Piracy on the High Seas (At Issue Series)

Gr 10 Up—In this collection of 14 articles dealing with varied aspects of modern-day piracy, one implies that the threat or problem it poses is exaggerated. Nine of the essays, ranging in length from 4 to 12 pages, are taken from journals, newspapers (some in online format), and books that are dated 2008 or 2009. One historically based entry uses the formation of the Barbary pirates after the eviction of the Muslims from Spain as a comparison to today's resurgence of piracy. In language that is clear and filled with statistics, the remainder of the pieces discuss the economic causes of piracy, how to deal with it, the problem caused by a corrupt Somali government, depletion of the fishing waters around Somalia, and dumping of toxic waste off the coast of Africa by industrialized nations. Opinions are balanced: where one article suggests the pirates are pursuing a noble goal of protecting their fishing lanes, another reports that the only motive is money in the form of ransom or insurance payouts. Just how dangerous, vast, and uncertain maritime travel and trade has become is the dominant message of the book. Back matter includes a list of organizations to contact. Suitable for reports.—Joanne K. Cecere, Monroe-Woodbury High School, Central Valley, NY