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The Only Life That Mattered Book Review

YOLO, or you only live once has become a very popular statement in recent years. But while the phrasing is new, the sentiment is not.

James Nelson’s 2004 book, The Only Life That Mattered: The Short and Merry Lives of Anne Bonny, Mary Read, and Calico Jack Rackham is about three pirates actually lived the pirate life in the Caribbean in the 18th century.    However with a time distance of several centuries and the real facts about them few and far between, these three individuals have taken on a mythic stature of their own.

Mr. Nelson starts the novel at the very end of their journey.  The British have captured Calico Jack’s ship. The crew, including Anne and Mary are in prison, facing charges of piracy.  The story then breaks off into three main characters individual  journeys before bringing them together.

What I enjoy about this book is that it feels authentic. The reader can feel the cool Caribbean air around them,  the warm sand on their toes and visualize the rough and dangerous life of a pirate during this period. Unlike other historical novels, this book is not bogged down by facts. Combining the myths of his three characters, the historical facts and a little imagination, The Only Like That Mattered takes the reader into a time and place that does not exist anymore.

I highly recommend this book.

And if your interested further in this subject, I recommend a History Channel miniseries called True Caribbean Pirates.