If a Pirate I Must Be: The True Story of Black Bart, “King of the Caribbean Pirates”
Avast, ye landlubbers! Pick up this book and follow along in a swift history of the rise and fall of Captain Bartholomew Roberts (AKA Black Bart). It colorfully covers his winnings, struggles, enemies, and lifestyle while sailing us across the world from the Caribbean to Africa.
Although there are some minor dry spells through portions of this story, I would say the book overall is quite fascinating for history lovers. You can tell a lot of work went into gathering the facts for this book; we not only get to hear about Roberts and his crew in their heyday, but the author also does a great job of filling in the histories of the Royal navies at the time, the lifestyles of the colonists in the West Indies, and the brutal treatment of the slaves during this period. I always like to have this extra detail because it’s more consumable for the masses that might not spend their time reading and studying history.
Even though I knew pirates were ruthless and lawless men, I actually found myself rooting for them in battles and close calls with the navy ships. I was captivated by their democracy in a time of monarchy; it took a certain type of person to know the consequences of this existence only ended in death or jail and said “Yeah, we’re still going to do this.” The poor spending habits, excessive drinking, and fierce loyalty to their brotherhood also reminded me of a handful of people I know (you know who you are).
I thoroughly enjoyed this read and recommend it to anyone who loves the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, or to people who have a special place in their heart for Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe (which is mentioned in this novel and talks about the pirate who inspired the book).
Malia's Pizza Rating
Yo Ho Ho cheese pizza and a glass of pirates' punch!
- 1C lime juice
- 2C brown sugar
- 3C rum
- 4C crushed ice