Book Description

This world famous book tells biographies of the greatest pirates who ruled the seas in 18th century. The author, Captain Charles Johnson, was crucially influential in shaping popular conceptions of pirates and more importantly he inspired the classics such as Treasure Island, Peter Pan, On Stranger Tides…; and more recently the movie saga Pirates of the Caribbean and the series Black Sails.

This history introduced many features which later became common in pirate literature, such as pirates with missing legs or eyes, the notion of pirates burying treasure, and the name of the pirate flag the Jolly Roger.

The book covers the lives and incredible exploits of the following pirates and their crew:

• Captain Avery
• Captain Martel
• Captain Teach, alias Blackbeard
• Major Stede Bonnet
• Edward England
• Charles Vane
• Captain John Rackam
• Captain John Phillips
• The Life of Mary Read & Anne Bonny
• Captain Howel Davis
• Captain Bartho Roberts
• Captain Anstis
• Worley
• George Lowther
• Edward Low
• John Evans
• Captain Spriggs
• An Account of the Pyracies and Murders committed by Philip Roche, &c.
• The Trial of the Pirates at Providence
• An Abstract of the Civil Law and Statute Law now in Force, in Relation to Pyracy
• Captain Misson
• John Bowen
• William Kid
• Captain Tew
• Halsey
• Thomas White
• Captain Condent
• A Description of Magadoxa
• Captain Bellamy
• Captain William Fly
• Of Capt. Thomas Howard
• Of Captain Lewis
• Of Captain Cornelius
• Of Capt. David Williams
• Of Capt. Samuel Burgess
• Of Capt. Nathaniel North
• Of Captain Teach
• Of Major Bonnet
• Of Captain Worley
• Of Captain Martel
• Of Captain Vane
• Of Captain Bowen

Captain Charles Johnson is the British author whose real identity remains a mystery but the manner in which he demonstrates a knowledge of the sailor's speech and life, suggests that he could have been an actual sea captain or a professional writer using a pseudonym who was well versed in the sea.