The Pirate Hunter: The True Story of Captain Kidd (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780786884513)

Everybody knows the legend of Captain Kidd, America's most ruthless buccanneer. Few people realize that the facts of his life make for a much better tale. Kidd was actually a tough New York sea captain hired to chase pirates, a married war hero whose secret mission took a spectacularly bad turn. This harrowing tale traces Kidd's voyages in the 1690s from his home near Wall Street to Whitehall Palace in London, from the ports of the Caribbean to a secret pirate paradise off Madagascar. Author Richard Zacks, during his research, also unearthed the story of a long forgotten rogue named Robert Culliford, who dogged Kidd and led Kidd's crew to mutiny not once but twice. The lives of Kidd and Culliford play out like an unscripted duel: one man would hang in the harbor, the other would walk away with the treasure. Filled with superb writing and impeccable research, The Pirate Hunter is both a masterpiece of historical detective work and a ripping good yarn, and it delivers something rare: an authentic pirate story for grown-ups.

Author: Richard Zacks
ISBN-10: 0786884517
ISBN-13: 9780786884513
Publisher: Hachette Books
Language: English
Published: 06/18/2003
Pages: 434
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.79lbs
Size: 7.99h x 5.23w x 0.93d

Review Citation(s):
New York Times 07/27/2003 pg. 16
Kliatt 11/01/2003 pg. 33