A General History of the Pyrates

Originally published with the title "A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates",  "A General History of the Pyrates" is a 1724 book containing biographies of contemporary pirates.
It's author uses the name Captain Charles Johnson, generally considered a pseudonym, but he real identity of the author was thought to be Daniel Defoe. 
"A General History of the Pyrates" is an immensely readable history by the author of "Robinson Crusoe" that incorporates the author's celebrated flair for journalistic detail, and represents the major source of information about piracy in the early 18th century. Defoe recounts the daring and bloody deeds of such outlaws as Edward Teach (alias Blackbeard), Captain Kidd, Mary Read, Anne Bonny, many others.
The book was influential in shaping popular notions of piracy and provided the standard account of the lives of these individuals still famous in the 21st century.