A General History of the Pirates has long been a classic of seafaring literature and was inspiration to both Robert Louis Stevenson and J.M. Barrie. Nothing is known about Captain Charles Johnson, and it is thought that the name may be assumed - there are even some who believe he may have been Daniel Defoe. All that can be stated with any certainty is that in 1724 a small octavo volume appeared that became so popular it grew through 4 editions over 2 years and is still famed today. Historians from both sides of the Atlantic have attested to the accuracy of the work's content. This is a reprint of the 1927 reissued 4th edition - enhanced by the Arthur L. Hayward's editorial touches.