The Only Pirate At The Party : Review

Disclaimer: My review might be a tad biased because I love Lindsey Stirling. I think that she is an incredibly talented musician who has been through many obstacles in her life, staying strong and true to herself the entire way.

The Only Pirate At The Party was co-written by Lindsey Stirling and her younger sister Brooke S. Passey. This showcases the kind of person Lindsey is, that she couldn’t write a book about herself on her own. She admits she’s not the best with words but there’s something endearing about this. Many autobiographies are extremely narcissistic in nature and can be tough to read. I don’t know about you, but I don’t enjoy reading a book that feels like a publicity stunt. I want to read about a real event that meant something to the author and that’s what you will get with The Only Pirate At The Party.

To promote The Only Pirate At The Party, Lindsey and Brooke hit the road on a national book tour holding Q&A sessions with fans and signing copies. I had the pleasure of attending the event with the duo in NYC on the day the book was released, January 12, 2016. During the Q&A, a fan asked them each what their favorite quote in the book was. I loved this question because Lindsey immediately covered up her microphone, turned to Brooke and started to whisper but we could still hear. Lindsey knew which line was her favorite but couldn’t figure it out exactly so Brooke spoke aloud “If you want to find me in a club, look for the sexist girl in the room. Then turn slightly to the left, and you will see me dancing much faster and harder than her.” They both just erupted in laughter along with the crowd because we all just envisioned Lindsey in a club at that moment. Brooke so perfectly captured the essence of Lindsey in that one line, and although it’s definitely not the only great quote from the book, it ended up being my favorite too!

Starting off with her childhood years, the co-authors tell several humorous stories about stunts Lindsey pulled as a child. Ranging from tidbits about when she started her own business around age 10 doing odd chores for neighbors, to when she and her sisters decided to “Save the Whales!” to when she joined the band Stomp On Melvin and went on tour for a summer during high school. She discusses many jovial topics that give you a better picture of who Lindsey is as a person and how she was raised. The way this book is formatted with many short stories compiling her overall arc makes it a quick, lighthearted read.

Although most of the book is lighthearted, there are several serious topics touched on that enable the reader to feel connected to Lindsey. Lindsey is very public about her hardships because she has nothing to hide from her struggles. The book turns a bit grim when she discusses her “life with Ed”, an eating disorder that nearly took over her life for several years. She talks in-depth about how it felt to be in the situation, a book she read titled “Life Without Ed” that enabled her to separate her eating disorder from her personality, and all that she lost during that time. Mental disorders are difficult for most people to talk about, so it was refreshing for Lindsey to be so open and honest. Many people could relate to how she felt on some level or another and this could very well help people struggling with similar issues to get the help they may need. It’s important to not only talk about the good when writing autobiographies and I believe Brooke and Lindsey captured this chapter in her life beautifully.

In addition, the authors also discuss how challenging it was for Lindsey to get going in the music industry. Her willpower and desire to follow her dream shows how passionate she is and how much this truly meant to her. She spent countless sleepless nights writing her music, planning her videos, and creating her own costumes; it’s truly inspiring. The chapter, “America’s Got It, I Want It” is both heartfelt and tragic. She goes into detail about what it’s like being on reality TV, specifically America’s Got Talent, and how it truly felt to be told in front of thousands of viewers on live television that you’re not good enough. My heart broke for her when I read about her heart break over this incident and how she felt her dreams were over at that point; but Lindsey prevailed and didn’t let this incident stop her. She definitely took time from music, which she talks about as well, but then she goes after her dream again. The message clearly says, don’t give up on your dreams because if she can make it happen after being told on national television she wasn’t good enough, anyone can.

Overall, this book is one that I think anyone could enjoy. The Only Pirate At The Party isn’t a book only fans of Lindsey would enjoy because she talks about all these real issues many people face every day. Everyone has his or her demons and she openly talks about hers in a way that shows she is unafraid of judgment. There is something very honest and real in the way this book is written that will have you turning page after page. Whether you listen to Lindsey Stirling’s music or not, grab a copy of The Only Pirate At The Party now! Be sure to read the story about how she came up with the title of the book- it’ss one of my favorite from this dynamic duo!