Fed up with an outlaw existence, Calico Jack Rackam swears off the pirate life, until he meets Anne Bonny, a woman who would as soon stab a man as give him a good tumble—that is, unless he's a pirate. Soon Jack finds himself out on the high seas, with Anne by his side and his men spoiling for action.

*Includes historic illustrations depicting Calico Jack, Anne Bonny, Mary Read, and important people in their lives. *Includes the profiles of Calico Jack, Anne Bonny and Mary Read from the famous English pirate history "A General History of the Pyrates." *Discusses common legends about the three famous pirates, separating fact from fiction. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "The Day that Rackam was executed, by special Favour, he was admitted to see [Anne Bonny]; but all the Comfort she gave him, was, that she was sorry to see him there, but if he had fought like a Man, he need not have been hang'd like a Dog." - Captain Charles Johnson, A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates One of the most famous pirates of all time, and possibly the most famous woman to ever become one, was Anne Bonny. The Irish-born girl moved with her family to the Bahamas at a young age in the early 18th century, which at that time was a hotbed for piracy by the likes of Blackbeard, but the redhead with a fiery temper would go on to forge her own reputation. After marrying a poor sailor who accepted clemency to give up piracy, Anne began a legendary affair with Calico Jack Rackam and became pregnant with his child, but that did not stop them from plundering the high seas aboard his pirate ship Revenge, at least until they were captured by British authorities. Anne avoided execution by "pleading her belly," getting a temporary stay of execution due to her pregnancy. It is at that point that Anne Bonny drops off the historical record and becomes the stuff of legends. It's unclear whether she was eventually executed or pardoned or even ransomed, and it's unclear what became of her child. Her relationship with Mary Read aboard the Revenge is also the stuff of legends, and people have been filling in the gaps ever since. Among all the pirates of the "Golden Age of Piracy," none were as unique as Mary Read, who was one of just two known women to be tried as a pirate during the Golden Age, alongside her own crewmate (and possible lover) Anne Bonny. Like Anne, Mary Read was an illegitimate child who spent some of her childhood dressed up as and disguised as a little boy through incredibly strange circumstances. But unlike her future shipmate, Mary ultimately took a liking to it, and she continued to disguise her gender to take on roles reserved for men, including in the British army. Though he would accomplish many things in his career that would earn him notoriety among the pirates of his age, the simple truth is that he is remembered mostly for his association with Anne Bonny and Mary Read, two of history's most famous women pirates. In fact, had it not been for his involvement with them, his name might have disappeared from the history books entirely. And fittingly, even his nickname, "Calico," came from the type of fabric he preferred for his shirts, the same fabric typically used for women's everyday clothing. Rackham preferred attractive print fabrics produced for trade with natives in the New World, a flamboyant taste worthy of the common pirate stereotype. Calico Jack to make yet another contribution to pirate history and legend: the "Jolly Roger" pirate flag. Flying the simple yet frightening flag that featured a white skull and crossed swords against a black banner, Calico Jack ensured his targets knew they were in trouble as soon as they could spot the flag. To this day, the flag remains synonymous with piracy. Still, it seems Calico Jack will never escape the shadow of his famous female shipmates, despite the fact he was their captain, and if anything it seems he enjoyed having the fairer sex aboard, in more ways than one. This book chronicles the lives and legends of history's most famous pirate crew, with historic illustrations and contemporary accounts. It also includes a bibliography and Table of Contents.

‘A General History of the Pyrates’ is a captivating account of some of history’s most notorious pirates. The author, writing as Captain Charles Johnson, blends fiction and non-fiction to provide readers with a most entertaining version of these iconic heroes and villains. This book was a massive success upon its first release due to its adventurous stories filled with danger and treasure and its influence lives on to this day as it shaped the modern view of pirates. Some of the best accounts in the book are of the infamous Blackbeard and the trailblazing female pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read. ‘A General History of the Pyrates’ is the definitive story of the golden age of piracy and should be read by fans of books such as ‘Treasure Island’ and movies such as ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’. Daniel Defoe (1660 – 1731) is one of the most important authors in the English language. Defoe was one of the original English novelists and greatly helped to popularise the form. Defoe was highly prolific and is believed to have written over 300 works ranging from novels to political pamphlets. He was highly celebrated but also controversial as his writings influenced politicians but also led to Defoe being imprisoned. Defoe’s novels have been translated into many languages and are still read across the globe to this day. Some of his most famous books include ‘Moll Flanders’ and ‘Robinson Crusoe’ which was adapted into a movie starring Pierce Brosnan and Damian Lewis in 1997. Defoe’s influence on English novels cannot be understated and his legacy lives on to this day.

*Includes historic illustrations depicting Calico Jack, Anne Bonny, Mary Read, and important people in their lives. *Includes the profiles of Calico Jack, Anne Bonny and Mary Read from the famous English pirate history "A General History of the Pyrates." *Discusses common legends about the three famous pirates, separating fact from fiction. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "The Day that Rackam was executed, by special Favour, he was admitted to see [Anne Bonny]; but all the Comfort she gave him, was, that she was sorry to see him there, but if he had fought like a Man, he need not have been hang'd like a Dog." - Captain Charles Johnson, A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates One of the most famous pirates of all time, and possibly the most famous woman to ever become one, was Anne Bonny. The Irish-born girl moved with her family to the Bahamas at a young age in the early 18th century, which at that time was a hotbed for piracy by the likes of Blackbeard, but the redhead with a fiery temper would go on to forge her own reputation. After marrying a poor sailor who accepted clemency to give up piracy, Anne began a legendary affair with Calico Jack Rackam and became pregnant with his child, but that did not stop them from plundering the high seas aboard his pirate ship Revenge, at least until they were captured by British authorities. Anne avoided execution by "pleading her belly," getting a temporary stay of execution due to her pregnancy. It is at that point that Anne Bonny drops off the historical record and becomes the stuff of legends. It's unclear whether she was eventually executed or pardoned or even ransomed, and it's unclear what became of her child. Her relationship with Mary Read aboard the Revenge is also the stuff of legends, and people have been filling in the gaps ever since. Among all the pirates of the "Golden Age of Piracy," none were as unique as Mary Read, who was one of just two known women to be tried as a pirate during the Golden Age, alongside her own crewmate (and possible lover) Anne Bonny. Like Anne, Mary Read was an illegitimate child who spent some of her childhood dressed up as and disguised as a little boy through incredibly strange circumstances. But unlike her future shipmate, Mary ultimately took a liking to it, and she continued to disguise her gender to take on roles reserved for men, including in the British army. Though he would accomplish many things in his career that would earn him notoriety among the pirates of his age, the simple truth is that he is remembered mostly for his association with Anne Bonny and Mary Read, two of history's most famous women pirates. In fact, had it not been for his involvement with them, his name might have disappeared from the history books entirely. And fittingly, even his nickname, "Calico," came from the type of fabric he preferred for his shirts, the same fabric typically used for women's everyday clothing. Rackham preferred attractive print fabrics produced for trade with natives in the New World, a flamboyant taste worthy of the common pirate stereotype. Calico Jack to make yet another contribution to pirate history and legend: the "Jolly Roger" pirate flag. Flying the simple yet frightening flag that featured a white skull and crossed swords against a black banner, Calico Jack ensured his targets knew they were in trouble as soon as they could spot the flag. To this day, the flag remains synonymous with piracy. Still, it seems Calico Jack will never escape the shadow of his famous female shipmates, despite the fact he was their captain, and if anything it seems he enjoyed having the fairer sex aboard, in more ways than one. This book chronicles the lives and legends of history's most famous pirate crew, with historic illustrations and contemporary accounts. It also includes a bibliography and Table of Contents.

Anne Bonny, a pampered Southern belle, hungers for a life more exciting and dangerous than she knows keeping her father's household together. When she convinces a hapless sailor boy to marry her and take her to Nassau, that seething cauldron of piracy, prostitution and all things wicked, she alters the course of her life forever. . . Calico Jack Rackham, a devious pirate, returns to Nassau with hopes of accepting the governor's pardon and leaving the sweet trade. When he first lays eyes on Anne Bonny, however, he realizes that she is the one woman who could convince him to put aside his fear of the noose and take up the trade again, no matter what the consequences. And Mary Read, a sensible Englishwoman who has been living as a man and earning her livelihood as a merchant sailor, must make a decision when her ship is overtaken by Calico Jack and she is invited to join the band of thieves. When she tastes the freedom of a pirate's life, she realizes what she has been missing during all her years of toil... and when she joins forces with Anne, they form a union that will carry them to the ends of the earth, through births, deaths, and battles more exciting than even Anne Bonny could have dreamed.

High adventure on the high seas in the waning days of piracy, when men were men, and the best pirates were ... women? Writer STEPHANIE PHILLIPS (Butcher of Paris, Descendent) and artist CRAIG CERMAK (Red Team, Voltron) bring to life the tale of Anne Bonny and Mary Read as they hoist the skull and crossbones, draw cutlasses, and seek a treasure that will make them legends. In an era where sailing with women was thought to be bad luck, Anne and Mary might just be the only women capable of saving the pirates' way of life. Collects A MAN AMONG YE #1-4

Discover the lives of Mary Read and Anne Bonny, the dangerous female duo who sailed with Calico Jack.