Who is credited with writing the 1724 book A General History of the Pyrates?

Captain Charles Johnson is credited with writing the 1724 book A General History of the Pyrates.

The book, published in London by Charles Rivington, presented biographies of prominent pirates, including Blackbeard, Calico Jack, Anne Bonny, Mary Read, and Bartholomew Roberts. It helped shape the popular image of the Golden Age pirate.

The identity of Captain Charles Johnson remains uncertain. Some historians have proposed Daniel Defoe, while others regard Johnson as a separate author or a pseudonym. The evidence does not establish Defoe conclusively, so Johnson is the standard attribution used in references.

The book is important because it preserved many names, anecdotes, and descriptions that might otherwise have disappeared. However, some dramatic details may be embellished, and historians compare its claims with court records and other contemporary sources.