A Pirate's Life for She

Pirates are an enduring popular subject, depicted often in songs, stories, and Halloween costumes. Yet the truth about pirate womenwho they were, why they went to sea, and what their lives were really likeis seldom a part of the conversation. In this Seven Seas history of the worlds female buccaneers, A Pirate's Life for She tells the story of 16 women who through the ages who sailed alongsideand sometimes in command oftheir 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 OMalley, 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.