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 AveryCaptain MartelCaptain Teach, alias BlackbeardMajor Stede BonnetEdward EnglandCharles VaneCaptain John RackamCaptain John PhillipsThe Life of Mary Read & Anne BonnyCaptain Howel DavisCaptain Bartho RobertsCaptain AnstisWorleyGeorge LowtherEdward LowJohn EvansCaptain SpriggsAn Account of the Pyracies and Murders committed by Philip Roche, &c. The Trial of the Pirates at ProvidenceAn Abstract of the Civil Law and Statute Law now in Force, in Relation to PyracyCaptain MissonJohn BowenWilliam KidCaptain TewHalseyThomas WhiteCaptain CondentA Description of MagadoxaCaptain BellamyCaptain William FlyOf Capt. Thomas HowardOf Captain LewisOf Captain CorneliusOf Capt. David WilliamsOf Capt. Samuel BurgessOf Capt. Nathaniel NorthOf Captain TeachOf Major BonnetOf Captain WorleyOf Captain MartelOf Captain VaneOf Captain BowenCaptain 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.
