The Pirate’s Wife
“[A] colorful biography of Sarah Kidd….Geanacopoulos packs the narrative with intriguing details about piracy and privateering in colonial America. This seafaring tale fascinates.” Publisher’s Weekly
“Even sea-faring outlaws crave safe harbor now and again, as The Pirate’s Wife demonstrates in its beautifully researched consideration of the marriage between Captain Kidd and his remarkable wife, Sarah. It is always a thrill when a writer shows us a world we think we already know in a new light, and Daphne Geanacopoulos has done just that.” Madeleine Blais, Pulitzer Prize-winner and author of In These Girls, Hope is a Muscle
“After thousands of books written over the centuries it is not easy to say anything new about pirates, but that is precisely what Daphne Geanacopoulos has done in this lively tale of the remarkable Sarah Kidd. Pirate-lovers worldwide will rejoice!” Marcus Rediker, author of Villains of All Nations: Atlantic Pirates in the Golden Age
“A well-researched and absorbing account, The Pirate’s Wife not only illuminates a formidable historical figure, but also sheds light on the history of women in 17th century America and on the politics of early New York.” Judy Batalion, New York Times bestselling author of The Light of Days: The Untold Story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler’s Ghettos
“Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos has achieved something historical scholars dream of: bringing to light a fascinating story that is as entertaining as it is factual. In A Pirate’s Wife, readers are witnesses to both the thrills of upper society in colonial New York, and the harrowing and desperate descent into public scorn and destitution for those accused of piracy. Through all the challenges, Sarah Kidd, wife of the notorious Captain Kidd, fights a corrupt bureaucracy, using her feminine wiles and the occasional bar of gold to beg, cajole, and bribe both influential colonists and the English rulers to save her husband and their way of life. With meticulous research and stunning detail, this fast-paced story will have the reader turning the pages and tuning out the present world, which in some ways hasn’t changed a bit.” Tracey Enerson Wood, Internationally Best Selling Author of The Engineer’s Wife and The War Nurse
“A title like The Pirate’s Wife makes promises to the reader: adventure, danger, betrayal, romance, and especially pirate treasure. Daphne Geanacopoulos more than keeps those promises in this deeply researched and richly imagined exploration of the life of Sarah Kidd, the little known wife of one of history’s most infamous pirates. The end result is not only the previously buried story of one woman’s life—in itself a form of hidden treasure–but a detailed and sometimes surprising picture of women’s lives in colonial America.” Pamela D. Toler, Author of Women Warriors
“A fascinating and intriguing story about the woman behind one of the most iconic pirates of all. Geanacopoulos’s compelling portrait of Sarah Kidd’s turbulent and often tragic life, and her indomitable spirit, is full of dramatic twists and turns that will leave you wondering if there is any truth to the legend of Captain Kidd’s hidden treasure.” Eric Jay Dolin, author of Black Flags, Blue Waters: The Epic History of American’s Most Notorious Pirates.
“In 17th century New York, Sarah is respected and socially prominent. When the young and beautiful woman falls in love with the dashing pirate William Kidd, she becomes a swashbuckler’s moll. Historian and author Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos uses newly discovered primary source documents to bring the fearless and resourceful Sarah roaring back to life. The author’s impressive research, rich contextual detailing, and empathy for her subject all make for a riveting read. A rollicking yarn release with romance, buried treasure and revenge, The Pirate’s Wife enthralls!” Heath Hardage Lee, award-winning author of The League of Wives: The Untold Story of the Women Who Took on the U.S. Government to Bring Their Husbands Home.
“The Pirate’s Wife falls under the category of narrative non-fiction but reads like a lively historical novel. Not only does Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos flesh out the story of the wife of the notorious pirate William Kidd, she brings to life the New York of the seventeenth and eighteenth century with meticulous research and rich prose. I sailed right along with this saga. A jolly good ride.” Sally Cabot Gunning, author of six critically acclaimed historical novels, the latest Painting the Light.
Pirate lore has long captivated us and through the centuries it has worked its way into our literature, movies and popular culture. But many of these depictions and our understanding of the nature of the pirate are wrong. The Pirate Next Door takes what we think we know about pirates and turns it on its head by exploring the human side of pirates—the wives, families and communities of the men who have long been considered outlaws and outcasts. It delves into the inner lives of pirates, focusing on their faiths, communal ties and great loves. Using newly discovered primary sources from the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries from archives in New England and London, this compelling story is told through the lives of four pirate captains who were active during the Golden Age of Piracy—Samuel Bellamy of Cape Cod, Massachusetts; Paulsgrave Williams of Block Island, Rhode Island; William Kidd of New York and Samuel Burgess of New York. This book corrects long-held beliefs about pirate life and brings to light the strong women behind these men.
The Pirate Next Door:
The Untold Story of Eighteenth Century Pirates’ Wives, Families and Communities
“This beautifully written true story blows the best pirate fiction out of the water. For the first time, a historian shines welcome light on the women behind these daring, violent and surprisingly domesticated adventure capitalists.” JAYNE O’DONNELL, USA TODAY REPORTER
“It is well researched, drawing mainly on primary sources, and written in a readily accessible narrative style…a valuable addition to the growing corpus of pirate studies, a welcome insight into the lives of some of the chief pirates of the Golden Age and overall a very enjoyable read.” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY
“For those of you who’ve walked a beach and dreamt of finding pirate treasure, you’ll find that lost booty and much more in this carefully researched and wonderfully written book that is a new chapter in ‘The Real History of the Pirates.'” BARRY CLIFFORD, EXPLORER AND AUTHOR
“. . . pulls the curtain back on a world we scarce knew existed. Cutting edge scholarship and a rattling good tale. Prepare to have your timbers shivered!” RICHARD WILLING, FBI AND INTELLIGENCE HISTORIAN
“. . . introduces us into a new aspect of the lives of pirates. Too often characterized as alienated, violent outcasts, Geanacopoulos shows us that many of them were married, cared about their children and were attached to communities. It is a new dimension in pirate studies.” ROBERT C. RITCHIE, AUTHOR OF CAPTAIN KIDD AND THE WAR AGAINST THE PIRATES
“. . . a must read for all who seek to know the historic pirate experience.” RONALD M. JOHNSON, EMERITUS PROFESSOR OF HISTORY, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
“. . . sheds light on the private lives of the rowdy buccaneers of the Golden Age of Piracy, plus the lovers, wives and families who supported such risky business. Geanacopoulos captures our attention with insight into the strict code of honor among daring rogues on both sides of the Atlantic. Pirate enthusiasts will treasure it!” GLEN FINLAND, AUTHOR OF “NEXT STOP