Robinson Crusoe (Modern Library Classics)

Book Description

Daniel Defoe relates the tale of an English sailor marooned on a desert island for nearly three decades. An ordinary man struggling to survive in extraordinary circumstances, Robinson Crusoe wrestles with fate and the nature of God. This edition features maps.

Customer Reviews:

Robinson Crusoe Review.......2007-05-10

The book Robinson Crusoe was not even half of what I expected. It was boring and I could not stay focused because of my lack of interest in that type of book. I was very unimpressed. The book moves too slow. Personally I would not recommend this book to someone who likes detail and more action.

Robinson Crusoe Review.......2007-05-03

Robinson Crusoe

This classic tale about a teenage boy making a life-changing decision has its pros and cons. But the positives out rule the negatives by far. One con is that the book sort of stretches a thought of the character into five or six pages. I suppose this is because the book was written early in the 18th century, and this was how authors in this time wrote. Another problem that I had with this book is that some of the vocabulary isn't used in everyday language, and it makes some of the parts of the book dense.
But, I thought Defoe's Robinson Crusoe had a very exciting and suspenseful storyline. There are some parts in the beginning that are a little boring, but once you get to the fifth or sixth chapter, things start to come together and make sense. He's original ship wrecked, he was a peasant for a while, and then he escapes; but then gets marooned on an uncharted island, where he stays for 28 years. Defoe puts a lot of creativity in Crusoe's survival story, and it's a very exciting read for ages fourteen and up; just because of some of the complicated vocabulary.

Abby Ferguson
Dorman Freshman Campus

Robinson Crusoe Review.......2007-05-03

Good Book.......2007-03-23

Robinson Crusoes is a book about a man's adventures at sea. Robin is a man with dreams of going to sea however, his perents don't let him go. But, Robin decides he dosn't want to listen to them and sneaks off on to a ship. However, he ends up getting captured and enslaved by Turks. But one day while fishing for his master he escapes and gets a job on a merchant ship.However,a storm comes and wrecks his boat.Crusoe is the only survivor. He ends up getting washed up on an island and is there for about 40 years. The rest is how he survived , battles with canibals and how he gets off. It's a good book ,you should read it.

Myths of Modern Individualism: Faust, Don Quixote, Don Juan, Robinson Crusoe (Canto)

Average customer rating:

A Quick Read

Myths of Modern Individualism: Faust, Don Quixote, Don Juan, Robinson Crusoe (Canto)
Ian Watt
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

In Myths of Modern Individualism, the renowned critic Ian Watt treats Don Juan, Don Quixote, Faust, and Robinson Crusoe as "individualists," pursuing their own views of what they should be. The original Counter Reformation myths saw the individualism of Don Juan, Don Quixote, and Faust as a problem to be quelled by death or mockery. However, the Romantic period, a time more favorably disposed toward myth, saw their dissension not as unacceptable disorder, but rather as admirable and heroic behavior. This incisive study traces attitudes toward these figures and the Romantic product Robinson Crusoe from disapproval to awe to skepticism, examining them as icons of such problems as solitude, narcissism, and the claims of the self versus the claims of the community. Pointedly, none of these figures marries or has a lasting relationship, save for the selfless devotion of a single male servant. Watt argues that the myths of Don Juan, Don Quixote, Faust, and Robinson Crusoe remain the distinctive products of Western society, embodying the most basic values of modern culture.

Customer Reviews:

A Quick Read.......2000-04-10

Watt examines four famous characters from Western literature who have been reincarnated numerous times: Faust, Don Quixote, Don Juan, and Robinson Crusoe. He treats each individually in the first half of the book, and makes comparisions and discusses recent reworkings in the second half. The depth and breadth of Watt's knowledge of his four myths is readily apparent. Still, though, it's an easy read, intended perhaps for the non-expert. Even if you haven't read the original works yourself, it's easy to follow. The book hints at provocative issues in the creation and meaning of myth as well as "individualism," though Watt's theoretical musings aren't as rewarding or complete as his close analysis of the four figures. The work of history and translation on the transformation of myth is a fascinating subject, but Watt's book suggests far more questions than it answers.

Average customer rating:

You all know the story...
The novel as parable
The Slow, Tedious Life and Workings of Robinson Crusoe
Have you ever lived a shipwrecked life?
Unhurriedly Pragmatic Adventure Story

Robinson Crusoe (Penguin Classics)
Daniel Defoe
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0141439823
Release Date: 2003-04-29

Book Description

Introduction by John Richetti

Customer Reviews:

You all know the story..........2006-09-09

but the key point here is that you will get an authoritative text, an interesting introduction, and a well-bound book for under ten bucks. Amazon can get it used for you for even less.

I teach an English literature course and I know how much my students are fleeced on certain "Anthologies". Instead, I have them buy individual paperbacks like this one. And they appreciate the savings. This edition of "Robinson Crusoe" will be appreciated by casual readers and students alike.

Rocco Dormarunno
The College of New Rochelle

The novel as parable .......2005-10-30

It is said of Robinson Crusoe that he in managing to survive for twenty - eight years on an isolated island in which he was for the most part alone provided a metaphor for Mankind itself in its solitary struggle to survive in this vast sea of a Universe. And that by his ingenuity and his resourcefulness he gave to all of us a demonstration of how we in living must learn to adapt and reconstruct our own world and lives as we go on.
And that thus in reading this work we are not reading the story of some strange shipwrecked figure from a few hundred years ago but rather reading the story of ourselves and our own struggle for survival.
In this it is not surprising that the sequel to the novel is considered far less compelling. And Crusoe's return after the death of his wife to the island he left is seen as somewhat of a failed adventure, especially as his faithful servant Friday was killed by savages in the process.
One is young and alone and can go far into distant worlds and survive. But when one is old and returns to those worlds seeking to find one's youth there one only finds those worlds have aged also- and the mirror they hold up to your face is not a flattering one.
I wonder now what it would be like to as a child set out in the world again to a distant land of adventure.
'Robinson Crusoe' lives in all of us, but perhaps most especially an really only to those who are young.

The Slow, Tedious Life and Workings of Robinson Crusoe.......2004-09-12

This might not be the wisest thing to do, but here goes.

Is "Robinson Crusoe" a classic? Yes. Iconic? Yes. Adventurous and well-placed? No.

We usually allow liberties for older novels. Common writing and language changes over time. However, Defoe's literary novel about a man stranded on a deserted island for 28 years seems to have problems beyond those liberties. Every section must be tediously described with every possible adjective that could fit the situation. The events of the book go far too slowly for this to be called an adventure, and while Defoe makes the time-transition seem natural for the most part (a difficult thing to do with stories that take place over years,) it doesn't make it any more interesting.

The character of Robinson is a personality, in that he has characteristics the reader can identify (though not necessarily identify with): he has goals that he doesn't know how to pursue, he's a bit oblivious to the workings of the world yet manages to make use of them while on his own, he's a whiner, a worker, a person who blames and takes blame, etc.

Unfortunately, while Robinson describes all his emotions to the reader, the words itself are very unemotional. I suppose this works if you look at the book as a re-writing of his account, but as a moving story... well, it fails to move you.

"Robinson Crusoe" is an important story. Not only is it one of the earlier novels in Europe's history, but the idea of being stranded on an island and having to make due for yourself without society or civilized luxuries is an important one that has made a wave throughout our culture, and has been regurgitated by various re-inventors plenty of times as well. However, as a story for itself, it isn't very engaging, and if it were up to me, I'd say Defoe could have used a stricter editor, to get his ideas and events across to the reader more smoothly without pushing them away from the book.

Have you ever lived a shipwrecked life?.......2004-08-15

Robinson Crusoe is a classic book about a shipwrecked man. The book recounts a man's experiences from young adulthood to late middle age - but even leaves room for a sequel. I found the book became more interesting as the story progressed.

Crusoe's life was filled with twists and turns, and perhaps a bit of luck that he survived so much. A great amount of details are given for how Crusoe tamed his land. Although the narrative was slightly repetitive at times and almost as if some details were added after-the-fact, the book does create the semblance of a real narrative - perhaps because of the repetitiveness and tacked-on details.

I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it. If the book seems a bit boring, keep going, it gets more interesting as it goes on.

Unhurriedly Pragmatic Adventure Story.......2003-06-28

In the literary world it is perhaps blasphemy to say a bad word against Daniel Defoe's most acclaimed novel. So here goes. The fact that the book was originally titled The Life And Strange Surprising Adventures Of Robinson Crusoe illustrates the major flaw in Defoe's literary form. Put simply, this would be a far more interesting and gripping story were it not so superfluously lengthy. The author makes a habit of repeating himself, especially when it comes to the act of dispatching kittens, which seems to be more of an obsession here than octogenarian ladies are to MatronsApron. It is difficult, you may think, to keep the subject matter fresh when describing the daily tribulations of a fellow stranded on an island for thirty years, without occasionally repeating yourself. True, but perhaps a straightforward solution to this diminutive quandary would be to simply truncate the duration of the story. There are some wonderfully intriguing and suspenseful moments, and some juicy action to boot, but sadly these are gratuitously diluted by lengthy descriptions of the unremarkable everyday goings on in Crusoe's life, and rather than serving to build up the suspense, they merely obstruct the reader's relationship with the more exciting parts of the story.
However, those with more patience than my ignorant self will find in Robinson Crusoe a delightful tale, which as well as being a fictional documentary of the most unusual thirty years of Mr. Crusoe's life, also has time to ponder upon philosophical and theological ideas, in a style that makes the reader feel as if they are involved in the conflicts between the functionalist and cynical thoughts going on in Crusoe's mind. It may not be a gripping white-knuckle adventure, being rather more leisurely and acquiescent, but it is still rather easy to see why Robinson Crusoe is regarded by some as one of the greatest novels of all time.

Average customer rating:

Never Dry, Always Satisfying.
More than just a man on an island
Have a classic experience!
Great language and characterization
Didn't want it to end

Robinson Crusoe
Daniel Defoe
Manufacturer: Courage Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0762414197

Customer Reviews:

Never Dry, Always Satisfying........2005-10-12

Yes, I know that title sounds like a beer commercial. I figured a three-hundred-year-old book needed an updating in the promotions department and except for sex, booze sells the best when it comes to advertising. Seriously, though, Robinson Crusoe is a rich character study that sheds light on the outlook of the human mind of the period, on the world, on civilization's merits, on basic behavior when confronted with extraordinary circumstances for which nothing in life has prepared you. Its tale of one Englishman shipwrecked on an uncharted island greets something wistful inside us all, some part of us that longs to "get away from it all" and escape. Yet at the same time, this novel also provokes a fear reaction from within, as Crusoe lives out his and our own terror of abandonment, of total loss, of being forgotten. This is a classic novel that addresses ageless themes and wraps them in a story that's actually quite good for its age and all location-imposed limitations.

More than just a man on an island.......2004-06-20

It's one of the classic man-alone surviver adventure stories. The bit on the island is actually only a small portion of the overall narrative. The bulk of the book follows Crusoe's attempts to reassimilate in English society after his time on the island living as a savage. Of course the movie versions only cover the time on the island, leaving the ending to assume that Crusoe will live happily ever after once he's rescued.

Have a classic experience!.......2004-05-09

I re-read the book after 40 years and was startled at how good it is. If you are an old-timer and have forgotten it, read it again. You will see once again why it is a classic. I highly recommend it.

Great language and characterization.......2003-07-19

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.......2003-07-10

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.

Average customer rating:

Best story ever

Robinson Crusoe
Daniel Defoe
Manufacturer: Ann Arbor Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Customer Reviews:

Best story ever.......2007-02-26

My husband and I found this book a most interesting read, and priced so reasonably we could buy a 'his and hers' copy, so each can read a loud while the other reads along in his/her book. A riveting story of high adventure, trials to his faith in the Christian God, survival by endless work, and much more. Highly recommended. The English is old world type, harder to read than plain English, but worth the reading. The modern movie of this title is not good at all, read the book, it is amazingly good.

Selkirk's Island: The True and Strange Adventures of the Real Robinson Crusoe

Average customer rating:

Not even average
Not History
True Adventures ???
Very Little About Selkirk
Not Good

Selkirk's Island: The True and Strange Adventures of the Real Robinson Crusoe
Diana Souhami
Manufacturer: Harvest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0156027178

Book Description

A fascinating account of piracy, betrayal, and raw survival on the high seas and dry land, Selkirk's Island rediscovers the amazing tale of an eighteenth-century legend. Born a poor Scotsman, Alexander Selkirk signed with William Dampier, a pirate who was as famous for his self-promotion as for his naval success, on an ill-fated quest to pillage the famous Manila galleon. After a series of scuffles with the captain, Selkirk was put ashore on an island three hundred miles west of South America. Alone and with little more than the clothes on his back, Selkirk spent four long years learning to survive.
Drawing on Selkirk's own testimony, that of his rescuers and fellow crewmen, and petitions from two women who each claimed to be his wife, celebrated biographer Diana Souhami uncovers the truth behind the strangeness and wonder of a forgotten man and his unforgettable experience.

Customer Reviews:

Not even average.......2007-02-20

This book I'd rate below average. Its really just a mess of conjecture. Although, to be fair, since Selkirk didn't keep journals, that really is all the author had to go on. I was disappointed by the lack of information regarding Selkirk's four years on the island. When it came down to it, we really only had less than a chapter that dealt with those years. Also, I read this book after having read Mike Dash's incredible effort, Batavia's Graveyard. If you're reading this review, I'd like to point you to that book instead. Dash truly is an inspired writer. Batavia is a gem. This book...not so much. Honestly, the only real reason I gave it two stars and finished it was because I paid for it. This book was better off out of print. Boo.

Not History.......2006-08-28

This book appears to be a biography of Alexander Selkirk, but is actually a well-researched historical novel. The author knows her sources. There are many footnotes, quotes, and factual details. You want to believe she had some way of knowing the intimate details she supplies--how people saw their situations, what their motives were, and the vivid details of their experiences that bring the story to life. After all, historical sources sometimes provide such background, and in this case we do have some sources for Selkirk's thoughts, feelings and experiences. Soon enough, however, one sees that Souhami has simply assumed the authorial omniscience of a novelist. She states as plain fact many things that she could not possibly know, including things that only Alexander Selkirk could have known and that he would not likely have revealed.

After she tells how Selkirk masturbated against palm trees while he was marooned on the island, a serious reader continues to read only to see how far she will go. At the same time it is interesting to note how she painstakingly documents some details that are not especially interesting--perhaps this is a tactic to make the book seem more like a solid historical narrative.

Her most imaginative invention is Mr. Selkirk's having sex with wild goats on the island. We do know, from his own account, that he ran down goats for sport and food, and either killed them to eat, or else notched their ears and released them. We do not know that he indulged in any other kind of sport with them. Certainly Selkirk had an abnormal capacity for violence and survived in a pirate culture that was a home for the most dysfunctional dregs of humanity. He could have been guilty of screwing goats or even kinkier things. But there is no way to know. Ms. Souhami only provides a footnote in support, implying that a present-day native of the island gave her the idea: "It is always that way with men who are alone," he tells her. Selkirk's sex with goats is not just a passing conjecture. It is a theme to which the author returns, to encapsulate Selkirk's life on the island, and to portray his attitude towards women.

I enjoyed her discussion of the myth-making that followed Selkirk's life, especially the few pages where she analyzes the public appeal of Defoe's Robinson Crusoe fantasy, which was based on Selkirk's adventures as a castaway. But she has invented another myth--one that is likely to last. In other reviews here you'll see that some readers uncritically believe her tale.

This book received the Whitbread award, in the category of biography. That was a big mistake, unless history is now to be done the way Hollywood does it. Much effort went into this book, some talent, and a commendable concern for the preservation of habitat on Selkirk's island, but no professional ethic regarding the responsibilities of historians. We'll never know whether Selkirk screwed goats, but we do know that Souhami screwed this story.

True Adventures ???.......2006-08-01

Souhami's book is awful for the simple fact that she bases so much of Selkirk's actions on his sexual appetite for goats. This may be true, however Souhami bases this gross assertion on the anecdote of one unnamed islander. Forget Selkirk's own testimony. Forget the fact that Defoe's interviews with Selkirk led to a powerful story of an individual wrestling with the providence of God. Forget that when Selkirk lived the idea of throwing off the shackles of moral convention wasn't part of the common individuals frame of reference. No,instead Souhami is clear in her conviction that Selkirk's whole being was centered on a randiness for goats. Unfortunately this leads Souhami to defend this outrageous claim throughout the rest of the book. Defoe, closer to the source, was inspired to write a story that captured the dynamic and driving spirit of Western cultural achievement(Not that it always benefitted everyone). Souhami instead jams a narrow modern interpretation on a classic and we're left with one of the least inspiring tales ever fabricated.

Very Little About Selkirk.......2006-05-27

While Souhami does an admirable job describing what life MAY have been like for Selkirk, it is mostly conjecture, as Selkirk left no journal behind to document his life on the island. Instead, most of the book is about Selkirk's voyages at sea, including his quest for riches with the famous buccaneer William Dampier. Souhami also spends some time reviewing the major works of literature emanating from Selkirk's travails, but her discussion of them adds little to our understanding of Selkirk's experiences after he was rescued. In the end, we know very little about Selkirk's days marooned, and even less about their effects on the rest of his life.

Not Good.......2006-03-30

This book was a disappointment to me, both stylistically and in terms of content. There's very little here that a Google search wouldn't turn up or that a bright high school junior couldn't slap together. The main point- Selkirk's life on the Island- gets 32 skimpy pages. I was disturbed by Souhami's preoccupation with Selkirk's supposed sexuality, unsubstantiated, disrespectful and demeaning to him (but he's dead, so he can't defend himself.) She tried to set a "heavy" and dramatic tone not through presenting the stuff of his experiences (because she seemed to have little to present)- which would have been the genuine way- relying instead on hackneyed literary devices, including foul vulgarities, of which there seemed to be a greater proportion than facts and information. Her persona was so in the forefront that it was difficult to see Selkirk as Selkirk- he seemed more like the hen-pecked husband of some dominant termagent, as if he'd have no personality without her. To my mind and taste, she committed most of the worst errors weak writers are capable of- this was painful reading made so much more acute by not satisfying the curiosity it evoked. I don't feel as though I learned much, and I have doubts about many of her light weight observations. Get it at the library if you want to check this out- but certainly don't make the mistake I did in buying the book.

9

Average customer rating:

The Best of the Robinson Crusoe readings.
An Affirmation of the Times
legendary story seems not to have aged very well..
school report
The Goods and The Bads

Robinson Crusoe (Dover Thrift Editions)
Daniel Defoe
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486404277

Book Description

A shipwreck's sole escapee, Robinson Crusoe endures 28 years of solitude on a Caribbean island and manages not only to survive but also to prevail. A warm humanity, evocative details of his struggle to tolerate his lonely existence, and lively accounts of his many exploits make Robinson Crusoe the most engaging of narrators.

Download Description

For more than two centuries, Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe has delighted readers with its delicate portrayal of physical and emotional survival. Shipwrecked upon a deserted island, a sailor most somehow build a new life.

Customer Reviews:

The Best of the Robinson Crusoe readings........2006-01-05

Everyone knows the story...so the issue is who can read the
literature in a compelling way. Clearly, Martin Shaw has the touch. My only criticism is that this audio Cassette should be made into an audio CD for most modern listeners.

An Affirmation of the Times.......2005-10-01

The century in which Robinson Crusoe had his adventures was a time of exploration and colonialism. Daniel Defoe's story is famous for many reasons. For one thing, it is one of the first books to be written in modern English. Secondly, the adventuristic appeal has won the hearts and interests of generations of readers. And thirdly, it is an affirmation of the culture and society of the times (in comparison with Gulliver's Travels, a book that was more a satire of the times).

The book is set up in three parts, those being Crusoe's exploration of the world, being cast away on the island, and the providential return to society. The three parts are used to establish the world he exists in, to defend the world he exists in, and then to return to it after he's been able to properly exist outside of it.

Many readers may find a lot of comfort in his story. His ingenuity, perseverence, and industry combine somewhat melodramatically with his humbleness and self-discovery of God, which he defends mightily throughout. The story on a whole is hopeful and endearing: work hard, respect God, and even the most unlucky of man will abide.

Unfortunately, his tale hasn't aged well. The use of cannibal savages, slaves, and the like throughout the novel might offend some people. The constant care for divinity is at first really refreshing, but becomes tedious as the book starts to fall into a pattern of comfort-discomfort-speculation-God-comfort which may have been very enriching on the time, but today gets tedious. I don't want to intone that piety and response to the Bible is bad, I'm just saying it's out of place in modern vernacular.

Defoe himself shows a comprehensive understanding of the language, the characters, and the times. It is, really, a remarkable piece of writing structurally. However, its themes have aged, making it less than Universal, and for that matter somewhat misunderstood with modern-day audiences.

I'd say get this, the Dover Thrift edition. It's cheap, unabridged, and includes a quick introduction that makes the reading experience vastly more enriching. Otherwise it may be time to set this story to rest.

--PolarisDiB

legendary story seems not to have aged very well.........2005-07-01

Most everyone in the English-speaking world has heard of 'Robinson Crusoe' and know roughly what the story is about (Englishman gets marooned on a island and runs into fellow castaway sidekick he calls Friday). And upon reading the book there are no surprises. It reads like a book written 300 years ago: it's language is a bit stiff, lots of preaching of Christianity and Christian values, absolutely no sex. There is some violence but it is not belabored nor is it graphic.

However 'Robinson Crusoe' is not a deadly dull read. Defoe's attention to detail on how Crusoe survives on the island is quite remarkable, and inventive. His interaction with Friday and other folks (..at the end of the book) is also interesting. Yet overall there is nothing here to enthrall the reader. Noted as a book for young (teenaged) readers, I think 'Robinson Crusoe' would bore anyone but the most patient adult.

Bottom line: certainly a classic and not devoid of merit, but overall I am unlikely to recommend this book.

school report.......2004-09-08

For twenty-four years Robinson Crusoe was stranded on an island far away from anything, after being the only survivor of the shipwreck. Until one friday he rescues a prisoner I felt that book moved very slowly through the whole story, but it kept me interested throughout it. He turns his deserted island into a tropical paradise and learns to deal with his surroundings. It was an easy read. He returned to England the eleventh of June, 1687; after thirty-five years of being stranded out at sea. Daniel Defoe made this book made it seem more realistic than fiction, with his very descriptive writing. Overall I liked the book, because it had a good plot.

The Goods and The Bads.......2004-07-11

Description:
A middle-class Englishman rejects the comfortable lifestyle his station offers him in favor of a life of adventures. In the midst of adventuring, he is shipwrecked, alone, on a deserted island, where he lives for almost thirty years. The book is a first-hand account of his leaving England, his adventures, his years of isolation, and his return.

The Good:
Many schools of thought call Robinson Crusoe the first English novel, and it's interesting to see where the nowadays ubiquitous genre has its origin. Reading from Crusoe's perspective gives the book most of its interest, as it enables you to see the way a slightly rebellious Englishman thought (or, at least, the way Defoe assumed a slightly rebellious Englishman thought) about issues like the Spanish conquest of America, the "savages," and the bare necessities of life.

The Bad:
The text is repetitive and extremely preachy, especially when Crusoe finds religion and waxes philosophic about what being miserable really is. These phenomena are somewhat interesting the first time around, but Crusoe (Defoe?) never risks saying something only once. Many parts of it verge on the unbelievable, like when the shipwrecked sailor discovers a miraculous tree that grows quickly and sturdily wherever he puts it, which he then uses to build thick, living walls around his home. Some of the scenes that should be exciting fail to be because the language of the early 1700s doesn't lend itself well to action.

The Verdict:
It's an interesting work, but by no means a must-read. Crusoe is very self-centered throughout, which makes you wonder about whether his character is fit to function as a representative example of man left to the elements or not. Reading about how he goes about constructing a life for himself is interesting, but it lacks something because, well, it isn't true. What we're really reading is how Defoe imagines a man might build a life for himself, given the handicap of certain supplies left from his ship, etc. The book is, I think, very much a product of its time, and that's its most interesting quality. If you're looking for an interesting story of a man shipwrecked on an island, watch "Cast Away." If you want it from a slightly dry, 18th-century British perspective, you've got the right book.

Castaway in Paradise: The Incredible Adventures of True-Life Robinson Crusoes
Average customer rating:

Fascinating Stories of Human Endurance and Survival

Interesting and Detailed Stories....makes ya wanna be there!

hard to put down such compelling and entertaining stories

castaways encapsulated

Captivating! Intriguing! Very Exciting!

Castaway in Paradise: The Incredible Adventures of True-Life Robinson Crusoes
James C. Simmons
Manufacturer: Sheridan House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1574090666

Book Description

Behind the powerful mythic figure of the castaway lies the enthralling true stories of individuals who were castaway on remote and foreign shores.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating Stories of Human Endurance and Survival.......2006-12-06

I first read this book about 8 years ago when I picked it up at the library. It has stayed with me ever since (and I read hundreds of books a year) so I finally bought a used copy.

I think that people probably gave it 4 stars because they expect it to be about living in paradise - or expect modern stories (as a previous reader wrote). Actually, the book is about people stranded and the struggle against nature to survive.

It is well-written and provides a captivating look at people and survival.

For example, one of the stories is about the a ship captain who rescued 33 British men, women and children near the Falkland Islands in 1812 when their ship ran aground. Although the US and Brits were newly at war, the Brits to signed a document agreeing to "be at peace" while the captain rescued them. However, while he and a few shipmates were hunting for food for the Brits, the "castaways" stole the ship and abandoned the captain and his 4 shipmates, virtually leaving him with no supplies.

They spent the next 18 months stranded on an inhospitable island and struggled for survival. Through it all, the captain shows leadership, kindness and great human spirit and the author explains, sometimes in the captain's words, how they survived and what harsh conditions they faced.

This is just a typical example of the stories in the book. If you like nonfiction survivor books - this is one of the best.

I often tell my son and nieces stories and some of the stories I have told them are out of Castaways in Paradise - they are equally fascinated.

Interesting and Detailed Stories....makes ya wanna be there!.......2000-10-11

I enjoyed the stories in this book. They were well written and quite descriptive. Two of the eight stories took place in the 1900's; the rest were older (that's my only gripe).

hard to put down such compelling and entertaining stories.......2000-01-04

any failings in literary grace are more than compensated with simmon's ability to ferret out tale after fascinating tale. a great book for vacation reading, to redefine the meaning of a bad day, to put the mind in some unusual places. absolutely gauranteed to liven up the dinner conversation, this one goes straight to my 'favorite-book shelf for guests'in the dacha. if you like it, also take a look at Lansing's 'Endurance.'

castaways encapsulated.......1999-12-29

Simmons gives us brief vignetttes of what real castaways endured - not always a pretty, tropical island picture. This is at the same time the book's strength and weakness. The shortish accounts allow him to cover a lot of ground (geographically and temporally), but they often left me hungry for more detail. Still, all in all, I would recommend it to anyone else out there who enjoyed "Robinson Crusoe," or simply reading about the ocean.

Captivating! Intriguing! Very Exciting!.......1999-04-01

One of the best books I have ever read!!! Many of us wonder: if I were stranded on a deserted island, what three items would I want to have with me? Or-- wouldn't life be easier if I lived on a deserted island! James Simmons clears up any fantisies we might have regarding deserted islands, and it is not a pretty picture. I loved this book so much, I wrote to the author--something I have never done before or since!

Average customer rating:

Unhurriedly Pragmatic Adventure Story
The original Survivor

Robinson Crusoe
Daniel Defoe
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0689844085
Release Date: 2001-05-15

Book Description

Who has not dreamed of life on an exotic isle, far away from civilization? Here is the novel which has inspired countless imitations by lesser writers, none of which equal the power and originality of Defoe's famous book. Robinson Crusoe, set ashore on an island after a terrible storm at sea, is forced to make do with only a knife, some tobacco, and a pipe. He learns how to build a canoe, make bread, and endure endless solitude. That is, until, twenty-four years later, when he confronts another human being. First published in 1719, Robinson Crusoe has been praised by such writers as James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and Samuel Johnson as one of the greatest novels in the English

language.

Daniel Defoe (1660-1731) trained for the ministry, became a political journalist, and finally, to many, became "the father of the English novel." He is also the author of Moll Flanders.

Customer Reviews:

Unhurriedly Pragmatic Adventure Story.......2003-06-28

The original Survivor.......2001-10-28

Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe never lived with a number of other people on his deserted island, competing for food and immunity icons every week, a television camera constantly in his face. Crusoe lived his solitary life not for the entertainment of others, but to suffer the plight of the lonely.

Ignoring the advice of his wise father, who begged him to choose an honest life close to home, Crusoe heads to sea and almost dies three times before ending up on his deserted isle. He chooses a life of a plantation owner, hiring slaves to do much of his work. He chooses to ignore the teachings of God, and puts himself at the top of his own kingdom. On a journey to collect slaves to increase productivity on his plantation, his ship wrecks on the rocks of an island. All are lost but him. He saves some provisions from his ship, but has to work the land on his own to survive nearly three decades in solitude. It isn't until one lucky Friday that Crusoe's isolation ends and his purgatory is over.

Defoe's book is really a treatise on humility, of suffering for the sake of one's soul and finding one's place in the world. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Crusoe, alone for 400 pages, keeps our attention to the end.

This is a children's edition, put out by Simon and Schuster's Aladdin Paperbacks. What makes this a children's addition is the foreword by Avi, a children's author, and the reading guide at the end worded for children.

But there's little, really, to distinguish this edition from others. As a book for children, Robinson Crusoe needs more than a few simplistic questions and a wispy introduction. There is much in this book from another age that parents and children will want to discuss: racism, slavery, misuse of your fellow man, cannibalism, butchery. Defoe's readers believed that cannibals inhabited many of the unchartered islands of the southern hemisphere, and the children of today, though not stupid, will need guidance to disavow them of this same incorrect thought and others. We should not censor this book -- it's as much historical document as it is literature -- but parents should be aware of what their children are reading, read it with them, and help them understand the world as it was (and wasn't) 300 years ago.

I would have given this book 5 stars (Robinson Crusoe alone deserves 5 stars) except for the mistakes on the back cover --Unabridged spelled "Unabrdiged" -- and in Avi's foreword -- foreword spelled "foreward," comma splices, and a reference to Crusoe's 24 years on the island (he was on the island 28 years!). Errors creep into most books, but in a children's book a publisher should take more care to ensure that the information is accurate.

Customer Reviews:

A Classic Wasted on Youth.......2007-05-07

Several years ago, I read a review essay on Defoe's book which startled me... apparently it was considered to be the powerful and influential "Christian Classic" of its day. I read "Robinson Crusoe" as a youth in the standard abridged form. I didn't, of course, realize that the abridgement involved the removal of all the philisophical and theological reflection of the protagonist.
This is, as it was at its original printing, a serious book for adults.
this is not a book about mere "survival." It is a man searching for the meaning in his life before God, who has allowed him to live when the entire crew accompanying him has perished in a storm. Though I do not share the heavy predestinarian bent of the theology, I fully respect the honesty of (Defoe's) reflection through Crusoe. this is a spiritual journey from which we may larn much.
This is serious reading of the very best type. Rewarding to the end. In an earlier time (and not much earlier), you would not have been considered to be either educated or cultured without reading this book.
Please, read and enjoy.
Rich Moore

Superior and inspirational reading for adults and teens.......2003-01-22

After reading Glyn Williams' trenchant 'The Prize Of All The Oceans' I had an overwhelming desire to read this classic once again. I first read it when I was a mere 10 year old and it completely mesmerized me; I find that it still held the same power over me thirty years later. It is difficult to put this tale down once the title character becomes a castaway on the "island of despair" (as Crusoe refers to it) and he begins the battle against the odds to survive. Facing extreme tropical heat, torrential storms, a dreadful loneliness and the struggle to master some of the simplest of skills we take for granted Crusoe wages his one-man crusade for survival. Beginning his desolate existence steeped in woeful self-pity he slowly realizes through a series of trying circumstances, devotional reading of the Bible and finally relief from his isolated state that the experience proves to be one of reverie. In the process Crusoe becomes quite possibly the most inspirational figure to spring forth from the pages of literature.

Though it is annually listed by literature scholars as one of the 100 finest works of fiction, today primarily adolescents read Defoe's enduring tale as part of their required reading for school; very few others rarely bother with this nearly three century old tale. 'Robinson Crusoe' it seems is a classic awaiting a renaissance of rediscovery by adults who regularly read for either leisure or as a part of continuing education. While the novel's approach to morality may seem a bit old fashioned by today's contemporary standards, the character's awakening to wisdom, inner strength and faith will inspire any reader of any age. Crusoe's ability to steel himself against the onslaught of natural elements, his own self doubts and finally a band of savages who discover his "island empire" should win over even the most jaded of us. This Norton Critical Edition is the perfect package to gain a deep appreciation for this masterpiece of the English language. So do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book today and transport yourself back to your youth and also to a time long past. It's a journey you won't regret taking.

An underrrated masterpiece.......2000-09-24

Unfortunately, this book suffered the fate of many other masterpieces: be classified in the "children" bookshelf. That guarantees most editions will be abridged, censored, and forgotten, since kids today read very little and waste their time playing with horrendous japanese toys. Enough lecturing. This is a book about a man who, yes, goes through many adventures, and in the way finds himself. This is not the story of a man who goes through pleasant experiences, enjoying adventure. He suffers very much finding himself alone for many years, having to survive by himself in the midst of a desert island. The book is narrated in the first person, so it's a long monologue by a truly lonely man. His reflections are deep and moving. It's good that this is a complete and unabridged edition, since the first part is usually severed from the rest, which is a pity because it puts the whole story in context. This is a fun but also an interesting reading.

Redemption!.......2000-05-29

This is a simple, beautifully written story of a young man who rejects the advice of his father and pursues a life at sea. His fate, of course, is to dwell alone for many years on an isolated island. The main point, however, is his slow realization that, in finding God and religion, his "cup is not half empty but half full". This is NOT a childs book and should be read by those in their 30's and above...otherwise the message may be lost on youth.

Excellent Critical Essays.......2000-05-04

With Norton Critical Editions readers get the text of the novel and historical and contemporary essays in criticism. The ones in this version are some of the best Norton has ever compiled.

Both the historical and contemporary essays provide a compelling aesthetic case for why this novel is not merely a book for boys but one of the best English novels ever written. Thus, these essays not only highlight aspects of your reading you may or may not have noted but present a case for Defoe's skill as a writer.

A very short essay not to missed is the one by Defoe himself on solitude. It gives one pause.

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