Bitch magazine
Barbara Sjoholm is a skilled and stylish writer . . . I fell for her, hook, line, and sinker from the first page.
The Seattle Times
Sjoholm's imagination is so fertile she takes on new personas during her journey.
The Oregonian
Sjoholm brings to life many remarkable stories of maritime women in this fascinating book.
Foreword magazine
Appeals to a broad range of readers, particularly those who are interested in reclaiming the lost history of women's contributions.
Bremerton Sun
[Sjoholm's] description of land and seascapes are rhapsodie and vivid, and her evocation of people is uncanny.
Book Description
The Pirate Queen begins in Ireland with the notorious Grace O'Malley, a scourge to the most powerful fleets of sixteenth-century Europe. This Irish clan chieftain and pirate queen was a contemporary of Elizabeth I, and a figure whose life is the stuff of myth. Regularly raiding English ships caught off Ireland's west coast, O'Malley purportedly fought off fierce Algerian pirates just hours after giving birth to her son. She commanded two hundred men (and a couple of husbands), and acquired lands and castles that still dot the Irish coastline today. But O'Malley was not alone, especially in the waters of the North Atlantic where author Barbara Sjoholm traveled through coastal communities and seafaring ports to collect these little-known stories. Since ancient times, women have rowed and sailed, commanded and fished, built boats and owned fleets. Yet their incredible contributions have been nearly erased from the history books, as have the myths of seal women, Finn wives, and storm witches. In The Pirate Queen, Sjoholm brings some of these extraordinary stories back to life, taking the reader on an unforgettable journey in this meticulously researched, colorfully written, and truly original work. Illustrations and maps add to these intriguing swashbuckling tales
The Pirate Queen: In Search of Grace O'Malley and Other Legendary Women of the Sea FROM THE PUBLISHER
The Pirate Queen begins in Ireland with the notorious Grace O'Malley, a scourge to the most powerful fleets of sixteenth-century Europe. This Irish clan chieftain and pirate queen was a contemporary of Elizabeth I, and a figure whose life is the stuff of myth. Regularly raiding English ships caught off Ireland's west coast, O'Malley purportedly fought off fierce Algerian pirates just hours after giving birth to her son. She commanded two hundred men (and a couple of husbands), and acquired lands and castles that still dot the Irish coastline today. But O'Malley was not alone, especially in the waters of the North Atlantic where author Barbara Sjoholm traveled through coastal communities and seafaring ports to collect these little-known stories. Since ancient times, women have rowed and sailed, commanded and fished, built boats and owned fleets. Yet their incredible contributions have been nearly erased from the history books, as have the myths of seal women, Finn wives, and storm witches. In The Pirate Queen, Sjoholm brings some of these extraordinary stories back to life, taking the reader on an unforgettable journey in this meticulously researched, colorfully written, and truly original work. Illustrations and maps add to these intriguing swashbuckling tales.
Art & Photography
Book Info
