The Pirate by Sir Walter Scott

I have been searching for The Pirate for some time at many of the public domain sites I frequent. I have also checked out some online bookstores and am surprised at the high prices asked for this book (at one store they were selling the two volumes seperately for almost $30 each). Why is this novel so rare? I can easily find other books online by Scott, and this one is certainly old enough to have been placed into public domain.

If anyone can point me in a new direction, I would appreciate it very much.

Not sure why it's so rare, but likely that the popularity of Ivanhoe, Bride of Lammermoor, and Rob Roy just happened to overshadow it and it's just not in demand. There is an overview of it here:

http://www.walterscott.lib.ed.ac.uk/...ls/pirate.html

And it says this "All of the Waverley Novels, except The Pirate, are currently available online. here:

http://www.walterscott.lib.ed.ac.uk/etexts/novels.html

Amazon doesn't even have an active listing for it, maybe it is out of print, or, someone owns the copyright to it. Not all works automatically go to public domain. You could contact the Department of Special Collections people at Edinburgh University and ask them. http://www.walterscott.lib.ed.ac.uk/

Either way your best bet is probably with a used/rare bookseller.

-- moved from "Book Requests" forum

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Thanks Logos. On B&N they had a nice hardbound version with both volumes in one for around $30, so maybe I will go that direction. Ideally, if I cannot find it online I would like to find a paperback version for under $20. Ah, since pirates seem to be en vogue right now maybe I will get lucky.

I just picked up The Pirate and a couple of Sabatini novels from my local library. Did you enjoy it? At first galnce it appears a heavy read...

I've just this moment finished reading The Pirate and absolutely loved it. There's a heavy focus on landscape and custom which at times hinders the narrative, but the story is in equal parts exciting, melodramatic, and romantic (in a good way!). It has a deliciously trashy feeling to it too, which makes up for any lulls in the pace of the plot.

Would I recommend it?: Yes.
Would I re-read this one?: Yes, preferably whilst staying in a cottage on a cliff overlooking the sea on a stormy night...!
Would I read more Scott having read this?: I'd definitely give it a go

I bought a copy of 'The Pirate' when I was on holiday on Orkney. My copy is an antique (1860 something), paid 6 pounds for it (not exactly mint condition). The plot is a bit of a soap opera, and I thought it was quite predictable. An amusing read though, with an accurate description of the scenery as it was in Scott's days (and mostly still is on Orkney).

I have read all of Sir Walter Scott's books available online, but now want to read both "The Pirate" and his autobiography of Napoleon. I actually bought "The Pirate" on Amazon, but the seller cancelled because it was already sold. People are fighting over this book! ;) I wish someone would post an onliine version of both of these, preferable on Gutenberg.com...

you can download it here:
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924075867105