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Robinson Crusoe

By Daniel Defoe

(491)

| Paperback | 9780553213737

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Book Description

This classic story of a shipwrecked mariner on a deserted island is perhaps the greatest adventure in all of English literature. Fleeing from pirates, Robinson Crusoe is swept ashore in a storm possessing only a knife, a box of tobacco, a pipe-and the will to survive. His is the saga of a man alone:Continue

Critics

Where All the Castaway Stories Come From

Robinson Crusoe (Modern Library Classics) by Daniel Defoe Reviewed by Doug Brown Powells.com The first thing that surprised me upon picking up a copy of Robinson Crusoe is how long ago it was written. It was published in 1721, when the American colon ... (read full critics)

powells published on Sat, 3 Sep 2011

11 Reviews

1 person find this helpful

This book is the story of a man. It tells a specific event in his life, an adventure that changed his way to see the world. The writer is Robinson himself, who tells his story in first person. This kind of narration, in my opinion, gives to the whole book fluency and effortlessness, as the words use ... (continue)

This book is the story of a man. It tells a specific event in his life, an adventure that changed his way to see the world. The writer is Robinson himself, who tells his story in first person. This kind of narration, in my opinion, gives to the whole book fluency and effortlessness, as the words used by the writer are quite simple, the dialogues are spontaneous and more natural than they would have been if he had been an external narrator. The most important theme, that is clearly visible to all the readers, is Robinson’s great ability to create, in the island where he shipwrecked, a new society, whose only element is him. In fact, he managed to build a refuge, he learnt to hunt and survive on its own. He also found rest in God, he read the Bible and drew strength from his faith, which he shared with Friday, when he made him free. Another important theme of the book is colonialism, because we can see Robinson as the European man who invades new continents and imposes his western culture and Christian religion (exactly what he does with Friday).
(Sry for my bad English!)

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Andrea said on Oct 22, 2010 about the Mass Market Paperback edition | 3 feedbacks

1 person find this helpful

Widely considered the first english novel ever written and still one of the best I have ever read. Full of amazing adventures, discussions on life and philosophy, and finally a successful book without a love interest.
I really like his methodical, concrete, practical style, the likes of which ... (continue)

Widely considered the first english novel ever written and still one of the best I have ever read. Full of amazing adventures, discussions on life and philosophy, and finally a successful book without a love interest.
I really like his methodical, concrete, practical style, the likes of which I've never seen before and is quite similar to my own. Some may find it excessive or boring, especially the part in the middle with the details of being stranded on the island but there is plenty of gripping action at various parts of the book. I liked it all though. Well done
As Simon Mason says in "The Rough Guide to Classic Novels," the book is very unconvential because the narrator lacks the usual authoritative tone. Rather, the text is just the blunt, honest desciptions of a man rethinking the events of his life. The reader feels personally connected to Robinson's character, as if he is a friend relating his life story to you during one long night beside a campfire.

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audioreader said on May 25, 2008 | Add your feedback

I've finished this "brick" in four months! Robinson looks very disagreeable, cruel, selfish and arrogant, because every time he saves someone's life, he imposed him to submit. Who does he think he is?
In my opinion, the best character was Friday, an handsome, strong and agreeable black boy, but he ... (continue)

I've finished this "brick" in four months! Robinson looks very disagreeable, cruel, selfish and arrogant, because every time he saves someone's life, he imposed him to submit. Who does he think he is?
In my opinion, the best character was Friday, an handsome, strong and agreeable black boy, but he disappointed me in the scene of the bear.
I found this novel very hard and boring. I don't suggest to read it!!!

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Micina Cartina Lettrice said on Sep 14, 2011 about the Others edition | Add your feedback

A good re-read of a book I'd read probably 20 years ago. I didn't remember that he'd been on the island by himself as long as he had. It was interesting to read how he adapted himself to the conditions he found himself in and made the most of it without complaining. The last time I read this book ... (continue)

A good re-read of a book I'd read probably 20 years ago. I didn't remember that he'd been on the island by himself as long as he had. It was interesting to read how he adapted himself to the conditions he found himself in and made the most of it without complaining. The last time I read this book I thought I remember reading Friday having him try eating a piece of man like the cannibals did, but maybe I was mistaken because it wasn't in this version I read.

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Stcin10 said on Feb 5, 2011 about the Mass Market Paperback edition | Add your feedback

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel De Foe (1971)

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Annalisa said on Nov 15, 2010 about the Others edition | Add your feedback

Will this book ever end?

I expected this to be, if not beautiful, at least gripping, since it’s considered the first adventure novel ever written. But actually, it’s one of the most boring books I’ve ever read. The story is, of course, well known: Robinson Crusoe is shipwrecked and ends up on an uninhabited island and finds ... (continue)

I expected this to be, if not beautiful, at least gripping, since it’s considered the first adventure novel ever written. But actually, it’s one of the most boring books I’ve ever read. The story is, of course, well known: Robinson Crusoe is shipwrecked and ends up on an uninhabited island and finds a way to survive and live there, building his house, growing rice and corn, breeding goats and killing them along with occasional birds and turtles. In this situation he seems to be extremely lucky- I don’t think anybody could have ended up so well on a desert island in 1660- and consequentially becomes very religious and pious, reading the Bible everyday and saying thanks to God for his status. Whole and most boring pages are dedicated to God and Robinson’s reflections about his situations- the most “miserable”.
The book is slow, the story is boring and, I would say, even unreal. The protagonist is far too lucky to survive to everything he goes through and the reader has to read a series of actions, misfortunes and accounts of a tedious and never-ending life.

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MoonyBen said on Aug 29, 2010 | Add your feedback