The Only Life That Mattered, James L. Nelson
The Only Life That Mattered, James L. Nelson
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The Only Life That Mattered
The Short and Merry Lives of Anne Bonny, Mary Read, and Calico Jack Rackham

Author: James L. Nelson

Narrator: Kate Reading

Unabridged: 15 hr 53 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/24/2022

Synopsis

Fed up with an outlaw existence, Calico Jack Rackam swears off the pirate life, but he hasn’t reckoned with Anne Bonny, a woman who would as soon stab a man as give him a good tumble—that is, unless he’s a pirate.Soon Jack finds himself out on the high seas again, with Anne by his side and his men spoiling for action. And when they capture a Dutch merchant ship, they pick up an unlikely crewmate as well, an expert sword fighter and topmast seaman who has a secret: he just happens to be a woman named Mary.Together Jack, Anne, and Mary cut a bold swath through the West Indies, stealing naval sloops, plundering rich merchant ships, and choosing to live a life of freedom—the only life that mattered.

About James L. Nelson

Naval enthusiast James L. Nelson is the award-winning author of many works of fiction and nonfiction. His books include George Washington's Secret Navy, which won the Naval Order's prestigious Samuel Eliot Morison Award, and Glory in the Name, which was selected as the winner of the American Library Association's W. Y. Boyd Literary Award for Excellence in Military Fiction. He has appeared on the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, and C-SPAN's Book TV. He lives in Maine with his family.

About Kate Reading

Kate Reading is an Audie Award–winning narrator and has received numerous Earphones Awards from AudioFile magazine. Her narration has been recognized as Reader of the Year by Publishers Weekly, and by Booklist’s 2019 Top of the List, for the American Library Association. She and her husband, narrator Michael Kramer, record at their home studio in Maryland, Madison Productions. Learn more at KateReadingAudioBooks.com.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Nicky

It's not terrible, but it's not all that great either. Also contained more casual chauvinism than I expected in a novel about Bonny and Read (from the narration I mean, not the characters -- in fact, most of the characters seemed to roll with Anne and Mary's prowess and life choices more readily tha......more

Goodreads review by Frank

Somehow, I've recently managed to acquire various books about pirates, and this is the second one I've read in the last few months. This particular one is a historical novel rather than a straight history (like the last one I'd read), and it is quite entertaining. Although fiction, the story is base......more

Goodreads review by Denise

In case you're wondering: Why yes, of course the reason I'm mainlining books about pirates is absolutely related to my obsession with a certain HBO show I've been watching on repeat for the past month or so... Though this historical novel about the lives of Anne Bonny, Mary Read, and Jack Rackam had......more

Goodreads review by Benjamin

As a fan of James L. Nelson’s nautical fiction I had high expectations for this stand-alone historical novel and I was well-rewarded for my time. Most of what I’ve read of Nelson’s work tends toward fictional stories with historical figures interspersed here and there to lend an air of authenticity.......more

Quotes

“[Nelson’s] descriptions have the ring of truth and are conveyed with a sharpness and clarity that even the landbound can appreciate.” Chicago Tribune

“Nelson’s portrayal of the pirate menace and its unique seagoing society is thorough, accurate, colorful, and utterly convincing, providing a full broadside of reading entertainment.” Publishers Weekly

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