance of her elderly father and numerous husbands - to have a productive and successful life.
2023-002
February 21, 2023
2.5 stars. Unfortunately, this book is not that well written. The author, a historian, got access to a trove of documents that seem to have inspired her; but the facts she was working with aren’t always presented clearly. (For example, why is a discussion of Cox’s paying for a voyage to Madagascar included in chapter 3, after Cox’s death?) Also, Geanacopoulos is fond of making statements that do not seem to have any historical support - she speculates that Sarah’s mother wore the latest women’s styles (although she acknowledges that we don’t know how old Sarah was when she lost her mother); that Sarah “would agree that [giving up her individual rights for wealth and status with Cox] was a sacrifice worth making”; and that Cox left the Wall Street house to Sarah’s brother as punishment for her not having borne him a child; and these are all from the first 40 pages. Why is she so sure Sarah’s marriage to Oort was for convenience but she and Kidd were a “love match”? Why does she assert that the construction of Trinity Church was a “life-changing event for Sarah”? There are no footnotes indicating any letters, diaries, or other support for these assumptions, which continue throughout the book and even extend to assuming that Kidd may have “relayed the facts to Sarah” as he wrote his narrative in Chapter 18 and then referring to it as “Kidd’s (and Sarah’s)” narrative. The final chapters of the book appear to be from the best documented period of Sarah’s life; they are enjoyable and interesting and the reason I rounded up. Personally, I would have found either better-written historical fiction inspired by Sarah Kidd or a more limited, strictly-the-facts presentation more intriguing. The halfway approach taken didn’t work for me.
February 26, 2023
This caught my eye because I was surprised that enough primary source documents survived from the 17th century to support a biography of a woman, much less a pirate’s wife.
Well, there aren’t, really.
The fact that Sarah Kidd exists at all in the historical record is fascinating. I did not know that woman at that time were entrepreneurs, and her marriages, properties, and personal effects are well recorded.
However, Sarah could read but not write until, perhaps, very late in her life. If any ever existed, there is no correspondence between Sarah and any family members, and nothing from Kidd to Sarah that would provide insight into their relationship.
The author happily fills in the blanks with romantic maybes, perhaps, and possibilities. A particularly dramatic bit of genealogical research is completely suspect: Her cited sources are behind a paywall, but through my paid ancestry account, the alleged love-child of her reunification with Kidd appears in a jumbled family tree that does not align with the other names and relationships in this book. Many of the (limited) endnotes refer to secondary sources.
Lastly, the writing, itself, was a disappointment. The sentences were simple and unvaried; it read like a YA edition. There are no pictures (the author describes the portrait of Kidd that was painted during his trial) and no maps, which would have helped the reader follow the treasure shell game.
For all the attention to Kidd’s treasure and ships, there was no mention of the 2007 discovery of the Quedagh Merchant ship off the Dominican Republic. The “Treasures of the Earth” exhibit at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum features the archaeological expedition and a recovered cannon.
Well, there aren’t, really.
The fact that Sarah Kidd exists at all in the historical record is fascinating. I did not know that woman at that time were entrepreneurs, and her marriages, properties, and personal effects are well recorded.
However, Sarah could read but not write until, perhaps, very late in her life. If any ever existed, there is no correspondence between Sarah and any family members, and nothing from Kidd to Sarah that would provide insight into their relationship.
The author happily fills in the blanks with romantic maybes, perhaps, and possibilities. A particularly dramatic bit of genealogical research is completely suspect: Her cited sources are behind a paywall, but through my paid ancestry account, the alleged love-child of her reunification with Kidd appears in a jumbled family tree that does not align with the other names and relationships in this book. Many of the (limited) endnotes refer to secondary sources.
Lastly, the writing, itself, was a disappointment. The sentences were simple and unvaried; it read like a YA edition. There are no pictures (the author describes the portrait of Kidd that was painted during his trial) and no maps, which would have helped the reader follow the treasure shell game.
For all the attention to Kidd’s treasure and ships, there was no mention of the 2007 discovery of the Quedagh Merchant ship off the Dominican Republic. The “Treasures of the Earth” exhibit at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum features the archaeological expedition and a recovered cannon.
November 25, 2022
2.5 stars?
I’ve spent a long time researching early Manhattan for personal projects (unrelated to pirating) so of course I knew William Kidd was NY’s pirate — early street cred, y’know. But I’d never come across the fact that he was married, or that he sailed with his wife, or that he loved his family above all else. Believe me, I would have remembered those details.
Since history books historically (sorry) have only been interested in folks with power or those who left primary source accounts that couldn’t be ignored, the author had little to work with. While Sarah was literate, she couldn’t write until late in life and left no source material. She was a well-off daughter, wife, and mother in the 17th century. And as the author reminded us on many occasions, that meant she was feme covert or, she had no rights of her own. So what we know about her was mostly through her possessions listed in exhaustive legal docs the author felt compelled to itemize for us, dear reader. And her arrest.
So I guess I’m not surprised by how much speculation there is in this book. The facts are so thin at times, the author would have been better off writing this as historical fiction because she inserts her own ideas about what people were feeling or why they did what they did.
There was also the awkward gymnastics of how to square their ownership of enslaved people and making the reader want to relate to and like Sarah (and William). It definitely read like modern guilt by the author since we don’t know their thoughts in slavery.
What the author did well was set up the feel of 17th century Manhattan.
I’ve spent a long time researching early Manhattan for personal projects (unrelated to pirating) so of course I knew William Kidd was NY’s pirate — early street cred, y’know. But I’d never come across the fact that he was married, or that he sailed with his wife, or that he loved his family above all else. Believe me, I would have remembered those details.
Since history books historically (sorry) have only been interested in folks with power or those who left primary source accounts that couldn’t be ignored, the author had little to work with. While Sarah was literate, she couldn’t write until late in life and left no source material. She was a well-off daughter, wife, and mother in the 17th century. And as the author reminded us on many occasions, that meant she was feme covert or, she had no rights of her own. So what we know about her was mostly through her possessions listed in exhaustive legal docs the author felt compelled to itemize for us, dear reader. And her arrest.
So I guess I’m not surprised by how much speculation there is in this book. The facts are so thin at times, the author would have been better off writing this as historical fiction because she inserts her own ideas about what people were feeling or why they did what they did.
There was also the awkward gymnastics of how to square their ownership of enslaved people and making the reader want to relate to and like Sarah (and William). It definitely read like modern guilt by the author since we don’t know their thoughts in slavery.
What the author did well was set up the feel of 17th century Manhattan.
December 28, 2022
3.5 stars This was very interesting to me because William Kidd is a great, great, great, uncle in my family line. I enjoyed the book. It was very well researched. It is a little dry but it is a good look at the life in the 17th century American colonies. Sarah was an exceptional woman of her time. I listened to the audio book and it was very well done. Sometimes I do better listening to nonfiction than reading it. I feel this was the case on this book.
June 14, 2023
This was really good, but Geanacopoulos liked to speculate what people were thinking or how she thought they would react to the situations happening. An example that stuck with me was when Sarah got arrested. Were there reports that she resisted arrest? What basis did we have that she had to the point of needing to be cuffed? I guess there could have been a footnote that wasn't captured in the audiobook, but still.
I also do not agree with the assessment of NY being the crown jewel of the British empire. I thought that was India. You know, the place with the spices, salt, silk road pathes, jewels, etc.
I greatly enjoyed this, and it did a great job going over women's rights and pirate dynamic basics. For example, a single woman could hold property, but a married woman could not, and pirates had a more democratic dynamic than the particularly brutal British navy. I recommend this to anyone interested in American colonial history, pirate history or women's history.
I also do not agree with the assessment of NY being the crown jewel of the British empire. I thought that was India. You know, the place with the spices, salt, silk road pathes, jewels, etc.
I greatly enjoyed this, and it did a great job going over women's rights and pirate dynamic basics. For example, a single woman could hold property, but a married woman could not, and pirates had a more democratic dynamic than the particularly brutal British navy. I recommend this to anyone interested in American colonial history, pirate history or women's history.
August 26, 2024
captain Kidd’s story told through his wife’s voice
This is the story of a woman who earned a place in her own right in history. She was smart and astute in running businesses. But it was her marriage to a pirate that led to this biography. Captain Kidd doesn’t seem like the viscous pirate history has labeled him so it’s interesting to read about him. He was betrayed for political reasons though he was no saint either. There was a little more speculation in the book than I like in a biography but it’s a good read.
This is the story of a woman who earned a place in her own right in history. She was smart and astute in running businesses. But it was her marriage to a pirate that led to this biography. Captain Kidd doesn’t seem like the viscous pirate history has labeled him so it’s interesting to read about him. He was betrayed for political reasons though he was no saint either. There was a little more speculation in the book than I like in a biography but it’s a good read.
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April 1, 2023Thought this would be interesting. I was mostly wrong.
July 26, 2023
Not a huge Non-Fiction reader but this one was definitely well written and fun!
May 29, 2024
So interesting, written mostly in the language of the 17th and 18th centuries. I know more about piracy now. Fascinating
June 23, 2024
dead men tell no tales
January 12, 2024
3.5⭐️. This was an interesting small history of Sarah Kidd, the wife of Pirate William Kidd. There wasn’t a lot of craziness and intrigue with the exception of her time in Boston with Kidd before he was caught. However it’s a cool snapshot of what life was like for a colonial woman during the golden age of Piracy.
May 18, 2024
An accounting of the life of Sarah Kidd. She had been twice married and twice widowed before she met and married William Kidd. With him she had two daughters. He was arrested, tried, and found guilty of pirating though his career began with him being captain of a ship for the English. She and Kidd apparently had a caring marriage and she petitioned for his freedom, which he never was granted. After his death she married a fourth time and had three sons.
February 22, 2023
I enjoyed the story of Sarah Kidd, wife of the notorious pirate Capt. William Kidd. I had heard of him, of course, but I really didn’t know anything about him, let alone his wife. I learned a lot about the Kidds, about piracy and privateerting, and late 17th/early 18th-century New York. I was disappointed in what other reviewers call the author’s speculation—describing reactions, feelings, attitudes that are probably perfectly logical but are not supported by the historical record. The speculation would work much better in fiction (and a grand tale it would be).
Read
July 29, 2023Dnf
July 24, 2023
I overall enjoyed listening to this on autobook. I liked the style it was written in, and I enjoyed the more narrative format. Now one thing that drove me insane was the overuse of stuff like she probably thought... or She never saidxyx , so it was clear she felt this or that way. I understand that to have a full-rounded story, especially told this way, some of this is necessary. And sometimes it was filling in things that we didn't know for sure but that made sense for the time period. I feel like if this were cut by 50%, it would have been a better flow overall. Once, it actually made me roll my eyes when she said, We can imagine she heard her dead mother's voice in the wind. That's not a word-for-word quote of it, but pretty close. Still, it was so interesting to learn more about pirates, a topic I'm not very well versed in. I would still recommend this one, especially if you're not normally a nonfiction fan. The way it's written makes it more engaging.
December 24, 2022
2.5 stars. I think I expected more than I got from this biography. It's a short bio of Sarah Bradley, who married William Kidd the pirate as her third husband, had three daughters by him, and was his widow after his rather gory execution in London until she married again. However, so much of the text was about early 18th century New York history, about pirates, about women's issues, and at times more about Kidd, than his wife. Also became a bit weary of all the conjecture about Sarah's life. Granted, records about her are scarce, and most of what is known is in connection with her infamous pirate husband. And the multiple remarks about the evils of slavery were unnecessary.
Kudos to the author for bringing this woman out of the shadows of the past, but by the end of the book I didn't feel like I knew all that much about Sarah as a person in her own right.
Kudos to the author for bringing this woman out of the shadows of the past, but by the end of the book I didn't feel like I knew all that much about Sarah as a person in her own right.
November 28, 2022
There are lots of problems with pirates. However, the biggest problem for an author is that they tend to leave no records and anything they do leave behind is probably a lie.
Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos's The Pirate's Wife runs into this issue and more. It is a biography of William Kidd's wife Sarah. Kidd is famous for being a doomed pirate who may have been railroaded but also probably had it coming. Kidd is Sarah's third husband and she definitely seems like an interesting person to write a book about.
However, Sarah left little to no actual correspondence in her life. Much of the story needs to come from secondary sources or the author is forced to take her best guess. Geanacopoulos does her best with what she has but it's just too little to work with. I can see that Geanacopoulos is a good writer in how she adeptly tries to tell a complete story, but this subject just leaves way too many holes to write a full length non-fiction book.
(This book was provided to me as an advance copy by Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing.)
Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos's The Pirate's Wife runs into this issue and more. It is a biography of William Kidd's wife Sarah. Kidd is famous for being a doomed pirate who may have been railroaded but also probably had it coming. Kidd is Sarah's third husband and she definitely seems like an interesting person to write a book about.
However, Sarah left little to no actual correspondence in her life. Much of the story needs to come from secondary sources or the author is forced to take her best guess. Geanacopoulos does her best with what she has but it's just too little to work with. I can see that Geanacopoulos is a good writer in how she adeptly tries to tell a complete story, but this subject just leaves way too many holes to write a full length non-fiction book.
(This book was provided to me as an advance copy by Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing.)
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