The Pirates Lafitte: The Treacherous World of the Corsairs of the Gulf --- by William C. Davis

 

If nothing else, it's a great reference book, and the final chapters were then a pretty good read. I have something against any book, article, or visual entertainment that allows a visible monotony. This one did in the pre-Battle of New Orleans chapters, when the brothers Pierre and Jean were mostly smuggling into New Orleans from Barataria, using various bayous and methods. It was difficult to manage, but a good, energetic developmental editor should have taken over there.
Author William C. Davis had a four-page acknowledgement section, crediting the research army help he had to take on this giant task. The Pirates Lafitte left no doubt that older brother Pierre has been cheated out of his share of the attention usually given to his younger brother Jean. Pierre managed most of the non-sea action, and there was plenty of that, too.
Davis did a good job addressing the Jean Lafitte mystique, legends, and myths. But he published too early for the latest story from Lincolnton, North Carolina that Jean Lafitte did not die in Mexico, but he changed his name, and lived out his years in Lincolnton. That story says he's buried under the assumed name of Lorenzo Ferrer. I haven't read the locally written related book, yet.
Personally, I was hoping for more information on their possible accomplices. I strongly suspect that the Manila men (Filipino) community, located right across the bayou from Grand Isle could've supplied some help, and there's a former Greek pirate who was a Lafitte crewman at one time. I would like to learn more there, as well.
I'm glad I read it, but it was a heavy book to be lifting over my face, too.
4/5 stars.