# Arrrrrr - Anyone reading "The Pirate Hunter" (about Capt. Kidd)?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrrrr-anyone-reading-the-pirate-hunter-about-capt-kidd/151676
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [January 30, 2003, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrrrr-anyone-reading-the-pirate-hunter-about-capt-kidd/151676 "2003-01-30T18:49:26Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@H8\_2\_W8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/H8_2_W8)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2003, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrrrr-anyone-reading-the-pirate-hunter-about-capt-kidd/151676/1 "2003-01-30T18:49:26Z")
[http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0786865334/qid=1043952338/sr=8-1/ref=sr\_8\_1/002-3697193-9910439?v=glance&s=books&n=507846](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0786865334/qid=1043952338/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/002-3697193-9910439?v=glance&s=books&n=507846)
I’m not done with it yet, but of course I know he dies (if he didn’t, he’s 357 years old after all).
Very enjoyable book with lots of pirate and privateer info. I didn’t really even have that much of an interest in pirates before but the author’s other books were so interesting I thought I’d try it.
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### Author:  [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2003, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrrrr-anyone-reading-the-pirate-hunter-about-capt-kidd/151676/2 "2003-01-30T20:49:08Z")
Poor Captain Kidd…
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### Author:  [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2003, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrrrr-anyone-reading-the-pirate-hunter-about-capt-kidd/151676/3 "2003-01-31T00:53:45Z")
I got the book from my local library. It stunk.
Seriously, the last patron who took it out must have a weakness for cheap rum-soaked cheroots. The smell left in the pages nauseated me and I could not finish two chapters.
I will have to search for a clean copy.
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### Author:  [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2003, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrrrr-anyone-reading-the-pirate-hunter-about-capt-kidd/151676/4 "2003-01-31T00:56:46Z")
I’ve been wanting to read about Pirates. Does anyone know of any other good pirate books?
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### Author:  [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2003, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrrrr-anyone-reading-the-pirate-hunter-about-capt-kidd/151676/5 "2003-01-31T01:17:00Z")
Fiction or non?
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### Author:  [@H8\_2\_W8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/H8_2_W8)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2003, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrrrr-anyone-reading-the-pirate-hunter-about-capt-kidd/151676/6 "2003-01-31T12:20:03Z")
Non-fiction. Zacks makes (so far) a strong case that Kidd wasn’t a pirate at all and was unjustly hung out to dry (literally) by those in power.
I would give this book a good chance of being made into a serious movie since it has themes of government corruption, profit/greed, race, class, and a little sex (the part about neighbors could hear William and Sarah celebrating their marriage night a block away).
All that and a tragic ending.
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### Author:  [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2003, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrrrr-anyone-reading-the-pirate-hunter-about-capt-kidd/151676/7 "2003-01-31T14:17:56Z")
Non fiction. I want to read about what it was really like to be a pirate. So how I don’t think the ride at Disneyland captures it just right.
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### Author:  [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrrrrr-anyone-reading-the-pirate-hunter-about-capt-kidd/151676/8 "2003-01-31T14:47:05Z")
I’m reading it right now. I’ve always had an interest in all things nautical (age of sail).
Good, non-sensational books about pirating are hard to find. I had this great short book about pirates I bought at the national park at Nag’s Head when I was a kid.
Time books had an age of sail series that had a non-romantic volume about pirates too, but I was around 12 when I read it, so it probably isn’t has good as I remember it.