Gilkerson, William. A Thousand Years of Pirates.

Gilkerson, William. A Thousand Years of Pirates.
Tundra Books 2009 96p 32.95 978-0-88776-924-5 ms/hs Pirates have plagued the globe even before the Vikings learned how to make ships and took to the seas as marauders. The book is a fascinating blend of historical data and captivating artwork that should entrance the reader and, possibly, lead to further reading and research. Arranged in chronological order, each page of text is faced by spectacular full-color paintings, illustrations, and drawings, all very detailed, by Gilkerson. Pirates have plagued the globe even before the Vikings learned how to make ships and took to the seas as marauders. For the next thousand years, swashbuckling men on armed ships would terrorize much of the world’s oceans. Not all fit the movie stereotypes; some were well-known, some obscure, some were hired by their countries to prey on the treasure ships and ports of their enemies, reaping financial rewards for themselves as well as their patrons, some did it for simply for the adventure and personal gain. Even today, they continue to be a menace on the high seas. This wonderful book highlights the “golden” age of piracy from the Vikings to the end of the eighteenth century. It is a fascinating blend of historical data and captivating artwork that should entrance the reader and, possibly, lead to further reading and research. Arranged in chronological order, each page of text is faced by spectacular full-color paintings, illustrations, and drawings, all very detailed, by Gilkerson. The book ends with a bibliography of books and an index and the inner covers hold maps of the oceans. Ogintz, Susan