Well, I've finally finished reading Daniel DeFoe's Robinson Crusoe. No matter what type of of novel you read, modern literature or next weeks' newest romance novel Robinson Crusoe is the forerunner of them all. Why? " Robinson Crusoe is widely regarded as the first English novel. . . . "1 Not the second, not one of many but the first. Amazing! I enjoyed it very much and would recommend it. As I wrote earlier, the writing style is not very modern but if you're willing to put a little effort into comprehending it, it will be worth your while.
It has common sense; "He told me it was for men of desperate fortunes on one hand, or of aspiring superior fortunes on the other, who went abroad upon adventures."2 It has thoughtfulness; "This was the pleasantest year of all the life I led in this place. Friday began to talk pretty well, and understand the names of almost everything I had occasion to call for,. . . ."3
It has adventure; "After we had rowed or driven about a league and a half, as we reckoned it, a raging wave, mountain-like, came rolling astern of us, and plainly bade us expect the coup-de-grace. . . it took us with such a fury. . . . we were all swallowed up in a moment."4
And it has religious introspection; " with these reflections I worked my mind up not only to resignation to the will of God in the present disposittion of my circumstances, but even to a sincere thankfulness for my condition; . . . "5
In sum, It's worth reading if for no other reason then its' being; ". . . one of the most popular and influential adventure stories of all time."6
As you may have imagined, there are true-life accounts of people being marooned on uninhabited islands. Alexander Selkirk of Scotland seems the most amazing and famous account. Heres a couple links dealing with Selkirk's story.
http://www.who2.com/ask/alexanderselkirk.html
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/novel_18c/defoe/selkirk.html#rogers
Daniel DeFoe, Robinson Crusoe, Copyright 2005, Barnes &Noble, Inc., Barnes &Noble Classics Edition.
1 Backcover, 2 pg 6 , 3 pg 178, 4 pg 39,
5 pg 112, 6 Backcover