SKU: 79036383250

The Last Pirate of New York: A Ghost Ship, a Killer, and the Birth of a Gangster Nation

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The Last Pirate of New York: A Ghost Ship, a Killer, and the Birth of a Gangster NationWas he New York City's last pirate . . . or its first gangster? This is the true story of the bloodthirsty underworld legend who conquered Manhattan, dock by dock for fans of Gangs of New York and Boardwalk Empire. "History at its best . . . I highly recommend this remarkable book." Douglas Preston, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lost City of the Monkey God Handsome and charismatic, Albert Hicks had long been known in the dive bars and

Was he New York City's last pirate . . . or its first gangster? This is the true story of the bloodthirsty underworld legend who conquered Manhattan, dock by dock--for fans of Gangs of New York and Boardwalk Empire.

"History at its best . . . I highly recommend this remarkable book."--Douglas Preston, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lost City of the Monkey God

Handsome and charismatic, Albert Hicks had long been known in the dive bars and gin joints of the Five Points, the most dangerous neighborhood in maritime Manhattan. For years, he operated out of the public eye, rambling from crime to crime, working on the water in ships, sleeping in the nickel-a-night flops, drinking in barrooms where rat-baiting and bear-baiting were great entertainments.

His criminal career reached its peak in 1860, when he was hired, under an alias, as a hand on an oyster sloop. His plan was to rob the ship and flee, disappearing into the teeming streets of lower Manhattan, as he'd done numerous times before, eventually finding his way back to his nearsighted Irish immigrant wife (who, like him, had been disowned by her family) and their infant son. But the plan went awry--the ship was found listing and unmanned in the foggy straits of Coney Island--and the voyage that was to enrich him instead led to his last desperate flight.

Long fascinated by gangster legends, Rich Cohen tells the story of this notorious underworld figure, from his humble origins to the wild, globe-crossing, bacchanalian crime spree that forged his ruthlessness and his reputation, to his ultimate incarnation as a demon who terrorized lower Manhattan, at a time when pirates anchored off 14th Street.

Advance praise for The Last Pirate of New York

"A remarkable work of scholarship about old New York, combined with a skillfully told, edge-of-your-seat adventure story--I could not put it down."--Ian Frazier, author of Travels in Siberia

"With its wise and erudite storytelling, Rich Cohen's The Last Pirate of New York takes the reader on an exciting nonfiction narrative journey that transforms a grisly nineteenth-century murder into a shrewd portent of modern life. Totally unique, totally compelling, I enjoyed every page."--Howard Blum, New York Times bestselling author of Gangland and American Lightning

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Random House Trade
Published: 06/02/2020
ISBN: 9780399589942
Pages: 256
Weight: 0.40lbs
Size: 7.90h x 5.10w x 0.70d
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SKU: 79036383250

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4.7 ★★★★★
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Shelly B
Alexandria, US
★★★★★ 3
BORING and too long
Format: Kindle
I could not believe how wordy and boring this book was. No spice at all. Slow burn is really a NO burn. Almost DNF and now I’m sorry I stuck with it. 500 pages could ave been 150 and it would have been more than enough. I highly doubt not recommend this work of yuck.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2026
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Amanda
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 4
Good read
Format: Kindle
Good book but good God was there a lot of preamble when I just wanted them to meet already haha
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2025
K
Kindle-klant
Lake Worth, US
★★★★★ 4
Still 4 stars
Format: Kindle
A little to much before and to much dive into the days, months before, but I still kept reading. Maybe because of that you could read about them all. I just couldn't put this book in my to read another day list. I just wanted to know what happens to them.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2026
R
Verified Purchase
Readsalot81
Pawtucket, US
★★★★★ 3
Promising but not without issues
Format: Kindle
First off, the FMC and the pack don't meet until about 60% of the way through. That's just way too late honestly. I can appreciate the backstory of the band and the FMC, but I skimmed at times wondering when they'd meet. I did like the writing and premise but I thought the execution needed a lot of work. The characters were pretty well developed, but they didn't spend that much time on the page together, so I thought that led to the story suffering. I will give her another shot, as I think the writing has promise... It just didn't come all together in a way that I could wholeheartedly recommend.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2025
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Laura L Ferreira
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 2
DNF
Format: Kindle
I really tried to finish this book. There was too much detail in more than half the book. They do not even meet for. Ore than half the book. If you are looking for spice, this is not the book for you. This is more a late teen if that. I stopped reading when she made her choice of men for her first time. There isn’t any urge to read the next chapter. Easy to put down.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2025

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