The Pirate Life

The authors of "Pirattitude" return with a book that will allow every scallywag, saucy wench, or landlubber to get in touch with his or her inner pirate.

Exploring a pitching career that began with a complete-game victory over Hall of Famer Don Drysdale in 1964 and ended when he could no longer control his pitches, this book details the life of Pittsburgh Pirates great, Steve Blass. This insider's view of the humorous and bizarre journey of a World Series champion pitcher turned color commentator will delight Pirates and baseball fans alike. Recounting his first years in the Major Leagues and his battle with the baffling condition that would ultimately bear his own name, Steve Blass tells the story of his life on and off the field with a poignant, dazzling wit and shares the life of a baseball player who had the prime of his career cut short.

Describes life aboard a pirate ship and provides information about famous pirates in history and literature.

Pirates are an enduring popular subject, depicted often in songs, stories, and Halloween costumes. Yet the truth about pirate women—who they were, why they went to sea, and what their lives were really like—is seldom a part of the conversation. In this Seven Seas history of the world's female buccaneers, A Pirate's Life for She tells the story of 16 women who through the ages who sailed alongside—and sometimes in command of—their male counterparts. These women came from all walks of life but had one thing in common: a desire for freedom. History has largely ignored these female swashbucklers, until now. Here are their stories, from ancient Norse princess Alfhild to Sayyida al-Hurra of the Barbary corsairs; from Grace O'Malley, who terrorized shipping operations around the British Isles during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I; to Cheng I Sao, who commanded a fleet of 1,400 ships off China in the early 19th century. Author Laura Sook Duncombe takes an honest look at these women, acknowledging that they are not easy heroines: they are lawbreakers. A Pirate's Life for She tells their full stories, focusing on the reasons they became pirates. It is possible to admire the courage, determination, and skills these women possessed without endorsing her actions. These are the remarkable stories of women who took control of their own destinies in a world where the odds were against them, empowering young women to reach for their own dreams.

Presents a brief history of pirates, as well as discussing life onboard a pirate ship, pirate lingo, and the weapons they used.

Now that Lucas is committed to staying on the island and performing with the pirates, he begins preparations to join the show. But it's not easy being Lucas. Besides dealing with anxieties over fitting in with an all gay crew, he struggles to understand his reactions to pirate captain Adam and his first mate, Tyler. The two men, who are lovers with a sizzling sex life, dominate Lucas' thoughts and inspire unwanted feelings in him. To cope, he turns to his friend Ben, who is all too eager to initiate Lucas into the island pirate lifestyle. But is Ben enough to distract him? Lucas isn't so sure. When a rival island gang threatens him, it's Adam and Tyler who defend him, and whom Lucas turns to for comfort.

In 1674, it is three years since Henry Morgan’s pirates sacked Panama. England is now at peace with Spain, and soon France, Holland, and Spain will briefly be at peace among themselves. But soon buccaneers and their French counterparts, the filibusters, will seize the opportunity of material gain presented by the far-flung and failing Spanish Empire. And Spain will produce its own notorious pirates, whose depredations against the English and French will become legend. These men of opportunistic calculation and desperate courage live in a wilder, larger, and richer time and place than any other frontier in modern history—the Spanish Main. Unflinchingly, unhesitatingly, unabashedly, they will take to the peaceful seas for riches by force of arms. The world will witness piracy on a grand scale. While Benerson Little’s previous work showed brilliantly how pirates actually plied their trade, The Buccaneer’s Realm focuses on their cultural and physical environments. It describes not merely their deeds but their world—the New World of the Spanish Main and its many peoples, freedoms, dangers, and exploits that are the foundation of the Americas. A detailed and lively description of pirate life, it will especially appeal to readers with an interest in maritime, naval, military, and colonial history, as well as sociologists, anthropologists, and armchair adventurers.

After breaking up with his girlfriend, Lucas is eager to get away from reminders of their relationship so he answers an ad to join a pirate show in the Caribbean. What he doesn't learn until he gets there is that there are two shows: one gay and one straight, and he's been hired for the gay show. Determined to stay, Lucas vows to 'play gay', but he hasn't counted on becoming the target of the show's pirate captain, Adam, and his first mate and lover, Tyler. Adam will only let Lucas stay in the show if he plays by Adam's rules. But Adam wants more than a good performance from Lucas, he wants Lucas to surrender to a desire he's about to learn he can't resist.