Lame Captains and Left-Handed Admirals: Amputee Officers in Nelson's Navy by Teresa Michals, and: Maritime Musicians and Performers on Early Modern English Voyages: The Lives of the Seafaring Middle Class by James Seth, and: Pirate Queens: The Lives of Anne Bonny & Mary Read by Rebecca Simon (review)

This article reviews three recent monographs that explore distinct yet interconnected aspects of early modern maritime life: amputee naval officers, maritime musicians and performers, and women pirates. Teresa Michals's *Lame Captains and Left-Handed Admirals* examines high-ranking amputee officers in the British navy, arguing that physical impairment did not preclude active service or heroic leadership, and situates amputation within naval culture and identity. James Seth's *Maritime Musicians and Performers on Early Modern English Voyages* highlights the vital roles of shipboard musicians and performers as laborers and diplomats, emphasizing their visibility and risks during naval engagements. Rebecca Simon's *Pirate Queens: The Lives of Anne Bonny & Mary Read* reconstructs the lives of two of the few documented female pirates, navigating scarce and often fictionalized sources to shed light on women's experiences in piracy and maritime labor. Together, these works contribute to a nuanced understanding of eighteenth-century maritime communities by focusing on underrepresented groups and challenging prevailing assumptions about disability, performance, and gender at sea.