 Pirates and Privateers
The History of Maritime
Piracy
Cindy Vallar, Editor
& Reviewer
P.O. Box 425,
Keller, TX 76244-0425
Books for
Adults ~ Biography: Pirates, Privateers, & Pirate
Hunters
The Last Days of Black Beard the Pirate: Within Every
Legend Lies a Grain of Truth
By Kevin P. Duffus
Looking Glass Productions, 2008, ISBN
978-1-888285-23-9, US $30
What if we got
it wrong? What if the accepted version of
Edward Teach’s life contains elements of
the truth, but also incorporates
inaccuracies? This is the premise of Kevin
Duffus’s book, and he lays out his
hypothesis in careful detail. Lest the
reader think this is entirely supposition,
the author backs up his claims, when
possible, with primary evidence and
readily admits he hasn’t connected all the
dots yet. In places where this occurs, the
text appears in italics.
Duffus’s quest begins with Sister Susie, a
tale oft told in eastern North Carolina.
As the chapters unfold, he presents
evidence that illuminates his hypothesis
and, at times, he’s most convincing. He
believes that contrary to what history has
led us to believe, Blackbeard was not from
Bristol, England, but from North Carolina.
Nor was his last name Teach or Thatch,
which is why the author spells Blackbeard
as two words rather than one.
The story is as fascinating to read as
Duffus’s vigilant attention to its
presentation. In the publishing industry,
this book is what used to be called a
coffee-table book. Beautiful color
photographs abound. Maps assist the reader
in following the trails of various pirates
and events.
As a writer of historical fiction, I
particularly enjoyed reading Chapter Two,
which is an intriguing look at how we’ve
come to know what we know, or think we
know, about Blackbeard. It was also
refreshing to find an author who plainly
explains why Blackbeard named his flagship
Queen Anne’s Revenge. Duffus’s
research involved tracking down
little-known historical documents in
archives as far away as England, a journey
that makes for compelling reading.
Review Copyright ©2009 Cindy
Vallar
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