This review concerns the 1999 Dover paperback edition edited by Manuel Schonhorn, since the reviews in this listing show some confusion about the editions. This book is over 700 pages and collects volumes 1 and 2 of "Captain Johnson's" History of the Pyrates, along with Schonhorn's introduction, end notes, and concluding commentary. It includes some illustrations, a diagram of a ship with its parts labeled to help understand the nautical terminology, and a brief guide to different types of sailing ships. Overall, it is an excellent preservation of an important historical artifact about the Atlantic pyrates of the early 1700s, with many captivating stories and trial records.
Whether Daniel Defoe wrote this (under the alias Captain Johnson) remains a point of contention, but Schonhorn presents his case without demanding we accept it as proven fact. The writing style does not make this an easy read, as the prose shows no concern for concision modern readers expect. It is wordy, with sentences that run on and on until you almost forget where they started. As for capitalization, anything goes. Spelling is archaic but comprehensible. Dialogue does not follow modern rules. Pronoun confusion abounds in complex sentences with too many subjects.
But this work is from another time, and the antiquated, elaborate prose has a certain charm, with some truly beautiful language making an interesting contrast to the often graphic violence, injuries, and horrors experienced in these tales. Not all chapters are equally exciting, and some do feel like dry recitations of who sailed on what ship from which port carrying what cargo. But many chapters are absolutely gripping, with action on the high seas and salty dialogue from frightening yet captivating rogues.
You can find modern books that are easier to read, but I find the language adds to the feeling of immersion in these tales. Still, it might be best to take it in small doses, a chapter at a time, because it's definitely dense. You will also find other books that deal more with pyracy before and after the time period covered here, so this is not a complete guide to the entire subject on a global scale. But it's a remarkable, in-depth work about what it does cover, and an indispensable addition to any library of pyrate lore.
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