"Three Books ..." is a series in which we invite writers to recommend three great reads on a single theme.

Picture him: a swashbuckler standing on the bow of a boat with an eye patch, a wooden leg and a parrot on his shoulder. ARG! The Pirate!

Sadly, these figures of history have been relegated to caricatures of themselves, portrayed on the big screen as treasure-hunters with an effeminate streak. But — make no mistake — they existed in the past and they inhabit the modern world, too. It just turns out we have no idea exactly what is under that fabled eyepatch.

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