About this title: Daniel Defoe was nearly 60 years old when he published ROBINSON CRUSOE, his first novel, in 1719. The story of an English mariner, sole survivor of a shipwreck, who manages to survive for 28 years on a deserted island in the South Pacific, ROBINSON CRUSOE is a stirring depiction of loneliness and isolation as Crusoe builds a house, teaches himself to grow corn and barley, and bakes bread. The book was based on the true tale of a sailor named Alexander Selkirk, but Defoe inserts his own preoccupations into the story. Long fascinated by travel, questions of identity, and the minutiae of daily ...
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Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Atheneum Books
Date Published: 1983
ISBN-13:9780684179469ISBN:0684179466
Description: Good in good dust jacket. Very Good, In very good dust jacket. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 368 p. Contains: Illustrations. Ex-Library expected imperfections. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Macrae Smith Company, Philadelphia
Date Published: 1928
Description: Poor. No Jacket. Pages and illustrations in great condition. Cover is worn and in poor condition. First 3 pages are loose. Page 117/118 is also loose. Binding is in poor condition. read more
Binding: Mass-market paperback
Publisher: Tor Classics
Date Published: 1989
ISBN-13:9780812504828ISBN:0812504828
Description: Good. No dust jacket as issued. Slight wear to the cover. Mass market (rack) paperback. Glued binding. 352 p. Audience: Children/juvenile. read more
Binding: Mass-market paperback
Publisher: Signet Classics
Date Published: 1961
ISBN-13:9780451516060ISBN:0451516060
Description: Good. No dust jacket as issued. book is tight & intact, minimal notes, underlining, & folds, minor shelf wear. Mass market (rack) paperback. Glued binding. Audience: General/trade. read more
"When I was little, Robinson Crusoe was considered a children's classic, and it showed up in book sets that also contained Heidi, Black Beauty, and Five Little Peppers. So why couldn't I understand it? Duh, it was written in the early 1700's, and the language isn't kid-friendly. I think parents used to paraphrase it for their kids, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think many kids ever read it by themselves. But what a story for grown-ups! You have to skip over the slow parts, but when it moves, the action is terrific. And by the way, why don't we ever hear Robinson Crusoe's conversion story? Why doesn't it show up in Relief Society manuals? Think "Alma the Younger," with a dark demon appearing instead of an angel. Well, it did the trick. He started to pray and read the Bible; he repented and accepted Christ; and his entire life changed. What a great story for the Ensign! Or a conference talk! Or a family home evening! Why hasn't anybody picked up on this?"
"One very positive thing about this book is that so much of it described Crusoe's industriousness in his predicament it really motivated me to keep on with my painting project and I worked straight through the book, finishing the room about 28 minutes before the book was finished! So that's a plus. However, I think the book is very "male" and spent much time describing the adventures, the work on the island, the battles etc. as to be ..sorry!.. a bit boring. But like I said, for my purposes it was good.
I enjoyed how Crusoe matured and saw his folly during his 28 year reflection on his life while alone on the island. As I said, I admired his industriousness and the way his fears, dreams, hopes and struggles were a mirror or humanity I also enjoyed. I disliked most of the description of killing of animals at all - but that is personal, and should not detract from the actual story. I enjoyed the humor, of which there was plenty. And of course "My Man Friday" was my favorite charachter - even more than Crusoe (especially considering how religious Crusoe became - I enjoyed Friday's questions of Crusoe on religion.. and it was interesting that being stumped irked Crusoe to such a degree, yet did not disuade him of his beliefs).
By the end, though it could have been my fatigue of painting, I was pretty bored. After the excitement of the events surrounding his leaving the island (which was a wonderful climax, and full of humor) I was sort of let down by his other adventures, which paled so much after all that he had gone through. But.. is that not, perhaps the natural way of all adventures and adventurers? And his return to the island, to see how it had changed with the new inhabitants.. it was like change in life.
Lastly, I hated the incident of Friday killing the bear. I did not think it funny, as I am sure it was intended. But it could have been more my mood at 12 very long hours of painting!"
"I wrote this review as if the Crusoe had come out now, in 2009, rather than in the 1700's... trying to be clever. My attempt at humor failed, but here it is anyway. .... You have to applaud an author who produces such a successful work in the already crowded "castaway on a deserted island" genre. Defoe's Robinson Crusoe definitely holds its own among the likes of The Swiss Family Robinson, The Lord of the Flies and The Island of the Blue Dolphins, not to mention existing film and TV takes on the theme such as Cast Away, Gilligans Island and Lost.
Defoe differentiates Robinson Crusoe by leaving him stranded for over 28 years, making the short stints served by the protagonists of the aforementioned stories seem almost laughable. Defoe's risk was worth it--people change slowly and it takes a lone man a long time to complete tasks the size Cruose's endeavors. The long span of time gives him ample time to undergo large changes, to begin and end large projects and it really gives the book a depth and dimension that is lacking elsewhere.
The prose is dense but well written and generally flows nicely. The throwback to early 18th century English is, while occasionally tiresome, educational and appropriate for the setting. It is quaint, for instance, to hear Brazil called "The Brazils."
At times, Defoe goes out on a limb and throws political correctness to the dogs, for example, native inhabitants are "savages", Crusoe shows a propensity for colonialism, there is frequent and gratuitous bloodshed of animals, the periodic mention of taking on slaves etc., but these faux paus can almost be overlooked when taken in context of the setting and in contrast with the beautiful spiritual transformations and moral lessons Crusoe learns and applies in his adventures. The overall theme of the book is enlightening, human and hopeful. It is a story that is well worth your time to read."
"I absolutely loved this book. You think of this being a boy's adventure story and it is but oh so much more than ever a boy could glean from this book. These are the kinds of things that are said in this book: "I have since often observed how incongruous and irrational the common temper of mankind is, especially of youth, to that reason which ought to guide them in such cases, -- namely, that they are not ashamed to sin, and yet are ashamed to repent; not ashamed of the action for which they ought justly to be esteemed fools, but are ashamed of the returning, which only can make them be esteemed wise men." This is a man who lived on an island 29 years, alone for 26 of them. He found Jesus Christ as his Redeemer there. And these pages are filled with the deliverances God gave to him. "I had no notion of anything being called deliverance but my being delivered from the captivity I was in . . .(meaning shipwrecked all alone)." "I pored so much upon my deliverance from the main affliction that I disregarded the deliverance I had received. . . God had delivered me, but I had not glorified him; that is to say, I had not owned and been thankful for that as a deliverance." He felt like God had delivered him in a myriad ways. Showed him how to grow crops, make pots, gave him goats for milk, cheese, butter, provided ammunition and tools to use. His hard work and ingenuity was all based upon God showing him how. The insights he gives for his own personal affliction is thus: "And this part also I cannot but recommend to the reflection of those who are apt in their misery to say, "Is any affliction like mine?" Let them consider how much worse the cases of some people are, and their case might have been if Providence had thought fit." "In a word, as my life was a life of sorrow one way, so it was a life of mercy another; and I wanted nothing to make it a life of comfort but to be able to make my sense of God's goodness to me and care over me in this condition be my daily consolation." He talks about how to pay attention to the way God guides and whispers things to direct our life. This book is perfect for anyone going through a rough time. It puts it all into perspective."
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