Photo of John Matthews

John Matthews is an independent scholar living in Oxford. He published his first book in 1980, with Thames and Hudson, and since then has gone on to publish over a hundred titles on myth, folklore and ancient traditions. 

He has worked in the film industry as an historical advisor and won a BAFTA for his work on the movie King Arthur (2003). He has made a lifetime study of every aspect of the Arthurian legends, from its origins to modern retellings, and recently wrote bestselling work on piracy. Pirates (Carlton/Athenaeum) was a number one New York Times bestseller for 22 weeks in 2005 and was translated into 18 languages.