"Historian Mikel B. Classen again hits one out of the park with his newest book, Piracy on the Great Lakes. Delving into 19th and early 20th-century legends, histories, and personal accounts, Classen offers the reader a fascinating journey into a little-known aspect of life in the Great Lake states. In addition to extensive mapping, Piracy on the Great Lakes provides the reader with rare period photos and engravings of the infamous pirates who wreaked havoc in Great Lakes waters and shore communities. Classen's inviting narrative is fast-paced and filled with legends of treasures and daring exploits. Piracy on the Great Lakes is a valuable resource for historians and students, but beyond that, it is just darn good reading. Classen's tales of the Mormon pirate Jesse James Strang, 'Bully' Hayes, and perhaps the most successful Great Lakes pirate, 'Roaring' Dan Seavey are captivating." -- Sue Harrison, international best-selling historical novelist.

"Piracy on the Great Lakes is a swashbuckling treat and fascinating addition to Great Lakes lore. Mikel Classen describes how piracy in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries on the freshwater seas was different than elsewhere and why much of the story has been lost to time. But what remains are historical vignettes filled with fur traders, religious extremists, and Civil War opponents. You'll be surprised, entertained, and enlightened by the tales of high adventure that await you in these pages." -- Tyler R. Tichelaar, PhD and award-winning author of The Mysteries of Marquette

"Replete with hair-raising tales of black-sailed ships, desperate and bloody conquests, frontier politics, revenge, and retribution, Mikel Classen's Piracy on the Great Lakes paints a vivid picture of piracy's social and economic role in America's adolescence. Classen contex-tualizes the broad strokes of the Civil War, the late stages of the fur trade, and the timber market with anecdotes of personal detail that are often far stranger than fiction." -- J.D. Austin, author of The Last Huck

"I read and enjoyed the complete book yesterday. Learned a lot about the Great Lakes and was impressed by the extensive research he must have done. He packed a lot of information in less than 100 pages. I would recommend Piracy on the Great Lakes to anyone seeking a good read about our Great Lakes.." -- Larry Jorgensen, author of Shipwrecked and Rescued

"This slim volume contains a wealth of information on a subject that seems as reluctant to reveal its history as the historical pirates of the Great Lakes who guarded their anonymity. Piracy on the Great Lakes is filled with photographs and illustrations that complement the narrative. Classen has written a fine survey of pirating on the Great Lakes and even readers with some knowledge of the subject will find it worth their time." -- Tom Powers, Michigan in Books