Widely regarded as the first English novel, Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe is one of the most popular and influential adventure stories of all time. This classic tale of shipwreck and survival on an uninhabited island was an instant success when first published in 1719, and it has inspired countless imitations.
In his own words, Robinson Crusoe tells of the terrible storm that drowned all his shipmates and left him marooned on a deserted island. Forced to overcome despair, doubt, and self-pity, he struggles to create a life for himself in the wilderness. From practically nothing, Crusoe painstakingly learns how to make pottery, grow crops, domesticate livestock, and build a house. His many adventures are recounted in vivid detail, including a fierce battle with cannibals and his rescue of Friday, the man who becomes his trusted companion.
Full of enchanting detail and daring heroics, Robinson Crusoe is a celebration of courage, patience, ingenuity, and hard work.
Many scholars consider ROBINSON CRUSOE to be the first English novel. While this popular and oft-imitated tale still works on its own after all these years, Simon Vance's truly "golden voice" further enhances this seminal story of action and adventure. His rendering of a young man in search of fame and fortune is perfection in performance. Listeners will feel the sand between their toes as Vance describes Crusoe building a life on the island he believes to be uninhabited. His battle with cannibals and rescue of his man "Friday" are as thrilling as the plot of any modern novel. While literary style has changed over the decades since Crusoe was first shipwrecked, Vance makes this account both palatable and potent. R.O. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
