''A Pirate of Exquisite Mind: The Life of William Dampier'' by Diana Preston and Michael Preston is a 2004 biography of

William Dampier William Dampier (baptised 5 September 1651; died March 1715) was an English explorer, pirate, privateer, navigator, and naturalist who became the first Englishman to explore parts of what is today Australia, and the first person to circumnavig ...

Synopsis

was the first person to circumnavigate the world three times, the first Englishman to explore Australia, a pirate, and a famous scientist.

Reception

The book received positive reviews from critics. A review from

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

called it "exhaustive" and wrote that "Dampier's scientific and historical legacy holds up better than his swashbuckling escapades, which, though exciting, hold slightly less novelty." In

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

, a review wrote "It is extraordinary to read, in Diana and Michael Preston's carefully researched book, of a swashbuckling English pirate who was primarily motivated by a thirst for knowledge."{{Cite news , last=Wheeler , first=Sara , date=2004-04-18 , title=The Highbrow Hijacker , url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/18/books/the-highbrow-hijacker.html , access-date=2025-05-14 , work=The New York Times , language=en-US , issn=0362-4331

References

2004 non-fiction books Books about piracy