Robinson Crusoe

by Daniel Defoe

Book Overview

The original tale of a castaway struggling to survive on a remote desert island, and one of the first novels in English

The sole survivor of a shipwreck, Robinson Crusoe is washed up on a desert island. In his journal he chronicles his daily battle to stay alive, as he conquers isolation, fashions shelter and clothes, enlists the help of a native islander who he names 'Friday', and fights off cannibals and mutineers. Written in an age...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0141439823
• ISBN13: 9780141439822
• Release Date: April 2003
• Publisher: Penguin Classics
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.52 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.1" x 7.7"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Let down again.

The book is not VERY good condition. Had creased pages. Marker marking on very first page. Other scribbles.Worn pages. And I know I can not always get the book that was pictured but take off that hardcover pic off when advertising if that is not the copy you intend to send. It is misleading. Next time put this hard cover so I know NOT TO BUY IT. Disappointed . I like to support local dealers but I think I will have to go elsewhere since this is second time I’m sent a book that is not representative of its label.

Very disappointed to receive an abridged version

Very disappointed to receive an abridged version

Robinson Crusoe: A Robert Ingpen Illustrated Classic

Was shipped the wrong edition (Robinson Crusoe: A Robert Ingpen Illustrated Classic) a very old book.

Wrong edition

I was shipped the wrong edition and can't return it. Don't waste your time.

My First Book

This is the first book I had ever red, at the primary school about 45 years ago. It stands for British Imperialism just like G-d Save The King/Queen, Queen Elizabeth I, William Shakespeare's " Globe " etc. As a Torah Jew, who considers himself, among The Chosen People of The L-RD All-Powerful G-d of Israel and an addict of The Holy Kingdom of Israel, I have always regarded these wonderful concepts as The L-RD's gift and tried to take good care of them. After all, thanks again to Daniel Defoe for this beautiful novel ...

I did'nt order this book, I certainly did'nt indend to.

This was not the book I thought I was ordering ( # 12702113 ) I wanted the adult version of Mr Defoe's novel not the illustrated children's edition

Great language and characterization

This is not a novel for those who like quick action and a lot of dialogue. Robinson Crusoe is superbly written, and tends to draw out the events, with a great deal of imagery provided in order to describe everything with minute details. Seeing as to how this is one of my favorite novels, I have read Robinson Crusoe probably about six times, in more than one language. My favorite aspect of this novel is the language in which it is written. Defoe's ability to make every word worth reading is enough to captivate and ignite the imagination. I do not think that if you like fast-paced novels that you would enjoy this masterpiece, but it is a matter of personal preference. If you enjoy well-developed character, then Robinson Crusoe's character is one worth devoting your time to. Defoe creates a human being, with faults and flaws, as well as dignified qualities. Robinson Crusoe is truly worthy of emulation, and is one of the greatest-developed characters in a work of literature. I recommend this novel to anyone who is willing to take the time to read every sentence and who is not so impatient as to expect action to appear on every page of the novel.

Didn't want it to end

This is a wonderful book on many levels. Despite his father forbidding it and providing sound advice about taking the moderate road, Robinson yearns to become a seaman. From the moment he directly disobeys his father and goes to sea, the Hand of Providence becomes central to the plot. From shipwrecks to slavery the point seems to keep being driven home to him that he is not following the correct path. When he begins living in the manner that he is 'supposed' to live, he excels and would do well. Each time he steps out of line, however, he is slapped with disaster until Providence is his sole companion and he has a wealth of time to consider his choices. It is an intriguing look at the grip religion had on the people of DeFoe's time as well as one hell of a great adventure story. I wished that it would keep on going.

A Multifaceted English Classic

Daniel Defoe's 1719 novel, "Robinson Crusoe," written when Defoe was 59 years old, is a multifaceted work whose layers of significance can easily escape those who read it in their youth. The English precursor to the survival/adventure/shipwreck narrative, "Robinson Crusoe" details the career of an errant youth who discovers hope and faith through experimentation. Crusoe's exploits are also important to a developing early 18th century notion of the ideal industrious middle class citizen, as well as reaffirming the growth of British Imperialism.As a boy in a household already fractured by rebellious sons, Crusoe lives aimlessly with his father and mother, always desiring to leave the confines of his home for the sea. Against the better wisdom of his father, who advises him to remain where he is and enjoy the fruits of an easy-going middle class life, Crusoe takes to the ocean. A series of ill-omened occurrences, including shipwrecks and enslavement lead Crusoe to a deserted island off the coast of South America, where he is forced to provide and fend for himself.Though Crusoe's spiritual awakening has been much noted in reviews, one important facet of his Christian moralizing in the novel that is noteworthy is the way the novel problematizes Protestant-Catholic relations throughout the novel. The vast majority of Crusoe's early encounters are among Spanish and Portuguese colonists and traders. It is interesting how Crusoe measures the English against them, and how that comparison extends into Crusoe's evaluation of the various 'savages' he comes across in the novel.Another great layer of significance in "Robinson Crusoe" concerns its attitudes toward English history and colonial ventures. Note the language of possession, authority, and control that colour Crusoe's descriptions of himself and the uninhabited island he must learn to live on. I find especially telling, in accordance with his religious views, how England's 18th century colonial competitors, the Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, and French, are characterized by Crusoe.I could also cite the often explicitly homoerotic undertones in the relationship between Crusoe and his Native American manservant, Friday, as a source of compelling interest in Defoe's novel. In the realm of the socio-economic, Crusoe's appropriation of utilitarianism in regards to raw materials, money, and even people is an important theme. For those who have read it a million times or never, Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe" is entertaining and edifying, always worth reading and rereading.

A great book by Defoe

In the beginning Robinson Crusoe's father didn't want him to travel to sea he said that it would bring him nothing but trouble. He went anyway and while he was out sea a pirate ship got his ship, and he became a slave. After two years he decided to get away, and a Spanish boat helped him and took him to Brazil. In brazil he lived on a plantation for about 2 years and decide to go back to the ship before the pirates got him and get his gold out of the window that he left. His ship sank by an island and he was the only one that survied and he has to live on the Island until he can get some help. I think that this is a great book for young readers and people who like adventures.