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Rating: 
Summary: A Definitve Text on the Buccaneers.
Review: Daniel Defoe (of "Robinson Crusoe" fame) offers a unique perspective on the entire history of piracy. A prolific writter, Defoe actually interviewed condemned and suspected pirates as they awaited their final fate at the gallows of Wapping along the Thames. His "History" is thorough to say the least tracing the act of piracy almost to the dawn of civilized sea travel. His depictions of the pirates, their methods and madnesses are written with the flare of a novelist and the restraint of a reporter giving the work an air of credibility and honesty. The outdated and long-winded style of Defoe's English is at times distracting, but should in no way deter the reader in delving deep into the lives of those most scurilous of sea robbers. A must for any pirate buff.
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Summary: The stories will blow you away
Review: Pyrates, when we think of them we think of good for nothing brutes who plagued the seas and made they're prisoners walk the plank, in fact it's far from the truth. First of all let me point out that the plank walking is a myth and that most pyrates were not blood thirsty murderers. Daniel DeFoe wrote an excellent book, he gives you enough background on the person or place, before you read about him or it. Pirates for the most part were saillors who had lost they're jobs after the big wars, and turned to robbing the great ships like the Great Monghol's vessels of silver, gold, fabrics, spices and goods. All the captains especially Blackbeard(yes there really was a blackbeard) have great and colorful personalities and backgrounds. My favorite story in here would have to be the sad story of Cpt. Thomas Tew, one of the bravest pyrates ever, why should I tell you his story, read it for yourself, it's tragic and inspiring a great read. For an interesting piece of work, filled with alot of information and short stories look no further than Daniel Defoe's: A Genereal history of pyrates.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting but inaccurate
Review: The author has done a wonderful job outlining the life and times of the men and women who ruled the high seas during the 17th and 18th centuries. I found a great deal of historical facts that I had not been able to find in other texts. lifesytles and philosophies of the pirates are described in great detail. This is a great book for either academic research or just for those who want to learn more about what life was really like as a pirate!
Rating: 
Summary: To clear some things up on the issue of the author...
Review: The original text WAS written by Captain Charles Johnson in 1724. In 1932, John Robert Moore announced that the real author was Daniel Defoe. He was so certain that he wrote a book about it (Defoe in the Pillory and Other Studies). He was so convincing that most libraries/ publishers changed the cataloging. However, in 1988, P. N. Furbank and W. R. Owens proved him wrong, also in book form (The Canonisation of Daniel Defoe), based on the fact that there wasn't a single piece of documentary evidence that Defoe wrote the book. Long story short, Johnson wrote the book, not Defoe.
Rating:
Summary: To clear some things up on the issue of the author...
Review: The original text WAS written by Captain Charles Johnson in 1724. In 1932, John Robert Moore announced that the real author was Daniel Defoe. He was so certain that he wrote a book about it (Defoe in the Pillory and Other Studies). He was so convincing that most libraries/ publishers changed the cataloging. However, in 1988, P. N. Furbank and W. R. Owens proved him wrong, also in book form (The Canonisation of Daniel Defoe), based on the fact that there wasn't a single piece of documentary evidence that Defoe wrote the book. Long story short, Johnson wrote the book, not Defoe.
Rating:
Summary: Fast fun reading
Review: This book contains short biographies of pirates. It was first published in 1724, but these stories read fast despite the antiquated language. The biographies focus on the most interesting parts of each pirate's life instead of dry facts. There are plenty of more "serious" facts here, but the biography goes into more detail just when the reader is getting curious. So we are told any interesting anecdotes about each pirate in the course of reading their biographies.
For example the biography of Anne Bonny tells about her life and exploits as a pirate. But we also are treated to a description of the bedroom farce by which Anne's mother, a household servant, was discovered by the lady of the house to be having an affair with the man of the house. She caught the maid accidentally because of a prank involving spoons hidden in the bed sheets. This event doesn't take place during Anne's life. (It involves her conception, and leads into why her father left for the New World.) But really we are told about it because it is a good entertaining story.
So this book is highly readable and entertaining despite the language. This is a good book for you if you are into pirates, history, or the adventure genre (this book is factual, but it inspired many fictions).
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Summary: It's Not By Defoe
Review: This book is required reading for any serious scholar of piracy; much of what is known of piracy is derived from it. So, you should definitely read it if you care about the topic.
But the real reason I wrote this review was to let you all know that Daniel Defoe did not write this book. It was written by one Captain Charles Johnson, of whom little is known. The theory that is was actually written by Defoe has been soundly disproven by Defoe scholars. This edition is therefore attributed to the wrong man; be aware of this if you intend to cite this text.
Rating:
Summary: To the below reviewer:
Review: Yes, Kevin, it was written by Captain Johnson. And Defoe. Johnson was one of Defoe's pennames. This book truly is the definitive work; while there is a lot of 18th century mythology sprinkled without, it's easy to pick through. Many of the characters in this book lived during Defoe's lifetime, making their stories fairly recent to his ears. It's fascinating to read about these pirates in the context in which they were presented to their contemporaries.
Rating:
Summary: To the below reviewer:
Review: Yes, Kevin, it was written by Captain Johnson. And Defoe. Johnson was one of Defoe's pennames. This book truly is the definitive work; while there is a lot of 18th century mythology sprinkled without, it's easy to pick through. Many of the characters in this book lived during Defoe's lifetime, making their stories fairly recent to his ears. It's fascinating to read about these pirates in the context in which they were presented to their contemporaries.
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