Skip to content

The Last Pirate of New York: A Ghost Ship, a Killer, and the Birth of a Gangster
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

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

by Rich Cohen


From the publisher

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

Details

  • Title The Last Pirate of New York: A Ghost Ship, a Killer, and the Birth of a Gangster Nation
  • Author Rich Cohen
  • Binding Hardcover
  • Pages 256
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Random House
  • Illustrated Yes
  • ISBN 9780399589928 / 0399589929
  • Weight 0.8 lbs (0.36 kg)
  • Dimensions 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.9 in (21.59 x 14.73 x 2.29 cm)
  • Library of Congress subjects Criminals - New York (State), Pirates - New York (State)
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 2018049488
  • Dewey Decimal Code B

About the author

Rich Cohen is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Tough Jews; Monsters; Sweet and Low; When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead (with Jerry Weintraub); The Sun & the Moon & the Rolling Stones; and The Chicago Cubs: Story of a Curse. He is a co-creator of the HBO series Vinyl and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone. He has written for The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and Harper's Magazine, among other publications. Cohen has won the Great Lakes Book Award, the Chicago Public Library's 21st Century Award, and the ASCAP Deems Taylor Award for outstanding coverage of music. His stories have been included in The Best American Essays and The Best American Travel Writing. Despite frequent predictions, he still lives in Connecticut.
Back to Top

More Copies for Sale

The Last Pirate of New York: A Ghost Ship, a Killer, and the Birth of a Gangster Nation
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

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

by Cohen, Rich

  • Used
  • Hardcover
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 13
9780399589928
ISBN 10
0399589929
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Eugene , Oregon, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£3.20
£3.20 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Random House. Used - Good. Hardcover This item shows wear from consistent use but remains in good readable condition. It may have marks on or in it, and may show other signs of previous use or shelf wear. May have minor creases or signs of wear on dust jacket. Packed with care, shipped promptly.
Item Price
£3.20
£3.20 shipping to USA
The Last Pirate of New York: A Ghost Ship, a Killer, and the Birth of a Gangster Nation
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

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

by Cohen, Rich

  • Used
Condition
UsedGood
ISBN 13
9780399589928
ISBN 10
0399589929
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Imperial, Missouri, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£3.54
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
UsedGood. The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.
Item Price
£3.54
FREE shipping to USA
The Last Pirate of New York: A Ghost Ship, a Killer, and the Birth of a Gangster Nation
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

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

by Cohen, Rich

  • Used
Condition
Used - Good
ISBN 13
9780399589928
ISBN 10
0399589929
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Frederick, Maryland, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£4.13
£3.20 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Random House. Used - Good. Good condition. Good dust jacket. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains.
Item Price
£4.13
£3.20 shipping to USA
The Last Pirate of New York: A Ghost Ship, a Killer, and the Birth of a Gangster Nation
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

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

by Cohen, Rich

  • Used
Condition
Used - Very Good
ISBN 13
9780399589928
ISBN 10
0399589929
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Frederick, Maryland, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£4.13
£3.20 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Random House. Used - Very Good. Very Good condition. Good dust jacket. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain a few markings such as an owner’s name, short gifter’s inscription or light stamp.
Item Price
£4.13
£3.20 shipping to USA
The Last Pirate of New York : A Ghost Ship, a Killer, and the Birth of a Gangster Nation

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

by Rich Cohen

  • Used
  • very good
  • Hardcover
Condition
Used - Very Good
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 13
9780399589928
ISBN 10
0399589929
Quantity Available
2
Seller
Seattle, Washington, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£4.82
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Random House Publishing Group, 2019. Hardcover. Very Good. Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
£4.82
FREE shipping to USA
The Last Pirate of New York : A Ghost Ship, a Killer, and the Birth of a Gangster Nation

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

by Rich Cohen

  • Used
  • good
  • Hardcover
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 13
9780399589928
ISBN 10
0399589929
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Seattle, Washington, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£4.82
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Random House Publishing Group, 2019. Hardcover. Good. Disclaimer:A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact. The spine may show signs of wear. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include previous owner inscriptions. The dust jacket is missing. At ThriftBooks, our motto is: Read More, Spend Less.
Item Price
£4.82
FREE shipping to USA
The Last Pirate of New York : A Ghost Ship, a Killer, and the Birth of a Gangster Nation

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

by Rich Cohen

  • Used
  • very good
  • Hardcover
Condition
Used - Very Good
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 13
9780399589928
ISBN 10
0399589929
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Seattle, Washington, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£4.82
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Random House Publishing Group, 2019. Hardcover. Very Good. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
£4.82
FREE shipping to USA
The Last Pirate of New York : A Ghost Ship, a Killer, and the Birth of a Gangster Nation

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

by Rich Cohen

  • Used
  • very good
  • Hardcover
Condition
Used - Very Good
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 13
9780399589928
ISBN 10
0399589929
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Seattle, Washington, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£4.82
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Random House Publishing Group, 2019. Hardcover. Very Good. Disclaimer:A copy that has been read, but remains in excellent condition. Pages are intact and are not marred by notes or highlighting, but may contain a neat previous owner name. The spine remains undamaged. The dust jacket is missing. At ThriftBooks, our motto is: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
£4.82
FREE shipping to USA
The Last Pirate of New York : A Ghost Ship, a Killer, and the Birth of a Gangster Nation
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

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

by Cohen, Rich

  • Used
Condition
Used - Good
ISBN 13
9780399589928
ISBN 10
0399589929
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Reno, Nevada, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£5.23
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Random House Publishing Group. Used - Good. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages.
Item Price
£5.23
FREE shipping to USA
The Last Pirate of New York : A Ghost Ship, a Killer, and the Birth of a Gangster Nation
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

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

by Cohen, Rich

  • Used
Condition
Used - Very Good
ISBN 13
9780399589928
ISBN 10
0399589929
Quantity Available
4
Seller
Mishawaka, Indiana, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£5.69
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Random House Publishing Group. Used - Very Good. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects.
Item Price
£5.69
FREE shipping to USA