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Pirate Queens: The Lives of Anne Bonny & Mary Read
Between August and October 1720, two female pirates named Anne Bonny and Mary Read terrorized the Caribbean in and around Jamaica. Despite their short career, they became two of the most notorious pirates during the height of the eighteenth-century Golden Age of Piracy. In a world dominated by men, they became infamous for their bravery, cruelty and unwavering determination to escape the social constraints placed on women during that time. Despite their infamy, mystery shrouds their lives before they became pirates. Their biographies were recorded in Captain Charles Johnson’s 1724 book, A General History of the Pyrates , depicting the two women as illegitimate women raised by men who, against insurmountable odds, crossed paths in Nassau and became pirates together. But how much is fact versus fiction?
This first full-length biography about Anne Bonny and Mary Read explores their intriguing backgrounds while examining the social context of women in their lifetime and their legacy in popular culture that exists to the present day. Using A General History of the Pyrates , early modern legal documents relating to women, their recorded public trial in The Tryal of Jack Rackham and Other Pyrates , newspapers and new, uncovered research, this book unravels the mysteries and legends surrounding their lives.
Table of Contents
Pirate Queens in History
Introduction
Chapter 1 The Lawyer and the Maid
Chapter 2 Anne Bonny, a Not-So-Southern Lady
Chapter 3 The Widow and the Bastard
Chapter 4 Mary Read, the Soldier
Chapter 5 Anne Bonny, the Pirate
Chapter 6 Pirate Queens of the Caribbean
Chapter 7 The Trial of Anne Bonny and Mary Read
Chapter 8 Women’s Attraction to Piracy
Chapter 9 Conclusion
Appendix An Act for Suppressing Pirates in West Indies (1717)
Appendix By His Excellency Woodes Rogers, Governour of New-Providence, a Proclamation, 1720
Appendix Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series, Vol. 33 (1720–1721)
Appendix The Boston Gazette
Appendix The Trial of Anne Bonny and Mary Read
Acknowledgments
Notes
Bibliography
Index
This first full-length biography about Anne Bonny and Mary Read explores their intriguing backgrounds while examining the social context of women in their lifetime and their legacy in popular culture that exists to the present day. Using A General History of the Pyrates , early modern legal documents relating to women, their recorded public trial in The Tryal of Jack Rackham and Other Pyrates , newspapers and new, uncovered research, this book unravels the mysteries and legends surrounding their lives.
Table of Contents
Pirate Queens in History
Introduction
Chapter 1 The Lawyer and the Maid
Chapter 2 Anne Bonny, a Not-So-Southern Lady
Chapter 3 The Widow and the Bastard
Chapter 4 Mary Read, the Soldier
Chapter 5 Anne Bonny, the Pirate
Chapter 6 Pirate Queens of the Caribbean
Chapter 7 The Trial of Anne Bonny and Mary Read
Chapter 8 Women’s Attraction to Piracy
Chapter 9 Conclusion
Appendix An Act for Suppressing Pirates in West Indies (1717)
Appendix By His Excellency Woodes Rogers, Governour of New-Providence, a Proclamation, 1720
Appendix Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series, Vol. 33 (1720–1721)
Appendix The Boston Gazette
Appendix The Trial of Anne Bonny and Mary Read
Acknowledgments
Notes
Bibliography
Index
256 pages, Hardcover
Published June 7, 2022
About the author
Rebecca Alexandra Simon
1 book4 followers*A historian of the Golden Age of Piracy.
*Completed her PhD in 2017 at King’s College London.
*Completed her PhD in 2017 at King’s College London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
May 20, 2022
My thanks to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.
Anne Bonny and Mary Read may not have been the only female pirates who operated in what is known as the Golden Age of Piracy (1650–1730; dates debated), but they were amongst the best known. From inspiring ballads and having books written about them to other forms of popular culture like a recent Netflix docuseries, and even a song, these daring ladies are a source of fascination even centuries after their death. While there had been female pirate before their time, many quite as powerful and ruthless, their predecessors were different in that they came from more powerful positions having been wives mostly of chieftains or rulers who took over when widowed and turned to piracy. But Bonny and Read came from far more ordinary backgrounds, but still took to the seas. Their career as active pirates though, was rather short-lived, lasting only two months.
I first came across these two audacious ladies when I read a book called Meet the Georgians by Robert Peal last year which took one through the colourful Georgian period by examining the lives of twelve sets of characters, men and women who lived interesting, and in most cases, unconventional lives. So of course, when this book came up, I was keen to pick it up.
In Pirate Queens: The Lives of Anne Bonny & Mary Read, author Rebecca Alexandra Simon traces the lives of these two extraordinary women who chose to live differently from others. Surprisingly while Anne Bonny and Mary Read may have found much space in popular culture, information available about them is very limited, and much of it, aside from the transcripts of their trial when their band was arrested, likely fictionalised. So, Simon certainly had a tough job before her. Relying on available accounts as well as additional material on associated places and aspects, she puts together a portrait of their lives. Unconventional childhoods where both were at some point dressed as boys, Anne’s emigration to America with her father and initial experience on a pirate ship with her husband, James Bonny, Mary’s time as a soldier (in the guise of a boy, not as uncommon as one would think), subsequent marriage, widowhood and having to rely on her own devices once again, to both women joining on as crew aboard the ship of Pirate Captain Jack Rackham or Calico Jack, whom Anne married, and where they were no longer in disguise but lived and fought as women, to their arrest and trial just two short months after the start of their careers, are explored in the various chapters of this book. It also goes on to consider their legacy, their treatment and representation in books and other media from their own time where their activities were looked at from a male gaze to more current depictions. Simon also reflects on the question of why the pirate life with all its hardships and attendant dangers would have appealed to these women, what really may have attracted them to it.
Simon, who is a leading expert on pirates, and holds a PhD from King’s College on the public execution of pirates and British supremacy in the Atlantic world, certainly gives us a well written and very readable account of Anne Bonny and Mary Read’s stories. While she brings up conflicting accounts and highlights debatable aspects, she does gives us a smoothly flowing account that reads like a continuous/unbroken story. As mentioned, and as she discusses herself, Simon has worked with limited material, much of it of doubtful authenticity in putting together the lives of these women, supplemented by more solid material on related aspects. Therefore, there must be and indeed is, a fair amount of speculation in the book. And one can’t hold this against her, since she has made the best of what is available. However, one has to also take it as that, a story of the two that we can’t know is really theirs. A couple of things that did bother me, however, were the speculations as to how the two women would have felt about particular things or situations, and more so, the small imagined conversation she weaves into one of the initial chapters which I felt didn’t really belong in an academic text.
I found rather interesting her discussion of the possible attractions of pirate life for women, which Simon approaches in current day terms. On a pirate ship, every one lived on more or less equal terms, exercising a form of democracy (everyone could vote on captains), and for women, whether under the guise of men or as women (as was the case for Anne and Mary), it meant a life lived to the fullest away from the shackles of social convention and morality, earning for themselves where limited or no opportunities were present as women in society, and having complete agency over every part of themselves. For the two, with their unconventional early lives with disinclination on Anne’s part to be tied up by social norms and necessity for Mary, this did become an attractive choice, one in which their femininity became their weapon rather than an impediment.
I quite enjoyed reading this book, even though one can’t help feeling that tinge of disappointment as one will never really know who Anne and Mary were or their actual stories.
3.75 stars
Anne Bonny and Mary Read may not have been the only female pirates who operated in what is known as the Golden Age of Piracy (1650–1730; dates debated), but they were amongst the best known. From inspiring ballads and having books written about them to other forms of popular culture like a recent Netflix docuseries, and even a song, these daring ladies are a source of fascination even centuries after their death. While there had been female pirate before their time, many quite as powerful and ruthless, their predecessors were different in that they came from more powerful positions having been wives mostly of chieftains or rulers who took over when widowed and turned to piracy. But Bonny and Read came from far more ordinary backgrounds, but still took to the seas. Their career as active pirates though, was rather short-lived, lasting only two months.
I first came across these two audacious ladies when I read a book called Meet the Georgians by Robert Peal last year which took one through the colourful Georgian period by examining the lives of twelve sets of characters, men and women who lived interesting, and in most cases, unconventional lives. So of course, when this book came up, I was keen to pick it up.
In Pirate Queens: The Lives of Anne Bonny & Mary Read, author Rebecca Alexandra Simon traces the lives of these two extraordinary women who chose to live differently from others. Surprisingly while Anne Bonny and Mary Read may have found much space in popular culture, information available about them is very limited, and much of it, aside from the transcripts of their trial when their band was arrested, likely fictionalised. So, Simon certainly had a tough job before her. Relying on available accounts as well as additional material on associated places and aspects, she puts together a portrait of their lives. Unconventional childhoods where both were at some point dressed as boys, Anne’s emigration to America with her father and initial experience on a pirate ship with her husband, James Bonny, Mary’s time as a soldier (in the guise of a boy, not as uncommon as one would think), subsequent marriage, widowhood and having to rely on her own devices once again, to both women joining on as crew aboard the ship of Pirate Captain Jack Rackham or Calico Jack, whom Anne married, and where they were no longer in disguise but lived and fought as women, to their arrest and trial just two short months after the start of their careers, are explored in the various chapters of this book. It also goes on to consider their legacy, their treatment and representation in books and other media from their own time where their activities were looked at from a male gaze to more current depictions. Simon also reflects on the question of why the pirate life with all its hardships and attendant dangers would have appealed to these women, what really may have attracted them to it.
Simon, who is a leading expert on pirates, and holds a PhD from King’s College on the public execution of pirates and British supremacy in the Atlantic world, certainly gives us a well written and very readable account of Anne Bonny and Mary Read’s stories. While she brings up conflicting accounts and highlights debatable aspects, she does gives us a smoothly flowing account that reads like a continuous/unbroken story. As mentioned, and as she discusses herself, Simon has worked with limited material, much of it of doubtful authenticity in putting together the lives of these women, supplemented by more solid material on related aspects. Therefore, there must be and indeed is, a fair amount of speculation in the book. And one can’t hold this against her, since she has made the best of what is available. However, one has to also take it as that, a story of the two that we can’t know is really theirs. A couple of things that did bother me, however, were the speculations as to how the two women would have felt about particular things or situations, and more so, the small imagined conversation she weaves into one of the initial chapters which I felt didn’t really belong in an academic text.
I found rather interesting her discussion of the possible attractions of pirate life for women, which Simon approaches in current day terms. On a pirate ship, every one lived on more or less equal terms, exercising a form of democracy (everyone could vote on captains), and for women, whether under the guise of men or as women (as was the case for Anne and Mary), it meant a life lived to the fullest away from the shackles of social convention and morality, earning for themselves where limited or no opportunities were present as women in society, and having complete agency over every part of themselves. For the two, with their unconventional early lives with disinclination on Anne’s part to be tied up by social norms and necessity for Mary, this did become an attractive choice, one in which their femininity became their weapon rather than an impediment.
I quite enjoyed reading this book, even though one can’t help feeling that tinge of disappointment as one will never really know who Anne and Mary were or their actual stories.
3.75 stars
May 16, 2022
I had read about Anne Bonney and Mary Read in Meet The Georgians, and they piqued my interest, so I was keen to read this one when it was offered. Very little is actually known about the pair and so a lot of information is conjecture, and in some cases, possibly fiction. However, the author is honest about this. What is interesting is the way she places their lives into the context of the time they were living, and the average female experience, giving us the reasons why the tough and dangerous life of a pirate might have an appeal for these two women. I hadn't realised that they had actually been pirates for such a short space of time.
A very readable history, but a lot of the information given should be taken with a pinch of salt, and maybe that's not a bad thing, endorsing them with a touch of mystery.
*Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a review copy in exchange for an honest opinion.*
A very readable history, but a lot of the information given should be taken with a pinch of salt, and maybe that's not a bad thing, endorsing them with a touch of mystery.
*Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a review copy in exchange for an honest opinion.*
August 10, 2022
(I received a free digital copy of this book via Netgalley!)
Every time I get the chance to learn more about a pirate I jump in joy despite knowing that most of the book will be full of speculations and narration coming from vague historical records. Even so, with all the hardship of doing historical research, especially over figures with so little documentation and a certain amount of fiction that contributes to the confusion around them, Simon did a wonderful job recreating the lives and experiences of Anne Bonny and Mary Read.
The author starts with Anne and Mary’s mothers, or what was possible to find about them and what could be possible considering their context in history, creating scenarios for how things could’ve been. Simon does the same for Anne and Mary, our protagonists themselves, and each of their lives joining piracy and then finding each other – until the very end, when Mary died in prison, while waiting to give birth, and the possible years Anne could have lived after that.
While these brief scenes dramatizing the events in their lives are interesting and well-thought, I think what Simon did best (besides the extensive research, of course) was making clear how Anne and Mary were (or might’ve been) affected by the views on gender during their time, as well as the impact they (and the news that circulated about them) had on women in the english-speaking world. This desire for freedom in the middle of decades when women had few rights was strong, and despite pirates and their inevitable deaths being treated as warnings – don’t step out of line, don’t join life at sea –, inevitably they created curiosity and interest, especially with the growing access to printed papers.
Simon crafted a book that flows so well through these women’s lives that when you get to the conclusion, you want to go back and see more of these pirates, know who else they might have interacted with, what else they could have done and what impacts they (and other gender defying ladies) could have caused. Of course the author doesn’t skip mentioning the big fiction around Anne Bonny, Black Sails, despite the lack of Mary Read in the show, which demonstrates how the myth around these two is still alive and strong.
As a bonus, there’s transcripts of the trial papers and documents like that by the end of the book, along with illustrations and scans.
(My biggest disappointment wasn’t quite related to the book, but to history itself. What do you mean they likely weren’t lovers? Please, give me lesbian pirates, @world etc.)
Every time I get the chance to learn more about a pirate I jump in joy despite knowing that most of the book will be full of speculations and narration coming from vague historical records. Even so, with all the hardship of doing historical research, especially over figures with so little documentation and a certain amount of fiction that contributes to the confusion around them, Simon did a wonderful job recreating the lives and experiences of Anne Bonny and Mary Read.
The author starts with Anne and Mary’s mothers, or what was possible to find about them and what could be possible considering their context in history, creating scenarios for how things could’ve been. Simon does the same for Anne and Mary, our protagonists themselves, and each of their lives joining piracy and then finding each other – until the very end, when Mary died in prison, while waiting to give birth, and the possible years Anne could have lived after that.
While these brief scenes dramatizing the events in their lives are interesting and well-thought, I think what Simon did best (besides the extensive research, of course) was making clear how Anne and Mary were (or might’ve been) affected by the views on gender during their time, as well as the impact they (and the news that circulated about them) had on women in the english-speaking world. This desire for freedom in the middle of decades when women had few rights was strong, and despite pirates and their inevitable deaths being treated as warnings – don’t step out of line, don’t join life at sea –, inevitably they created curiosity and interest, especially with the growing access to printed papers.
Simon crafted a book that flows so well through these women’s lives that when you get to the conclusion, you want to go back and see more of these pirates, know who else they might have interacted with, what else they could have done and what impacts they (and other gender defying ladies) could have caused. Of course the author doesn’t skip mentioning the big fiction around Anne Bonny, Black Sails, despite the lack of Mary Read in the show, which demonstrates how the myth around these two is still alive and strong.
As a bonus, there’s transcripts of the trial papers and documents like that by the end of the book, along with illustrations and scans.
(My biggest disappointment wasn’t quite related to the book, but to history itself. What do you mean they likely weren’t lovers? Please, give me lesbian pirates, @world etc.)
Shelved as 'abandoned'
May 17, 2024DNF @ 17%. Even though the writer is very upfront about how there is not a lot of information in primary sources about these women, I still found it difficult to read this narrative knowing that a lot of it conjecture/speculation. Sorry.
November 24, 2022
Many grammatical and typographical errors detracted from the small bit of actual history in this book. Legends were repeated followed by the statement "this was probably not true." Unfortunately, there aren't enough historical records and accounts to truly fill a book. This did not stop the author from making many, many suppositions - most of which I doubt.
The book did bring awareness to me of the fact that there were two women who found escape from their societal boundaries through piracy.
The book did bring awareness to me of the fact that there were two women who found escape from their societal boundaries through piracy.
February 18, 2024
I went round the Pirates exhibition in Falmouth last weekend and said (outloud), 'if there was a book in the gift shop about those two female pirates, I'd buy it'.
And there it was.
Love that books like this exist. Well-researched stories about the bold, brave, resilient women who did extraordinary things. And must not be forgotten.
And there it was.
Love that books like this exist. Well-researched stories about the bold, brave, resilient women who did extraordinary things. And must not be forgotten.
Read
July 27, 2022“Anne Bonny and Mary Read were more than just pirates. They spent their lives struggling against the social shackles of womanhood during a time when there were few opportunities for female agency.”
For two women that were only pirates for a few months, Anne and Mary sure have made a big impression on History. Not only is the image of them bearing their breasts in battle iconic, but these were women who fought against the social constraints of the time.
Considering how little there is written about the lives of both of these women Simon does an amazing job of bringing them to life.
Written extremely accessibly, she takes you through the history of Anne and Mary, from their start in life to the end of their pirate adventures.
There is a lot of ambiguity around their lives, is the story we know fact or fiction? What actually happened to them in the end? Simon does not shy away from this either, she makes it clear that we don’t know much about these women. This gives them a fictional air that I think just makes them even more intriguing.
For all you pirate lovers out there this book is a must read!
“Anne Bonny and Mary Read, although they did not intend it, were female revolutionaries during a time when social advancement for women was barely achievable outside of folk tales.”
For two women that were only pirates for a few months, Anne and Mary sure have made a big impression on History. Not only is the image of them bearing their breasts in battle iconic, but these were women who fought against the social constraints of the time.
Considering how little there is written about the lives of both of these women Simon does an amazing job of bringing them to life.
Written extremely accessibly, she takes you through the history of Anne and Mary, from their start in life to the end of their pirate adventures.
There is a lot of ambiguity around their lives, is the story we know fact or fiction? What actually happened to them in the end? Simon does not shy away from this either, she makes it clear that we don’t know much about these women. This gives them a fictional air that I think just makes them even more intriguing.
For all you pirate lovers out there this book is a must read!
“Anne Bonny and Mary Read, although they did not intend it, were female revolutionaries during a time when social advancement for women was barely achievable outside of folk tales.”
September 30, 2022
my first 4 star review!
this book was really cool for a lot of it but it SHOCKED me how many errors and typos there were, both in a literal sense of like extra letters or just wrong words being put in (sea vs see)
which wouldnt bother me that much but it happened like every few pages so it was OFTEN,
the author clearly is super well researched and knowledgeable but the writing style/quality is really not there... which is disappointing but hey bobody's nerfect!
this book was really cool for a lot of it but it SHOCKED me how many errors and typos there were, both in a literal sense of like extra letters or just wrong words being put in (sea vs see)
which wouldnt bother me that much but it happened like every few pages so it was OFTEN,
the author clearly is super well researched and knowledgeable but the writing style/quality is really not there... which is disappointing but hey bobody's nerfect!
July 19, 2022
You’re probably familiar with the names Anne Bonny and Mary Read, two notoriously fearsome female pirates from the 18th century. The famous artwork of them, depicts the women as fighting with weapons and wearing men’s clothing, the only thing that gives away their sex is the long hair that they both wear loose, flowing behind them and their bare breasts on show, a tactic to shock and intimidate those they fought against. People are still fascinated by Anne and Mary hundreds of years after their deaths, they were among the most famous pirates to emerge from the Golden Age of Piracy. Therefore, it might surprise you to know that their career in piracy only lasted two months. It might also surprise you to know that we don’t have much information about their lives. Most of what we think we know has been fabricated and romanticised. So, what is the truth? In her new book Pirate Queens: The Life of Anne Bonny & Mary Read; author Rebecca Simon explores all the information we have about them and tries to sift through what is fact and what is fiction.
.
Anne and Mary both shared similar backstories, they both had to disguise themselves as boys from a young age and they both challenged what was expected of a woman at that time. They wanted more from life than the roles they were expected to slot into. You can definitely understand why a woman of that era might be attracted to a life of piracy - something Simon also explores in a later chapter. As well as a biography of both ladies, the author also writes about how the lives of Anne and Mary have been portrayed in books and onscreen. At the back of the book there are some really interesting appendixes of historical documents, such as An Act for Supressing Pirates in West Indies (1717), a piece from The Boston Gazette, and The Trial of Anne Bonny and Mary Read. I really enjoyed reading these. Also included are some great glossy image plates.
.
Simon did such a fantastic job with this book, despite working from limited source materials, she still managed to fill in the gaps by giving us different known theories and conflicting information, and when in conjunction with the facts it gives us a most likely scenario. The author is clear from the start that most of Anne and Mary’s story is speculative, therefore you might expect the book to feel disjointed, but it doesn’t, it flows really well. Simon expertly weaves everything together to give us a joint biography that may be the closest we ever get to the real Anne Bonny and Mary Read, the terrifying female pirates who were as feared as their male crew mates.
* Gifted by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
.
Anne and Mary both shared similar backstories, they both had to disguise themselves as boys from a young age and they both challenged what was expected of a woman at that time. They wanted more from life than the roles they were expected to slot into. You can definitely understand why a woman of that era might be attracted to a life of piracy - something Simon also explores in a later chapter. As well as a biography of both ladies, the author also writes about how the lives of Anne and Mary have been portrayed in books and onscreen. At the back of the book there are some really interesting appendixes of historical documents, such as An Act for Supressing Pirates in West Indies (1717), a piece from The Boston Gazette, and The Trial of Anne Bonny and Mary Read. I really enjoyed reading these. Also included are some great glossy image plates.
.
Simon did such a fantastic job with this book, despite working from limited source materials, she still managed to fill in the gaps by giving us different known theories and conflicting information, and when in conjunction with the facts it gives us a most likely scenario. The author is clear from the start that most of Anne and Mary’s story is speculative, therefore you might expect the book to feel disjointed, but it doesn’t, it flows really well. Simon expertly weaves everything together to give us a joint biography that may be the closest we ever get to the real Anne Bonny and Mary Read, the terrifying female pirates who were as feared as their male crew mates.
* Gifted by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
July 11, 2024
3 1/2 stars. This book explores the lives of two of the most famous and, perhaps, infamous, women pirates in history: Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Alas, there is a lot of information that is not known. Though Bonny and Read’s history has been more documented than most because of the court records produced for their trials.
Simon has created scenarios, based on research of the lives of women at this time, of what their stories might have been like, the circumstances of their birth, childhood, etc. to fill the gaps for the information that is not provided in court records and other sources. Simon also explores the bias and messages that male writers expressed in the accounting of these women’s stories. She attempts to put these two women’s lives in context and express the actions they took to take control of their lives in a time when women’s lives were very restricted and constrained.
It is a very interesting book. I only knew the bare facts of these women’s lives and it is astonishing they made such an impact for the short time they were actually pirates, only a few months. Some parts are repetitive but it is well written. It provides a part of the picture of pirates that is usually overlooked. Because, there may not have been many women pirates, there were some and other women who lived on ships. Overall, it is definitely worth a read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.
Simon has created scenarios, based on research of the lives of women at this time, of what their stories might have been like, the circumstances of their birth, childhood, etc. to fill the gaps for the information that is not provided in court records and other sources. Simon also explores the bias and messages that male writers expressed in the accounting of these women’s stories. She attempts to put these two women’s lives in context and express the actions they took to take control of their lives in a time when women’s lives were very restricted and constrained.
It is a very interesting book. I only knew the bare facts of these women’s lives and it is astonishing they made such an impact for the short time they were actually pirates, only a few months. Some parts are repetitive but it is well written. It provides a part of the picture of pirates that is usually overlooked. Because, there may not have been many women pirates, there were some and other women who lived on ships. Overall, it is definitely worth a read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.
July 6, 2022
I love this book, it's entertaining and insightful.
I have seen so many books out there that are all about the male pirates that sailed the 'seven' seas and yet it is very little out there about the woman who took on the role, that is until now!
I had known about Anne Bonney and Mary Read before reading this, these two women are easily the most (in)famous of this small group of female pirates who were at the top of their game in the height of the pirate era. I wouldn't call them heroines or anything, but they had huge amounts of pluck and courage to take on a man's world as they did. I have watched so many documentaries about these two women so I thought I knew their stories, but this book really opened my eyes to how extraordinary these women were, they may have only had a few precious months at the top of the pirate world (after all pirates didn't have a long life-span) but it was their backgrounds and the history of how they became so notorious that fascinated me, they were just two very ordinary women who chose to take up the sail. They both had very unconventional childhoods (which explains the unconventional women they became) both deciding at young ages that they could further in life or what they wanted by dressing as boys.
I loved that they both joined a pirate ship with non-other than Captain Jack Rackham otherwise known as 'Calico Jack', here they weren't in their usual boys' dress, but serving and sailing as women and now as esteemed pirates.
I have to applaud the huge amount of research that the author; Rebecca Alexandra Simon has done for this book, something I can imagine can't have been easy especially as the historical records and information would have been limited, so bravo to the author for the immense amount of hard work put into this book.
The book is incredibly well-written, it's insightful and knowledgeable, plus very easy to read (which is always a bonus). The author has brought Mary and Anne to life, she has documented their early lives and their careers as pirates, plus noting their hardships and how they became the ruthless pirate queens they became. They may not have reigned the seas for long, but their lives and exploits still entertain us today, we will never know 'who' they were but we can learn the facts and speculate.
I have seen so many books out there that are all about the male pirates that sailed the 'seven' seas and yet it is very little out there about the woman who took on the role, that is until now!
I had known about Anne Bonney and Mary Read before reading this, these two women are easily the most (in)famous of this small group of female pirates who were at the top of their game in the height of the pirate era. I wouldn't call them heroines or anything, but they had huge amounts of pluck and courage to take on a man's world as they did. I have watched so many documentaries about these two women so I thought I knew their stories, but this book really opened my eyes to how extraordinary these women were, they may have only had a few precious months at the top of the pirate world (after all pirates didn't have a long life-span) but it was their backgrounds and the history of how they became so notorious that fascinated me, they were just two very ordinary women who chose to take up the sail. They both had very unconventional childhoods (which explains the unconventional women they became) both deciding at young ages that they could further in life or what they wanted by dressing as boys.
I loved that they both joined a pirate ship with non-other than Captain Jack Rackham otherwise known as 'Calico Jack', here they weren't in their usual boys' dress, but serving and sailing as women and now as esteemed pirates.
I have to applaud the huge amount of research that the author; Rebecca Alexandra Simon has done for this book, something I can imagine can't have been easy especially as the historical records and information would have been limited, so bravo to the author for the immense amount of hard work put into this book.
The book is incredibly well-written, it's insightful and knowledgeable, plus very easy to read (which is always a bonus). The author has brought Mary and Anne to life, she has documented their early lives and their careers as pirates, plus noting their hardships and how they became the ruthless pirate queens they became. They may not have reigned the seas for long, but their lives and exploits still entertain us today, we will never know 'who' they were but we can learn the facts and speculate.
July 26, 2022
Firstly, a big thank you to Pen & Sword books for the opportunity to read this book.
The book had me at the line ‘two female pirate lovers whose story was ignored by male historians’. My first thoughts when I saw the cover was that it was typical and sexist to present these strong, female pirates with their breasts out; however, I loved learning that this was a conscious choice made by the two women as they used their femininity to their advantage against their foes.
This book highlighted how these two women broke gender boundaries through their piracy. I enjoyed learning about how both spent a great deal of their childhood disguised as boys (Mary even entered the military as a man). Was this simply to defy gender roles and advance their social position? Or perhaps the two were trans and felt more comfortable as men? The author also discusses lesbianism and how, as it wasn’t understood/named at the time, cross-dressing and acting like men allowed women to love other women. It’s certainly interesting to think about and I really enjoyed these sections and the different takes on cross-dressing at the time.
I knew shockingly little about Anne Bonny and Mary Read before I read this book; however, the author writes with such knowledge and clarity that I now feel like I know the two incredibly well - especially as Simon writes the chapters in chronological order from childhood to adulthood, which made the book very enjoyable and easier to follow their history. Although Simon is honest and admits that the history on these women is limited and widely fictitious, it was still an informative read. Their supposed lives were wild and full of adventure and you can’t help but read this information and feel inspired by what these two achieved during their lifetimes.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I’d recommend it to anyone interested in pirates, gender nonconformity, or women’s history.
The book had me at the line ‘two female pirate lovers whose story was ignored by male historians’. My first thoughts when I saw the cover was that it was typical and sexist to present these strong, female pirates with their breasts out; however, I loved learning that this was a conscious choice made by the two women as they used their femininity to their advantage against their foes.
This book highlighted how these two women broke gender boundaries through their piracy. I enjoyed learning about how both spent a great deal of their childhood disguised as boys (Mary even entered the military as a man). Was this simply to defy gender roles and advance their social position? Or perhaps the two were trans and felt more comfortable as men? The author also discusses lesbianism and how, as it wasn’t understood/named at the time, cross-dressing and acting like men allowed women to love other women. It’s certainly interesting to think about and I really enjoyed these sections and the different takes on cross-dressing at the time.
I knew shockingly little about Anne Bonny and Mary Read before I read this book; however, the author writes with such knowledge and clarity that I now feel like I know the two incredibly well - especially as Simon writes the chapters in chronological order from childhood to adulthood, which made the book very enjoyable and easier to follow their history. Although Simon is honest and admits that the history on these women is limited and widely fictitious, it was still an informative read. Their supposed lives were wild and full of adventure and you can’t help but read this information and feel inspired by what these two achieved during their lifetimes.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I’d recommend it to anyone interested in pirates, gender nonconformity, or women’s history.
September 17, 2023
Thank you, NetGalley, for granting me a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Pirate Queens: The Lives of Anne Bonny & Mary Read is a fun, if imperfect, biography of two of the most famous female pirates who are nevertheless not very well-known at all. Rebecca Alexandra Simon is a fairly good storyteller--she manages to paint a fascinating picture of both Anne and Mary's childhoods, adolescence, and careers as pirates, even if she admits that most of the information available about the two women is suspect. Rather than the hardened, grizzled Sapphic duo that readers may be expecting, Simon makes a compelling argument that Anne and Mary were driven more by romanticism than cynicism. They chose a life of piracy over something more stable, preferring adventure to tedium, and had a knack for falling madly in love with the men they encountered at sea.
Where Pirate Queens fares worse is on analysis. Simon repeats several sentences, word for word, only a few lines apart, on multiple occasions (it was the golden age of piracy, Anne and Mary bared their breasts to intimidate their enemies, etc.) This has a plodding effect on the prose, as if the author were trying to meet a minimum word count requirement, or was at a loss as to how to transition to the next topic. There's some basic analysis on challenging gender roles and how their stories have appealed to women over time, but it rarely ever scratches beneath the surface. Then there's also the way the narrative frames Anne Bonny and Mary Read as heroines. Although Simon does pay lip service to the terror pirates inflicted on their victims, it's easy to forget that these were two women who made a living off of robbing and murdering innocent people. Pirates may be fun to read about, but that doesn't mean they should be valorized.
Regardless, Pirate Queens is still a worthwhile read both for its accessibility and for the light it shines on two historical figures whose names may have been enshrined in history, but not necessarily their stories.
Pirate Queens: The Lives of Anne Bonny & Mary Read is a fun, if imperfect, biography of two of the most famous female pirates who are nevertheless not very well-known at all. Rebecca Alexandra Simon is a fairly good storyteller--she manages to paint a fascinating picture of both Anne and Mary's childhoods, adolescence, and careers as pirates, even if she admits that most of the information available about the two women is suspect. Rather than the hardened, grizzled Sapphic duo that readers may be expecting, Simon makes a compelling argument that Anne and Mary were driven more by romanticism than cynicism. They chose a life of piracy over something more stable, preferring adventure to tedium, and had a knack for falling madly in love with the men they encountered at sea.
Where Pirate Queens fares worse is on analysis. Simon repeats several sentences, word for word, only a few lines apart, on multiple occasions (it was the golden age of piracy, Anne and Mary bared their breasts to intimidate their enemies, etc.) This has a plodding effect on the prose, as if the author were trying to meet a minimum word count requirement, or was at a loss as to how to transition to the next topic. There's some basic analysis on challenging gender roles and how their stories have appealed to women over time, but it rarely ever scratches beneath the surface. Then there's also the way the narrative frames Anne Bonny and Mary Read as heroines. Although Simon does pay lip service to the terror pirates inflicted on their victims, it's easy to forget that these were two women who made a living off of robbing and murdering innocent people. Pirates may be fun to read about, but that doesn't mean they should be valorized.
Regardless, Pirate Queens is still a worthwhile read both for its accessibility and for the light it shines on two historical figures whose names may have been enshrined in history, but not necessarily their stories.
April 24, 2022
This book was a thoroughly interesting read, it combined many of my favourite genres and themes in books; History and female experiences. Add in the fact that the Pirates of the Caribbean movies were released in my early teens (and I was obsessed) and I was instantly sold on this title. From the opening chapters of this book, it gives historical context to the nature of female pirates, from the ancient world, through to our books personalities of focus; Anne and Mary (Though it would have been nice to have a brief nod to another incredibly successful female pirate Ching Shih). From these beginning chapters, the audience is firmly engaged in the subject matter, without assumed prior knowledge and without patronising overtones. It also takes care to acknowledge the primary sources used to inform the biographies in the book, following the conventions of a historical text and the issues of accuracy and reliability evident in these sources. The author is very clear and upfront about how they have had to speculate and hypothesise to fill some of the gaps in the historical narrative in order to present a clear and coherent set of biographies.
The text is written in an engaging format which weaves facts into an engaging account, instead of a dry series of dates and facts. It was formatted in a user friendly manner with chapters of a decent size that were not overly intimidating (as some history and non-fiction books can be). My only criticism of this book is that at times it could be a bit repetitive.
Overall, this was an informative and interesting read that I recommend to anyone with an interest in piracy in the 18th Century, or the experiences of women in History. Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!
The text is written in an engaging format which weaves facts into an engaging account, instead of a dry series of dates and facts. It was formatted in a user friendly manner with chapters of a decent size that were not overly intimidating (as some history and non-fiction books can be). My only criticism of this book is that at times it could be a bit repetitive.
Overall, this was an informative and interesting read that I recommend to anyone with an interest in piracy in the 18th Century, or the experiences of women in History. Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!
May 2, 2022
My thanks to Pen & Sword History for granting my wish for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Pirate Queens: The Lives of Anne Bonny & Mary Read’ by Rebecca Alexandra Simon in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first full-length biography of Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Rebecca Simon is a historian and a world-leading expert on pirates, their lives and their roles in colonies and communities.
In ‘Pirate Queens’ she presents details of their backgrounds, their brief careers as pirates and their legacy that has continued for 300 years, including literature and even television series.
She is open about the fact that the biographical information about the women contained in
Captain Charles Johnson’s 1724 ‘A General History of the Pyrates’, was likely fictionalised. She seeks to determine how much was fact and how much was fiction while presenting what is known to be true from primary historical sources. Simon also examines the social context of women in the early eighteenth century.
Having recently read Daniel Defoe’s ‘Moll Flanders’ (1722) I was pleased that Simon noted the similarities between Moll’s fictional biography and the information contained in Johnson’s work on Bonny and Read. There has been claims that Captain Johnson was a pen-name of Defoe, though this is disputed.
Overall, I found ‘Pirate Queens’ fascinating and it proved very readable. It also contains the kind of supplemental material that I expect in a serious work of nonfiction: appendixes of historical documents, including the record of ‘The Tryal of Jack Rackham and Other Pyrates’, notes for each chapter, a bibliography of primary, secondary, and web sources and an index.
This is the first full-length biography of Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Rebecca Simon is a historian and a world-leading expert on pirates, their lives and their roles in colonies and communities.
In ‘Pirate Queens’ she presents details of their backgrounds, their brief careers as pirates and their legacy that has continued for 300 years, including literature and even television series.
She is open about the fact that the biographical information about the women contained in
Captain Charles Johnson’s 1724 ‘A General History of the Pyrates’, was likely fictionalised. She seeks to determine how much was fact and how much was fiction while presenting what is known to be true from primary historical sources. Simon also examines the social context of women in the early eighteenth century.
Having recently read Daniel Defoe’s ‘Moll Flanders’ (1722) I was pleased that Simon noted the similarities between Moll’s fictional biography and the information contained in Johnson’s work on Bonny and Read. There has been claims that Captain Johnson was a pen-name of Defoe, though this is disputed.
Overall, I found ‘Pirate Queens’ fascinating and it proved very readable. It also contains the kind of supplemental material that I expect in a serious work of nonfiction: appendixes of historical documents, including the record of ‘The Tryal of Jack Rackham and Other Pyrates’, notes for each chapter, a bibliography of primary, secondary, and web sources and an index.
May 24, 2022
Many thanks to both NetGalley and to Pen & Sword for letting me see an advance reader's copy of Pirate Queens: the lives of Anne Bonny and Mary Read.
Pirates have always been close to my heart, and I do love to read books about them – fiction and non-fiction. Therefore, I was delighted to see this book coming out from Pen & Sword.
Pirate Queens is a hypothetical biography of two infamous pirates, who were more likely famous due to the fact that they were women. The story is hypothetical because there is not a lot actually known about them. What the author has done here is collect together what is known, added to it some likely scenarios using real lives at the time as a basis, and hypothesised the missing bits in between.
The best bits for me were all things pirate. I didn't care that they were women, I was simply interested in their likely stories because they were pirates. I liked the mix of fact and fiction, and I liked the pictures. I was surprised that these two women were only pirates for two months. But then, pirates did have a very short life expectancy.
As far as I was concerned, there was a bit too much repetition in this book, such as the fact that Bonny and Read were women and especially the continued reference to them baring their breasts. I also wasn't keen on the American English from a British publisher. But if this book's main target audience is American, then that would probably explain the grammar and spellings used.
There were a several typographical errors that should have been cleaned up in a good proofread. However, I did enjoy reading it.
Four stars.
Pirates have always been close to my heart, and I do love to read books about them – fiction and non-fiction. Therefore, I was delighted to see this book coming out from Pen & Sword.
Pirate Queens is a hypothetical biography of two infamous pirates, who were more likely famous due to the fact that they were women. The story is hypothetical because there is not a lot actually known about them. What the author has done here is collect together what is known, added to it some likely scenarios using real lives at the time as a basis, and hypothesised the missing bits in between.
The best bits for me were all things pirate. I didn't care that they were women, I was simply interested in their likely stories because they were pirates. I liked the mix of fact and fiction, and I liked the pictures. I was surprised that these two women were only pirates for two months. But then, pirates did have a very short life expectancy.
As far as I was concerned, there was a bit too much repetition in this book, such as the fact that Bonny and Read were women and especially the continued reference to them baring their breasts. I also wasn't keen on the American English from a British publisher. But if this book's main target audience is American, then that would probably explain the grammar and spellings used.
There were a several typographical errors that should have been cleaned up in a good proofread. However, I did enjoy reading it.
Four stars.
June 18, 2022
For a few short months, two women made up part of a pirate crew. The careers of Anne Bonny and Mary Read came to an abrupt end when they were captured and tried for their crimes. How much of what we know is fact versus fiction?
I have read a few fictional pirate tales in the past, so I was fascinated to learn about this biography. The author lays out what facts history provides, especially the kind of life many women would have lived at the time. The author uses A General History of the Pyrates, a book written four years after the trials of Bonny and Read, legal documents relating to women, their recorded public trial in The Tryal of Jack Rackham and Other Pyrates, and newspapers to try to piece together a logical narrative of how these women lived.
It was a bit disappointing to learn that there are not that many facts known about where Anne Bonny and Mary Read came from or even how they came to choose the life of a pirate. Even Captain Charles Johnson's History of Pyrates is most likely fiction with little no evidence to support the tale he wove. Still, it was an interesting read and well-written.
Readers looking for information on two pirates from the Golden Age of Piracy will probably enjoy it. I received an advance reading copy through NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own.
I have read a few fictional pirate tales in the past, so I was fascinated to learn about this biography. The author lays out what facts history provides, especially the kind of life many women would have lived at the time. The author uses A General History of the Pyrates, a book written four years after the trials of Bonny and Read, legal documents relating to women, their recorded public trial in The Tryal of Jack Rackham and Other Pyrates, and newspapers to try to piece together a logical narrative of how these women lived.
It was a bit disappointing to learn that there are not that many facts known about where Anne Bonny and Mary Read came from or even how they came to choose the life of a pirate. Even Captain Charles Johnson's History of Pyrates is most likely fiction with little no evidence to support the tale he wove. Still, it was an interesting read and well-written.
Readers looking for information on two pirates from the Golden Age of Piracy will probably enjoy it. I received an advance reading copy through NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own.
July 25, 2022
When I was little I dressed as Anne Bonny for a history day at school. Nobody knew who she was - not even the teachers!
In recent years, pirates have become rather glamourised, but they’ve always held a fascination for me. And yes, I was slightly obsessed with Pirates of the Caribbean when it came out!
Rebecca Alexandra Simon however is an actual expert and has taken on the daunting task of writing a biography for two female pirates.
Despite limited information (including sources that are likely fiction), Simon manages to weave an engaging story that is both rich and vivid.
Not only does the book look at Mary and Anne’s journey into piracy, it explores their later life, as well as women’s role in society.
There is some repetition and it is speculative, due to the lack of information available, but Simon has been thorough in her research and overall it’s a fantastic insight into two brave and unique women.
In recent years, pirates have become rather glamourised, but they’ve always held a fascination for me. And yes, I was slightly obsessed with Pirates of the Caribbean when it came out!
Rebecca Alexandra Simon however is an actual expert and has taken on the daunting task of writing a biography for two female pirates.
Despite limited information (including sources that are likely fiction), Simon manages to weave an engaging story that is both rich and vivid.
Not only does the book look at Mary and Anne’s journey into piracy, it explores their later life, as well as women’s role in society.
There is some repetition and it is speculative, due to the lack of information available, but Simon has been thorough in her research and overall it’s a fantastic insight into two brave and unique women.
May 5, 2022
This was a really impressive read! I can’t believe I have never heard of Anne and Mary before.
Simon does a wonderful job of exploring not only the lives of these women, but the societal norms and beliefs at the time.
I loved the dedication, “Dedicated to all of the forgotten women who forged their own lives on land and sea.”. As a woman currently studying for a history degree, I find studying the lives of women extremely interesting. For years the subject has ignored women and the depths of their character and I am so glad that historians (especially female historians) are pushing to research and write about these forgotten legacies.
Really recommend this book to anybody with an interest in Pirates, lesser-known stories or women who break societal code!
Thank you so much for the arc :)
Simon does a wonderful job of exploring not only the lives of these women, but the societal norms and beliefs at the time.
I loved the dedication, “Dedicated to all of the forgotten women who forged their own lives on land and sea.”. As a woman currently studying for a history degree, I find studying the lives of women extremely interesting. For years the subject has ignored women and the depths of their character and I am so glad that historians (especially female historians) are pushing to research and write about these forgotten legacies.
Really recommend this book to anybody with an interest in Pirates, lesser-known stories or women who break societal code!
Thank you so much for the arc :)
May 5, 2022
I'm trepidatious when I start history-related books because some authors have joyless, buzzkill writing styles. I'm relieved to say that this book was pretty decent. To those that have followed my reading habits in the past, you'll already know I love things Pirate-related. This book feels like a conversation amongst friends. Or a well-done interview. The information, or lack of information, pertaining to Anne and Mary was casually presented in an easily digestible way. The author attempts to fill in the gaps in an educated manner. When there's a discussion about Pirates, there are always the same things being talked about. After a while, what is enticing about them wears off. What the author manages to do here is bring life back to these people. No longer are they names on pages. They felt tangible. Fresh, real. Exciting.
June 4, 2022
I received a free eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I did enjoy reading this book, but it feels unpolished. The subject matter is fascinating - women pirates and their lives - but most of it is speculative. The writing style was basic and often repetitive; sometimes it seemed as though the author was trying to reach a word count quota. However, the stories of Anne Bonny and Mary Read are compelling, even if they are partially made up. Mary Read's story in particular was fascinating, as she spent much of her life disguised as a man and went through a lot on her way to becoming a pirate.
Overall I don't think this book was ready for publication, but with more work and better editing, I can see Rebecca Alexandra Simon coming out with some really wonderful narrative nonfiction in the future.
I did enjoy reading this book, but it feels unpolished. The subject matter is fascinating - women pirates and their lives - but most of it is speculative. The writing style was basic and often repetitive; sometimes it seemed as though the author was trying to reach a word count quota. However, the stories of Anne Bonny and Mary Read are compelling, even if they are partially made up. Mary Read's story in particular was fascinating, as she spent much of her life disguised as a man and went through a lot on her way to becoming a pirate.
Overall I don't think this book was ready for publication, but with more work and better editing, I can see Rebecca Alexandra Simon coming out with some really wonderful narrative nonfiction in the future.
July 28, 2022
This was a truly fascinating look at two female pirates, from the infancy to piracy trial. Simon is very open about what parts of their histories had likely been fictionalised and provides plenty of historical context and speculation as to their lives.
I really liked how everything was laid out and found the language both engaging and easy to understand and while some things were repeated it was to provide clarity.
I liked the separation of the characters at the start in order to delve into their lives pre piracy, and found the parallels drawn very interesting!
If you're wondering about the cover- Anne and Mary fought with bare breasts to seize power and to startle and frighten their opponents into submission.
Anne and Mary both sound like badass women in their own right, and I'm so glad to have learnt about them
I really liked how everything was laid out and found the language both engaging and easy to understand and while some things were repeated it was to provide clarity.
I liked the separation of the characters at the start in order to delve into their lives pre piracy, and found the parallels drawn very interesting!
If you're wondering about the cover- Anne and Mary fought with bare breasts to seize power and to startle and frighten their opponents into submission.
Anne and Mary both sound like badass women in their own right, and I'm so glad to have learnt about them
Read
December 16, 2023#piratequeens by #rebeccasimon #rebeccaalexandrasimon published in 2022. A fascinating examination of the lives of #annebonny and #maryread well researched with very helpful background and historical context. What I really appreciated was how candid the writing is in terms of clearly setting out what is known, what can be assumed, what is guesswork and what is likely fiction. Often history books these days can state things as fact rather than being honest about how much is interpretation. I also really enjoyed the original documents being included in a clearly typed font in the appendix. Being able to read them easily is so helpful rather than squinting and trying to decipher photos of original documents which inevitably causes frustration. Being accessible makes them much more engaging and fascinating.
March 29, 2022
I really enjoyed reading this book as I have always had a slight fascination with pirates and especially women pirates. I liked the writing style it was easy to read with a good flow and didn't feel to textbooky as some non fiction can. I did notice some areas that could have been developed slightly more or have more information in them, but, because these were real women who had real shenanigans and were revered and reviled a lot of the information about them is missing at best and biased at worst and so, this didn't take anything away from the book in my opinion. I would definitely read more by the author.
April 10, 2022
NB: free ARC received for honest review
A brisk biography of Anne Bonny and Mary Read, covering both their lives before piracy and then their brief but notorious careers as part of Jack Rackham's pirate crew. The author is frank about the lack of primary documents about the two, and there is likely some - possibly significant - amount of fictionalisation in the accounts we do have, and is generally clear about what content is the most reliable.
The text is occasionally guilty of repeating certain information - for instance, the fact that the pair would expose their breasts in combat is mentioned at least six times - but that's a relatively minor weakness.
A brisk biography of Anne Bonny and Mary Read, covering both their lives before piracy and then their brief but notorious careers as part of Jack Rackham's pirate crew. The author is frank about the lack of primary documents about the two, and there is likely some - possibly significant - amount of fictionalisation in the accounts we do have, and is generally clear about what content is the most reliable.
The text is occasionally guilty of repeating certain information - for instance, the fact that the pair would expose their breasts in combat is mentioned at least six times - but that's a relatively minor weakness.
May 3, 2022
This book was an excellent overview of everything we know about Anne Bonny and Mary Read. I’ve heard bits and pieces over the years about these two women, but never the complete story, or at least as complete as we can get it. The author is upfront in saying that some of the information, especially about Anne and Mary’s past, is largely theoretical and can’t be confirmed. The text was easy to read and very interesting, though some parts seemed to be repetitive or contradictory to other parts. But overall I enjoyed learning lot only about these two historical figures but also piracy in general. I’m sure I will use it in future writing projects.
September 18, 2022
A fascinating look at, for my money, two of the most intriguing figures in Golden Age pirate lore. The book encompasses a mix of the definite, the probable, the possible, and the fantasy. Given that so little is known for certain about Bonny and Read, Simon does an incredible job at fleshing out their stories with what may have been, taking inspiration from women's lives at the time. Importantly, it's always clear what is historical fact, what has dubiously been claimed to be true, and what is conjecture. Simon examines her subjects' mythology and legacy in historical context and also with a modern eye regarding gender and sexuality. 5/5
December 8, 2022
Pirate Queens is a well written, meticulously researched narrative of the plausible histories of Anne Bonny and Mary Read. I found it both entertaining and engaging.
Rebecca Simon goes to great lengths to distinguish fact from fiction as she regales us with both certified trial transcripts and sensationalized backstories. By speculating on the accuracy of the tales told of these legendary women, and comparing these myths with the relatively few legitimate records at our disposal, Simon proves herself to be the most sincere of historians: she is an arbiter of truth.
Long live the pirate queens.
Rebecca Simon goes to great lengths to distinguish fact from fiction as she regales us with both certified trial transcripts and sensationalized backstories. By speculating on the accuracy of the tales told of these legendary women, and comparing these myths with the relatively few legitimate records at our disposal, Simon proves herself to be the most sincere of historians: she is an arbiter of truth.
Long live the pirate queens.
August 15, 2024
I had never heard of Anne Bonny or Mary Read before visiting the Pirates exhibition in the Maritime Museum in Falmouth, Cornwall. The exhibition was fascinating and so I bought the book. I did not know much about pirates - nor even realised that female pirates existed. Rebecca Simon's book draws on Johnson's (1724) A General History of Pyrates and contemporary documents to build the story of the women's lives. Anne Bonny came from a more privileged background than Mary Read but both were drawn to the freedom life as a pirate could bring. As the original sources do not provide a complete picture Simon draws on her knowledge of the time to fill in any gaps (and admits to doing so)
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