The Only Pirate at the Party

by Lindsey Stirling, Brooke S. Passey

Electronic and dancing violinist Lindsey Stirling shares her unconventional journey in an inspiring memoir filled with the energy, persistence, and humor that have helped her successfully pursue a passion outside the box.

A classically trained musician gone rogue, Lindsey Stirling is the epitome of independent, millennial-defined success: after being voted off the set of America’s Got Talent, she went on to amass more than ten million social media fans, record two full-length albums, release multiple hits with billions of YouTube views, and tour sold-out venues across the world.

Lindsey is not afraid to be herself. In fact, it’s her confidence and individuality that have propelled her into the spotlight. But the road hasn’t been easy. After being rejected by talent scouts, music reps, and eventually national television, Lindsey forged her own path, step by step. Here, for the first time, she shares every triumph and trial she has faced until now. Beginning in a humble yet charmed childhood, this book follows Lindsey through a humorous adolescence, to her life as a struggling musician, through her personal struggles with anorexia, and finally all the way to her success as a world-class entertainer. Lindsey’s magnetizing story is at once remarkable and universal—a testimony that there is no singular recipe for success. And a witness that, despite what people may say, sometimes it’s okay to be The Only Pirate at the Party.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, Audiobook, Music, Autobiography, Biography Memoir

262 pages, Hardcover

First published January 12, 2016

About the author

There is no-one else like Lindsey Stirling. We are talking about a classically-trained violinist, from Gilbert, Arizona, entering a futuristic world of big beats and animation – imagine Vanessa Mae leaping through the pages of a Manga comic with Skrillex in hot pursuit. Her song ‘Crystallize’ was the eighth most-viewed video on Youtube last year...

Reviews

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can’t say I’m a super fan, so perhaps I can’t appreciate this for what it is. 🤷🏼‍♀️ It’s a decent look at her life up to fame. 👍

[Katrina Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read a TON of memoirs, but... this is my favorite memoir ever. Lindsey is amazing. I love her music, and now I get to love her story. ❤

[Desirae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lindsey Stirling is such a bad ass.

[Mahlon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lindsey Stirling is a dancing electronic violinist who first came to national attention as a result of her appearances on America's Got Talent. I remember thinking that she was incredibly talented, and I was shocked like everyone else when she was eliminated. This was all I knew about her before I picked up this book. I wouldn't have even call myself a fan of her music simply because I don't want to take anything away from her hard-core Stirlingites. Then why did I pick up the book you may ask? She's always seemed like the girl next door with the quirky sense of humor, The kind of person that everyone wants to be friends with (plus she's wearing a pirate costume on the cover, who doesn't want to be friends with someone like that)

My favorite audiobooks are the ones where celebrity authors make it feel like they're having a conversation with you. Lindsey delivers that here.

Lindsey, you no longer have to be the only pirate at the party, I'm always available ;)

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite musician is now going to be one of my favorite authors! YAY!!

Correction: My favorite musician is NOW one of my favorite authors. YAY!!
I'm not a big fan of biographies/autobiographies, but this one is fantastic. It's amazing how Lindsey has been able to work her way to the top without losing herself along the way. I applaud you Ms. Stirling and I look forward to seeing you continue your journey.
P.S. As a violinist and a dancer, this girl is my role model. I hope that one day, I will be like her.

Happy Reading,
B

[R.F. Gammon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a huge Lindsey Stirling fan, although I only discovered her a couple of weeks ago. I read this book in one sitting and it was AMAZING. The strength within her is so amazing. She is so counter-cultural, so different from so many people. She overcame her eating disorder, took overwhelming criticism on America's Got Talent and from many other people, and survived the loss and gain of friends and siblings, and she is an incredibly strong young woman. I can honestly say that I want to be like Lindsey when I grow up - not because she's famous, but because her character is an amazing testimony to her values and her faith.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Am I the only one who thought, "Willow plays violin?" upon first-ever seeing Lindsey Stirling?

I'm going to tell you, straight up, that if you're turned off by upbeat Pollyanna-ism and stormclouds that have the sparkliest of silver linings, you're probably not going to enjoy this biography. If those things don't bother you, though, and if you enjoy reading about people's lives, especially about spunky musicians, I strongly recommend this!

In full cattiness, I can't say that I know whether or not this memoir is representative of Stirling's true personality, it may be the result of her PR team making her sound like a precocious Disney youth from the '50's. However, genuine or not, I enjoyed Stirling's happy attitude, her dorky stories, and her ability to point out and laugh at/bemoan her own flaws. She comes across as sharply self-aware, down-to-earth, positive, and driven. She admits her downfalls and defeats gracefully and with a touch of shame but not so much that it sounds like she dwells on the darker moments of her life. And she's catty, too! Not mean, but she calls out bad or ridiculous behavior that she's encountered and while she does so with a lighthearted touch, there's a bit of tooth in those tellings.

I was surprised to relate to so many of her tales. While I have no musical talent at all, nor do I dance, nor am I a YouTuber, nor am I Mormon, nor have I ever had an eating disorder, nor does anyone ask for my autograph or for pictures when I'm out and about, I did grow up in a frugal household (that's code for "poor"), I have hilarious sibling stories, I have control issues, I travel in comfy clothes unless I have to look good the moment I arrive at my destination, I also do crazy lady things (exercising in the airport), I also feel down pillows are horrible traps of unsupportiveness; I don’t like Nutella; I believe expiration dates are just reminders to smell your food before you use it; and I firmly believe unevenly-spread peanut butter is evil.
And her car! Me, too! I cannot let go of my car! It was the first one I ever bought all by myself and we've traveled a lot of this country together. It's got 220K miles, a broken windshield that I really need to replace, problems galore, weird little idiosyncrasies, and it's probably not really safe to drive. When it last broke down a year ago, I had to buy a new (used and cheap) car and I should have traded mine in but I couldn't. My brother bought it off me, instead, and when I got the money, I bought it back and he and I been working on it together, trying to get it back in running condition because I just cannot give it up while it may still have some life.
I wasn't too generationally removed from Stirling, either, thanks to the crowd I currently hang with; they're all her age. I admit, though, I was surprised to find she's 30 and not 22. I'd never bothered to stalk her, I just assumed she was really young. She's small and she looks just-post-pubescent; it sounds like this is a common misperception.
So, yeah. I connected with this bubbly, silly, driven, charming entertainer despite having little in common with her. It was just so hard not to!

She reads the audio version, which is delightful. At first, it's not. At first, she's nervous and she sounds like that student who is called upon to read out loud but who doesn't hear or comprehend the words coming out of her mouth. She warms up to her story pretty quickly, though.
I'm a little sad her sister, who is credited as co-author, wasn't a co-reader, as well. I can only imagine how much fun they'd have had in the studio together.

As an aside, I had noticed and wondered why she sounded all choked-up when she introduced and talked about about Gavi. It seemed so over the top and sentimental, like she was the kind of person who cries at commercials about kittens or who gets verklempt when she thinks of something nice someone did for her one time.
Then, at the very end, after the book is done, there’s an In Memorium that she cries through and my heart broke. Reading those parts of the book must have been so hard and bittersweet. Ouch.

[Mikayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in one evening (I'm telling you, library duedates do wonders for reading). I'm honestly not quite what I expected, but a laugh-out-loud-then-almost-cry kind of book was not it. I loved Lindsey's light writing style, though she was unafraid to talk abut deeper things.
I loved the honesty displyed in this book, and how she talked honestly about her faith, without being pushy. Her abition to be modest dispite Hollywood's constant push that she be otherwise is really cool.
Her dedication to her work and her fight aginst anerexia was inspiring.

There were a couple of refrances to undressed people, but only when telling fairly innoecent stories. I would be completly comfortable handing this book to a tweleve year old, dispite a couple embarresing stories.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

As this year's motto is reading and music or reading about music (or any other variation on these two things), my buddy-reader and I decided to read a few musicians' biographies. Eventually, we found the biographies of classical composers by Robert Greenberg but before that, I found this. In hindsight, it's a nice counter-balance to also read about a modern-day musician.

Lindsey Stirling has become famous as the dancing violinist. She started out making videos in which she covered well-known video game music (Zelda and Skyrim specifically) on her YouTube channel. By now, her tours are always sold out and she performs for millions of people around the world. This book covers how she went from quirky nerd to star performer.

I have to admit that I have seen a short documentary on Lindsey as well as some behind-the-scenes videos and that got me interested. Not only was the idea of playing modern music on a violin AND dancing while playing interesting, I also liked how she has always been an independent artist, making her own costumes and videos (even the bigger productions later-on). Moreover, she suffers from a number of mental health issues and has been outspoken about them (not just posting about the "pretty" moments in her life) in order to hopefully help other sin similar situations.

In this book, she was as hyper and kinda endearing as she has been in her videos (an impression reinforced in the audio version since she narrated that one herself).

Now, I'm not as big a fan of hers as my colleague, but I always like when people go their own way instead of simply conforming to supposed rules. The fact that she also dresses in a funny way and is - like I already mentioned - unapologetically nerdy/geeky/dorky only made it more fun to read about her life.
Of course, it also helps that she always comes across as nice and approachable instead of entitled and arrogant. I do like watching her videos more than simply listening to her music, interestingly enough.

No, this isn't ground-breaking and she isn't as important for music history (in my opinion) as the great masters. But that only means reading this actually afforded a truly diverse look at what people create with / through music.

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this girl:)

[Classics Lover · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Asking a working writer what he (or she) thinks about critics is like asking a lamp-post what it thinks about dogs." Christopher Hampton - British playwright

I, however, shall invoke the wisdom found in the old Chinese Proverb: "Do not use a hatchet to remove a fly from your friend's forehead."

Some have asked:"What could possibly motivate Lindsey Stirling to write a memoir at the ripe old age of 29?"

As I read her book (co-written by the lovely and talented Brooke S. Passey) I discovered several reasons.

An obvious reason needs a bit of backstory: Those who have had dealings in the publishing world know that it has its own orbit around the sun. Scientific calculations place it, time-wise, somewhere between the orbit of Halley's Comet and that of Pluto. The result being that when someone FROM that publishing world says..."A month...at most." One has to understand that THEIR month is not a normal Earth-time month.

Lindsey Stirling ALSO has her own orbit around the sun...but it is FASTER than everybody else's.

"Lindsey Time" (besides being the name of her secondary Youtube Channel - because apparently the time, energy, and effort in creating content for ONLY one Youtube Channel was too wussy) ALSO explains why she gets more done in a day then the rest of us mere mortals, who are just (comparatively) standing-still...perhaps daydreaming about getting rich recycling bellybutton lint, or wondering why nobody ever invented a DVD re-winder.

So, just this past year besides producing/designing all of the content for the aforementioned two Youtube channels, she also designed a tour. And by design I mean just that.

Besides previously having written the music, she did the idea sketches for the costumes, she did power-points for the set designs, implemented new technology so her song performances evoked the experience of the videos, only live versions. SO elaborate. She also gave the choreographer her visions for the new dancers and herself. This girl KNOWS what she wants and is involved in EVERY aspect.

Lindsey attended many award ceremonies, performed in television specials, and in her spare time finished a book.

AND...

This is Lindsey "slowing down". She actually gets a WHOLE six hours of sleep a night now. Tacking on a whole two more hours from her previous four hour a night nap.

JUST like BRUCE LEE! (Yes. That IS a subtle reference to her latest music video "HEIST";)

(PLUS, She has a wicked strong broom-tossing arm. The police could utilize her skill in raids.)

All the evidence shows this Lady has done a lot of amazing things. Already.

If she had waited any longer, Brooke would have had to echo Herman Melville: "Give me a condor's quill! Give me Vesuvius' crater for an inkstand!"

The question should not be "Why would Lindsey Stirling write a memoir already?" but "Why is this not required reading?"

EVERYBODY can learn something from this book.

Sure...there ARE guys out there that communicate by word or deed that they don't believe girls are very smart. Let me break the "Guy Code" here: Guys see the type of "genuine doughheads", putzes, and utterly repulsive players that girls swoon over. Simply because they are quote-unquote "cute". Even the guys who ARE the genuine doughheads/putzes/utterly repulsive players cannot believe girls fall for their line either.

Enter the Dragon...uh...Lindsey Stirling.

Quoting from pages 118 -119: Speaking of "John Doe" - "He was charming, muscular, and had a smile that would melt your face off." Further - "...he was smoother than a greased cookie sheet. On the flip side, the man was also as deep as a greased cookie sheet."

"...everyone I knew fell in love with him, except for me."

Let the bells ring out and the sky turn blue!

Hope blossoms in the world again!

Not only is Lindsey Stirling not easily conned, but she is intelligent, determined, focused, relentless, passionate, invigorated (and invigorating) talented, accomplished...

...and my hero.

She reminds me of Caleb, in the Old Testament. The Anakims, the giants, were still inhabiting the promised land, and they had to be overcome. Said Caleb, now at 85 years of age: “Give me this mountain” Josh. 14:12

In other words: Give me these challenges.

That's Lindsey Stirling.

Quoting British literary critic George Saintsbury: "Criticism is the endeavor to find, to know, to love, to recommend, not only the best, but all the good, that has been known and thought and written in the world."

With that said, I highly recommend Lindsey Stirling's memoir: The Only Pirate At The Party.

Darwin

[Adrianna [SypherLily] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lindsey Stirling is a dancing violinist who brings joy and positivity wherever she goes. She's extremely talented, and a breath of fresh air when it comes to celebrities, even if she's not of that status yet. She's utterly humble, thoughtful of others, and always trying her best to stay grounded and stick to her morals and religious beliefs.

While I'm not Mormon, I can truly respect the lengths she goes to to make sure she's surrounded by those who follow her rules (such as no drinking/drugs/sex on her bus), and also to be sure she stays modest with her wardrobe, both performing, and during interviews or parties.

In her autobiography she talks of her upbringing, how she's still learning to love herself, her battle with an eating disorder, her hard work she has to put toward her career, how she deals with everyday life, and gives us cute, funny, meaningful, and even sad stories from her life.

If you're listening to the audiobook, I'll warn you the first 23 chapters she sounds like someone reading aloud in school from a textbook. When she hits chapter 24, she seems to be comfortable and actually sounds lively and like herself. And when she starts to speak about her best friend Gavi, you'll hear her voice quivering, even as she speaks of him in the present. But Gavi had passed before this book was published, and you can hear the pain and tears in her voice every time she speaks of him.

I've been a fan of Lindsey's music since she posted her Electric Daisy video, which alongside Spontaneous Me, are still my favorites of her original tracks. I've been in the front line by the stage of her concert, had her sign a poster, and also got a hug. I've watched so many videos of hers, along with Gavi and the rest of her crew, that I feel like I'm watching family.

If you don't know anything about this girl before you read this book, I don't think you'll enjoy it much. She's bubbly and goofy, talented and driven, but it's not a funny memoir or an autobiography about someone who did major world changing events.

It's about a girl who loves to dance and play her violin. A girl who wants to make anyone who sees or listens to her feel happy. A girl who tells you to follow your dream no matter how big, because if you work hard, you can get there.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've loved Lindsey's music, but I appreciate it a lot more after reading her book. I found myself learning from her, and by the end she felt like a friend. In the unfortunate and tragic event that I would ever become famous, I hope I would be as indifferent and unaffected by it as Lindsey is. Her normalcy is refreshing. (Also, her book made me feel less like I'm the only pirate at the party.)

[Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a little biased but I am a stirlingite by heart, I'm sorry. But it's true, which is why when I saw this book at the store, I immediately picked it up, Lindsey and her sister both write this book in such a way, that Lindsey is basically talking to you. I also listened to Lindsey's albums when I was reading this to get in depth with her music. I got to understand my hero on a more human level, since sometimes we picture our heroes as gods.

Lindsey takes us on a journey through her personal struggles along with funny stories and what she is like as a person, i see Lindsey as opening up to her fans, like REALLY going in depth and I respect that, it's a love letter to us as well the fans, giving us insight on her tour as well the music business in general. Something that I am sooooo interested about. So as a huge fan this book is really good. Heck I finished it in four days! I rarely do that, let alone write a review.

I honestly hope they write another one, for she is a rising star who has not even hit the tip of the iceberg yet, I just hope I can be there when she does

[Taryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I snapped up an audio version of this book because I've long been a fan of electric violinist Lindsey Stirling's music videos on YouTube. If you're not familiar with her particular brand of art, picture a tiny redhead dancing around like a pixie in exotic locales, all while furiously bowing a stringed instrument—and sometimes dressed up as a video game character.

(Can I just take a moment to say how much I love the way the internet has opened up avenues for people a touch outside the mainstream? Stirling was famously slammed by the judges on America's Got Talent, but on YouTube she was able to find people who “get” her and her music—and there are a lot of them. I love hearing the success stories of people who pursue what they're good at, even if not everyone understands it.)

Because I find Stirling's professional life so interesting—what is life like for a YouTuber and touring musician, really?—I was surprised to find my favorite parts of the book focused on her childhood, family, and regular life outside of music. She still drives a 2002 Toyota Echo even though she can afford something a little flashier because, as she points out, the car she's had since college still works (and if it ain't broke...). I can totally respect that kind of frugality.

Less endearing were the sections in which she discussed her fame and some of the negative effects it's had on her life. While I understand that fans can be pushy and entitled and touring can be exhausting, I don't have much patience for celebrities who publicly complain about such things. Those are issues to vent about to family members and close friends, not the people who provide the funds that make your lifestyle possible (I mean, they did just fork over the cash to buy your book, after all).

More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I should start by saying that I am not a Lindsey Stirling fan, I know about her more from Dancing with the Stars than from her music, but the popsugar challenge required that I read a book written by a musician and I thought I would try this as she is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (as I am) so I did not think there would be content that would make me uncomfortable (I was right about this). But, this turned out to be much more fun than I thought, Lindsey has a delightful, friendly, fun tone and has a lot of stories to tell about her short life. It was also really interesting to get some inside information about how the music business works, or at least how it has worked for her. (I will never see Andrea Bocelli in the same way again). I also really enjoyed learning about how she is trying to become the best person she can. That is what really inspires me in any person. So maybe I am a Lindsey Stirling fan after all even if I never listen to her music.
Popsugar 2019: A book written by a musician

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a pretty good read about Lindsey Stirling's childhood up until she grew up, did America's Got Talent, started up a YouTube channel and became the accomplished dancing instrumentalist everyone knows her as now. If you want to read more of this book, check this book out at your local library and wherever books are sold.

[Lorien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I can't believe I basically read this in 2 sittings!

This is an autobiography of Lindsey Stirling's life, the life of someone rejected time and again, facing heartache and demons, and ultimately how she made it on YouTube. But it feels so much more.

As a fellow LDS girl who feels like a fish out of water, and who battles mental illness everyday (one that really does feel incurable and is much more unstable, trust me), this was beyond inspiring. Lindsey broke all the rules except for the ones that really mattered, and is doing something insane, impossible, something that many still look down on her for. And yet she's achieved incredible goals and has done so much.

From a simple childhood staying just barely out of poverty, to struggling with a crippling mental illness that almost cost her one of the most important relationships in her life, to making it and yet still being passed over time and again, this book is super personal for her, reveling lots of secrets (such as how many times she's seen Gavi in his underwear and that she sings/screeches to make sure people don't walk in on her). It's hilarious, it broke my heart, and I absolutely recommend it. While other YouTubers and stars have down their own books, none of them could touch me quite so much. When she talked about how she felt Heavenly Father had her back even when she was falling apart, I got it. When her chapter on drinking and drug use was 1 sentence "I have never done drugs or consumed alcohol, so this chapter is really short" I found it not only hilarious but what my life looked like, except mine would be 2 sentences. "I haven't done drugs, and I sipped champagne once in my life. It was nasty and I spit it out."

While Lindsey has spoken about how people feel that she's their friend and she's never seen them before, I really wish she was my friend. She's one of my biggest inspirations. Not just because she's a Mormon doing a job most Mormon's will never want to do, and doing it while keeping her standards high, no. And not just because she's battled mental illness and keeps fighting it everyday while trying to stay positive. It's because of all of that and so much more. Her story, how she lives her life, and of course her music helps me every day.

I'm always saying I'm not a mega fan of anyone. Growing up super poor, and yet knowing I have a car when most of my friends didn't meant I don't take my money for granted. I can't follow anyone because it takes so much time and money and I have other things to do. But since the first time a friend shared her Zelda Medley to my Facebook, I went from fan, to big fan, to close to being a mega fan. I still can't afford one of her shirts, and I've only seen her in concert twice, but as I've only been to two concerts before, it kinda speaks loudly. I follow her everywhere I can (except on mobile stuff, my phone is crap), and try to keep up to date on her life. When Gavi died I cried, and prayed for her and his family, and I did the same when he got sick. I still worry about her.

But I don't just recommend this book as a fan. I recommend it to everyone because the struggles are real, and when she talked about how her mental illness consumed her I got it. Mine consumes me more often than it should. I get what she means about how her anxiety keeps her from interacting, and that it's rather selfish to be that way, and yet even when you try you sometimes go to events and things and all every single person there does is look down their nose at you. (Andrea Bocelli, you're shitty. Straight up don't act like that to anyone, that makes you look like you're really a nothing inside.)

This book is real, it's raw, and it's funny. It doesn't make you uncomfortable (trust me MOST books make me VERY uncomfortable), it has you reading it for 6 hours straight and then 2 more. I adore this book, I adore Lindsey and I know she'll continue to rise and be great. I love how she admits her faults and then does her best to continue to grow. I really need to do the same.

5/5 stars HANDS DOWN!

[Madeline J. Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initial Response
...Lindsey is awesome.

High Lights
- I've been a HUGE fan of Lindsey Stirling ever since I watched her video Elements . I've been hooked ever since, and, naturally, I was really excited when her book came out.
- It really just reminded me that celebs are people too. (Though, she says she's not a celebrity by any means, but in my eyes she is.) She's just a normal girl who's doing what she loves. And that's a huge inspiration to me.
- I love the close relationship she has with her family, which you just don't see very often in business. It made me love her a ton more for that. (Her sister actually co-wrote the book with her!)
- I just love how much her love of music is evident. That she would go through all sorts of embarrassment and humiliation (on live TV) to pursue her dream? That's awesome.

Low Lights
- Guys, I can't say anything bad about this, honestly. It's just a great, inspiring, funny book.

Conclusion
If you're a fan of Lindsey, or even if you're not, this is a heartwarming autobiography that I think anyone trying to pursue their dream will find very encouraging. I highly recommend!
4/5.

[Niamh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mostly fun light and easy read about one of my favourite musicians. Lindsey has always come across as fun-loving and eccentric, and she proved it in the pages of this book.

[John of Canada · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't remember when I first heard about Lindsey,but I went on you-tube and watched several of her videos,including her being knocked off Americas got talent.Her messages to her fans were really refreshing.I loved the book!She is funny,honest,and just plain loveable.The way she responded to the criticism of Piers Morgan and Sharon Osborne was brave and remarkably restrained.If anyone is looking for a GREAT motivational book,this is it.The writing was exceptional,both personable and funny.Six jillion stars.
By the way,Piers Morgan is a dick.
Also...lots of wonderful pictures!

[E.F. Buckles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: I listened to this on audio, so pardon any misspellings.

I adored this autobiography by my favorite violinist, Lindsey Stirling! Some of the things she talked about I had picked up via watching her online and on TV, but there was much I did not know about her, as well as things I did know, but learned much more about while reading this.

I admit being just a tad nervous going into this book. Lindsey, at least based on what I knew about her from her videos and seeing her on Dancing with the Stars, has always seemed like a very admirable, decent young lady who has inspired me on a personal level. As such I had my fingers crossed that this wouldn't be one of those celebrity biographies where it's like, "I put on this cutesy good-girl face to the public, but I'm really a drinking, drugging wild child who just lives to party!" (That wasn't my *expectation*, but it did cross my mind because there are celebrities like that out there and finding out someone I admired actually isn't admirable makes me very sad.) Happily, that wasn't the case here.

Does that mean that this book reveal that Lindsey is perfect? No! She's the first one to say that she's human like the rest of us, and she's had her struggles and times she's made mistakes and fallen flat on her face. What makes the difference to me is that, rather than try to excuse her mistakes or act like they're actually not mistakes, she acknowledges them, learns from them, and then moves forward again, sharing her story with others in the hopes it might help them learn, too. And her faith, family, and friends help and support her the whole way. And, ultimately, I think that's what this book is about: Sharing her story in the hopes it will help others, because that's the kind of beautiful, giving, loving heart she has. She shows through her life story that It's okay to be different. It's okay to embrace and love who you are and stick to you morals, even it means you stand out from the crowd and sometimes even get mocked or criticized. Your problems no matter how big or small can be overcome and you don't have to overcome them alone. And, finally, instead of wallowing in our pasts, worrying about our futures, and missing out on the present, we need to learn from the past, look to the future with excitement and hope for what amazing things it may hold, and most importantly, live in the present and be grateful for the good gifts we've been given RIGHT NOW rather than being so distracted that we only realize the good things we had after they're already gone.

Before you go thinking that all of this means the book is heavy and will make you cry...well, I won't say you won't ever get emotional (hearing Lindsey talk about Gavi and her father back when they were still on this earth was hard for me at times, knowing that they later passed away. Lindsey mentioning Gavi's passing with tears in her voice in the acknowledgment section made me cry as well). But she handles the rest of it with so much humor and light-heartedness, that you'll finish with a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart.

In allowing herself to dream big and chase those dreams with all she has, Lindsey gives permission for others to do the same, including me, and this book has only made me feel that more powerfully. I give this book 5 stars.


Content advisory: Please read the following if you are wondering if this book would be appropriate for a younger reader. I personally feel this book would be best for teens and adults who are fans of Lindsey Stirling or just want to know more about her. I also feel I should note, however, that when it comes to readers on the younger end of that range, it might be more suited for girls than for boys as Lindsey does occasionally talk about some girl-specific stuff, like dealing with her period while on tour and the like. She never gets graphic about it, but it still might be more than boys under a certain age would even want or need to know about, much less care about.

Now for the details.

Sexual:

Lindsey mentions having crushes on guys in her school girl days and occasionally uses the word "cute" or "hot" in reference to guys.

She mentions the moment when her younger, middle school self realized that guys were more attracted to the girls with perfect makeup, hair, and push-up bras than the one with the perfect cowboy costume.

When Lindsey was 16 she was the only female member of a rock band, but never indicates that there was romantic attraction between her and them and her parents supervised her well. She does however mention one time that she got voted to change a light bulb in a room the band used (because she was the lightest and wouldn't break the table when she climbed on it) and when she reached above her head she felt her shirt rise above her waistband so her abs were right at eye level to the guys. At the time, she was unconcerned, only thinking that at least she had nice abs, and it's not indicated that the guys said or did anything in reaction to this. It was only later when she went to the bathroom and remembered that she was wearing high-waisted "granny panties" that rose 2 inches above her waistband, covering her nice abs, that she became embarrassed. (The purpose of this story seems to be simply to poke fun at a time she was embarrassed.)

Lindsey later mentions that she asked her parents permission to go on tour (alone) with these guys and her 16 year old self was angry, embarrassed, and argumentative when her parents responded with the dreaded "that would be inappropriate" line and insisted that her mother had to go along. Older Lindsey admits that, in spite of how she felt back then, she was ultimately glad her mom came along and would say the same thing if she had a daughter who asked to travel with a bunch of older guys. (Note: the guys were fine with her mom coming and affectionately called her "Lindsey's Mom".)

When discussing bonding with her adopted siblings, Lindsey mentions that when her new brother (who was from Russia and did not yet speak English) joined the family, she had trouble communicating to him that it wasn't okay to yell and whistle at pretty girls they drove past, so he continued doing it for a while.

When relating a time of bonding with her Russian sister, she recounts a time they were talking about how Lindsey wanted a guy she was dating and liked a lot to kiss her but didn't know how to let him know without saying it. Her sister, whom she says was better at balancing "innocence with opportunity" told her to hug him at the end of the date, then lean back, look at his eyes then his lips and "make the magic happen." We don't hear details about the date, we only hear that, afterwards, Lindsey ran excitedly to her sister and told her "I made the magic happen!" And her sister responded happily with, "Tell me all about it, you little slut." In reference to this, Lindsey ends the chapter by saying "I love you, [brother's name] and you too, [sister's name], you little slut."

A man Lindsey once witnessed to on the subway turned out to be a male escort, with a business card no less. When she asked his occupation he mumbled and she thought he said "escrow" and congratulated him on how he must have a booming business in that town. She was therefore embarrassed when she looked at his business card after they parted ways and realized what his real job was. (On the positive side, she later heard that he joined the church, got baptized, and credited her for giving him the push he needed to make the change.)

Lindsey mentions one job she got while trying to "make it" as a hip hop violinist where the backup dancers she was given were scantily clad and gyrated to the point she wanted to shake them and say, "Put some clothes on! Where's your self respect?" And the audience was mainly drunk men who yelled things at her and her dancers that "aren't worth repeating". (She never accepted a job there again.)

One chapter talks about Lindsey's past attempts at romance (no suitor's real names are given) and hope for a family someday. This talk never gets sexual and most of the relationships didn't last long, if they even got past the first date. The longest lasting one mentioned was with a very physically fit and attractive man, whom Lindsey describes as being as handsome as Edward Cullen. She mentions one kiss they shared (which her sisters and friends were initially excited to hear about) that was so lackluster she described it as being like a "mom kiss."

Not sexual, but there's mention of Lindsey and her female college roommates going to a certain lake at night and skinny dipping when no one else around. It became tradition as a stress reliever when any one of them was upset.

Lindsey makes a slightly crude comparison when talking about self defense: "Everyone knows how to take aim at a testicle but defending yourself emotionally is a whole different ball game. See what I did there?"

In talking about her best guy friend, Gavi, Lindsey mentions having accidentally walked in on him in his underwear 3 times while on the tour bus (the first time she was so startled she stared until he said, "Um...leave" and she left.) This leads her to talk about how everyone on the bus developed a habit of shouting out when they're changing clothes so no one walks in on them undressed.

In sharing awkward experiences with fans, she mentions a time an over enthusiastic male fan picked her up off the ground with both of his hands on her buttocks. Her security guard (who was mortified it happened on his watch) and male band members made a point to be extra vigilant and make sure no one ever did something like that again.

Spiritual/Religious: Lindsey mentions many times that she and her family go to church. She later identifies her church as being part of the Church of Latter Day Saints aka Mormon, and says, "Cue influx of fan mail and hate mail." Note: Lindsey never details the Mormon beliefs. Throughout the book she only ever references God and Jesus and how she has seen God's loving influence in her life.

She says she went on a mission trip for her church once, feeling it was where she was supposed to be, and wanting to preach the "Good Word" and be "selfishly selfless" (doing selfless things in the hopes good things would happen to her and it would make her feel good.) Things didn't go how she expected and she ended up quitting and later realizing that if she wanted to help change other's lives she needed to change her own first, thereby learning to be "selflessly selfless". (Doing good things without wanting something in return.)

She relates that during one mission trip, after crying because she'd been cursed at, a stranger comforted her and told her "God loves you and He knows you. That will give you strength."

During the same mission trip, Lindsey witnessed to a man on the subway who looked sad, and she told him God has a purpose for his life and gave him a way to contact her church, which he later did, and got baptized, crediting her as his "short-haired angel" for being the one who first told him God cared about him and had a plan for him that was better than the way he'd been living before.

She mentions that people sometimes ask if she's a Mormon because she was born into it and, after acknowledging that that's a valid question, answers by saying, as a child, she did believe simply because her parents believed, but her time as a missionary made her find out what she really believed and stand on it. She continues to this day to believe with her own faith and states that when her faith comes up in public forums she still receives scrutiny over it, and is told to "keep your crazy beliefs out of it," but she states she can't because her beliefs are as much a part of her as her music or her family. She also states the rejection during her time as a missionary helps the negative reactions to her faith (while still hurtful) not carry so much weight as they once did because she's already heard it all face to face.

Praying to God, calling herself a daughter of God, and thanking Him for her food helped Lindsey in the process of overcoming her eating disorder.

In talking about the few times when she would rather not be approached by fans she says, if you see her in a church near you, it's okay to come over and say hi, just remember it's the Lord's house, not Lindsey's house.

Language:

Two joking uses of the word slut.

Two uses of "gosh darn it".

When trying to look at the bright side while being a missionary in a big city, Lindsey says she tried to see the profanity she heard as a "colorful local dialect". She also mentions that some people swore at her for her evangelizing, one man shooting so much profanity at her she broke down crying.

In personifying her eating disorder as "Ed" she refers to it as a little b*****d once and later says, with help from group therapy, was finally able to give her problem "the middle finger."

Lindsey mentions that one of the rules on her tour bus was no foul language.

Other:

Lindsey suffered from an eating disorder (anorexia) which started as early as when she was 8 years old, lasted into her college years, and sometimes still tries to tempt her today. She states she doesn't want to draw a lot of attention to it because it's not a badge of honor, but shares about it anyway in case her story might help someone else. She talks about it starting as a desire to have a trim waistline and spiraled into a mentality where food dictated her thoughts, emotions, and self-esteem. She states she was eating like a 10 lb rabbit at one point and turning sideways in the mirror to check the flatness of her stomach became an obsession. She also weighed herself 20 times a day, thought she "looked like a cow", and felt fat no matter how small she was. Her disorder also hurt her relationship with her sister.

A guy who took Lindsey on a date once decided it would be "fun" if she spent the whole evening in a wheelchair, pretending to be crippled as they went to dinner and a bowling alley. Lindsey awkwardly did it but felt weird and disrespectful to people who are truly disabled the whole time and never went out with the guy again.

Lindsey uses the word "butt" and "tush" a number of times for various reasons throughout the book (and says that her mother told her not to use any form of the word in her book), mentions things like her brother making fart noises every time she squats, unintentionally farting, burping, and vomiting in front of a date, and, while listing things she's thankful for that maybe seem odd but help her keep perspective on life, mentions thankfulness that she has small "boobs" so they don't get in the way while she's dancing around the stage during performances.

Lindsey briefly mentions the awkwardness of being on her period when she's the only female on the tour bus: there's no one who can lend her a tampon if she runs out and has occasionally had to send a male employee/friend on a store run to get some. She also mentions bloating and crankiness related to that time of month.

A brief mention of the brand names Abercrombie and Fitch, JC Penney's, and Forever 21 (The first two are in context of saying, when she was growing up, other kids wore the more expensive stuff and she wore the less expensive stuff. The last one is in context of her talking about how she still prefers certain "cheaper" brands to the designer clothes she's sometimes offered.)

Various celebrities Lindsey has met are named in both positive and negative contexts. No one celebrity is obsessed upon, however. She just relates the honest facts of how they treated her when she met them, how that treatment made her feel, and if they made her feel negative, she talks about how she moved past feeling that way.

Drug/alcohol: Lindsey specifically states she doesn't touch either and mentions how awkward it can be to go to award show parties and be the one person there constantly turning down all offers of alcohol.

[Rod Horncastle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 5 star literary autobiographical masterpiece? Not a chance. But so much fun and heartfelt experiences. I adore this YouTube violinist extraordinaire. Go watch her videos. Amazing. Especially her "Beauty and the Beast" remake and Fountain Pirate Dance. I like her Western Gunslinger/Violin Slinger Steam Punk dance off video. Go watch it now!

Lindsey is still pretty young, but her life is worth hearing about up to this point. She's had a million adventures and crazy dreams come true. It would be easy to be jealous of her -- but first you have to put in the endless effort she does... not many are up for that challenge. This girl was a workaholic for a few years. It was worth it. I think she has almost a billion Youtube hits. (i'm not joking - many videos around the 100 million mark.)

She's like an awesome cute little sister with tons of talent and charm. Hearing how she got her lucky breaks was more than interesting. Apparently "America's Got Talent" was mostly an annoying sidestep that could have ruined her career, especially if those greedy corporations started controlling and dictating her art... Instead: She did it on her own, with some lucky friendships. That's exactly how it should be done. Thankfully YOUTUBE isn't controlling people's careers yet. Soon???

Okay, So it seems little Lindsey is a Mormon. This is sprinkled throughout the book. She even spent time at the Mormon University (far as I recall), and did her time as a Mormon Missionary (in NYC as I also barely recall). She seems to have mostly fond memories of the horrific cult and they haven't probed too seriously into her personal life and finances yet. She did state that She's not overly dedicated to any one ward. And she's not married so she hasn't done the brutally insane Free masonry rituals. Soon perhaps! Hopefully never.
Lindsey is so busy just working and having fun (and mostly NOT wearing the full Mormon undergarments? although that incident does hilariously pop-up in the book) that she hasn't begun to research the history and theology of her Joseph Smith Polygamous Cult. She seems to think she's just a New Designer Brand of Biblical Christianity. Soon she'll have to wise up (or not?) and figure out which side of the fence to seriously fall in to - she's too busy having a blast dancing on the fence posts right now. So far: she's still in the Cute and Clueless category. Yes, sadly most Mormon Missionaries barely know more than the bare basics about their belief system.

I just had 2 nice little Mormon sisters visit for a few months. At first everything was fun and they were desperate to convince my family to join their pleasant little tribe. But then it became obvious that one sister was rather liberal and the other was a fundamental conservative. One believed in hell, the other believed in a Cosmic universality of openness. Neither could tell me what I would gain by leaving a basic Bible believing church and joining them --- mostly they were just so insecure and desperate to convince me that they were infact "legitimate Christian brothers and sisters". Sorry! Go do your homework little tots. Your Jesus is NOT my Jesus. Yes: Joseph Smith (your prophet and guru) had almost 39 wives ---- and Jesus had: ... Zero. For any wise person - that should be the end of the discussion. But Mormons just gotta believe... something weird.

But, it was a great fun book. Should inspire lots of youngsters to follow their dreams and put in the efforts. And never forget family and friends along the way. Lindsey Stirling is a very cool person. I'd jam with her. (I still haven't bought any of her C.D.'s yet... She's no Led Zeppelin or Janis Joplin.) I might get her Christmas album though.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was just amazing overall, hands down (and Im not just saying this because Im a big Lindsey Stirling fan in general, I mean I totally am, but thats not why I loved this book; more like only a small part of why I loved this book to be more exact) I also should mention this is the first memoir Ive ever read as well. Brooke does an amazing job with her writing skills and making everything run smoothly from chapter to chapter. She knows her subject (Lindsey aka her sister) very well, so well the whole time I was reading I picture it in exactly Lindsey voice as I was reading it ^_^ I love Brooke's use of humor and seriousness throughout each part of the book because it kept making me want more. This book makes you laugh and cry all in one, and to me thats the best kind of book/author to read and have. Each section of the book was amazing as it gave me a closer look into the side of Lindsey's life we don't get to see on a daily basis, from building self confidence to family dramas, and friendship this book covers it all. I loved seeing this side of Lindsey and learning more about her then I ever did before. My favorite parts were the toughest parts when she shared about her family life, her eating disorder, and self confidence issues overall. Throughout these parts I wanted to just give Lindsey a big hug, and at the same time feel inspired by her struggles as well. Reading this book has made me gain more respect for Lindsey not only as a person but as a true artist as well. I use to consider Lindsey my hero and role model for life, and this book just makes those feelings even more true for me. The only part I truly disliked is I need/want more. I wish the book turned out to be 500 pages instead of 200 plus pages. Some of the topics I would have liked them to have gone more in depth with but I understand the reasons they may have kept some stuff out. I really hope her and Brooke will continue to write more in the future as they make the perfect writing duo together. 5 million out of 5 million stars for this one! You will not be disappointed. A total must read for any hard core Lindsey/Brooke fan out there, and also for those haters out there too. This girl is amazing, and like the old saying goes, never judge a book by its cover. Lindsey is a great person inside and out. Her book only proves that to you more and more as you dive deeper into each chapter of this amazing book. I loved it to pieces and pieces :D

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Think...a Mormon version of Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?.

Per most celebrity memoirs I pick up, I didn't really know much about Lindsey Stirling going in. I've seen her videos on YouTube and know she is wicked talented. Now I know she is wicked talented and a really, really hard worker.
But...I think that is the only thing that will stick with me from this book.
Oh, and the part where she talks about the date who made her ride around in a wheelchair. That was pretty memorable.

Here is the thing: she was probably about 30 when she published this memoir. And while I in no way want to imply that people cannot accomplish amazing things before the age of 30, or that she hasn't accomplished amazing things before 30, I kind of feel like this memoir got written a little...early. Lindsey Stirling might be the only pirate at the party in the sense that she is the only violinist/dancer/YouTube star with her kind of numbers and fame. But as far as being an independent, single, quirky woman goes...she kind of sounds just like you or me.
Which I get is supposed to be part of the appeal. She's a 'regular gal.' But she really pushes the 'I'm so different and quirky and unique and you can be too!' message and it felt quite juvenile.

Juvenile, in fact, feels like a really good word overall for this book. It is optimistic and cheerful and primarily about her struggle to make it into show business and fight with anorexia. Totally genuine, relevant stuff. But I also kind of feel like Stirling still has a good chunk of her life and career ahead of her and writing about this early just results in a feeling of 'and...?'

The good news is that Lindsey Stirling has an incredible adventure left. The bad news is that her positivity can get kind of grating and I'd rather know how it all turns out 30 years from now.

[Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really enjoyed this book. I found out about Lindsey Stirling in a roundabout way, just a short viewing of one of her YouTube videos. I was amazed at her talent. So much so that I immediately bought her album. Reading about her in this book has helped me appreciate her even more. I hope she can stay strong and stand by her convictions and realize her dreams. She truly is a treasure.

[Nicole Dreibelbeis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoy Lindsey's music and her style, but her book fell flat for me. It seemed self-indulgent, and to me she came off as immature and a bit petty. She recounts some early memories and the start of her career, but for the most part stayed on the surface, without really digging deep.

[Sarah Violet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lindsey, you're my hero.

[Tabitha Tomala · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: The Only Pirate at the Party

The Only Pirate at the Party is the inspiring story of Lindsey Stirling. While some of her hurdles in the music industry are well known, she’ll also reveal internal struggles she’s overcome in her journey to success. Readers will watch as she transforms throughout the book, forging her path in the music industry. She’s not your average performer. The sincerity and humor she brings to this memoir are heartwarming.

Lindsey Stirling’s music is just as unique as her personality. Readers will have a chance to see her journey through childhood and the family driven relationships that helped cement her values. She is a genuine down to earth person and reading about how deeply she cares for those close to her is enlightening. If you are part of her tour crew, you are treated like family. And there are plenty of stories within this memoir that will make you laugh at the antics on tour.

But along the way, there will also be the occasional people who spark insecurity and doubt in her mind. And there will also be some surprising reveals about fellow performers who look down on Lindsey Stirling. Some even put her into challenging situations that made her question her worth as a musician. It angered me how petty certain individuals could be. Music is such a unique experience to listeners and there is such a wide variety available. It doesn’t matter what genre of music is played, not everyone has to play a certain way. Music allows people to embrace their creativity and be who they are through their songs.

If you enjoy memoirs or are a fan of Lindsey Stirling’s music, grab a copy of this book. This is a quick and entertaining read, filled with memorable moments. And if you have the chance, grab the audiobook version of The Only Pirate at the Party. Lindsey Stirling herself narrates and brings an added depth of emotion to each chapter.

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is quite a heartwarming look at the beginning of a very unique career. I read this a couple days after seeing Lindsey Stirling perform. To match these words to her performance were amazing. I also got to meet her and I think she doesn’t have the same connection to her fans as she once did, but I appreciate her for who she is and what she did for me during my younger years. Her music has always been a bright space for me.