Robinson Crusoe (Dover Thrift Editions)

well, it took me a while, but i finally finished this book. the writing style definitely threw me for a loop. it is a classic, and worth the time, but i don't know if i'll read it again any time soon.

Never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever read this book unless forced to by some fanny from the exam board (as i was)

Surprisingly good classic, knowing this is perhaps the first true English novel of all times. A bit long at times, but I could not remember much of my first reading when I was younger...Robinson Crusoe was a merchant, a planter, a slave then a slave trader BEFORE he got marooned on his island. Friday does not even come in until the last third of the book, which again is a surprise. But for a genre-launching, this was a really good 18th century effort !

A very enjoyable book, but the writing style took me a bit to get used to. Very very long compound sentences, such that by the time you finish you forgot what was at the beginning. Only a few hundred pages, but it took me much longer to read than I expected.

The beginning of the English novel started here with Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe. The story of a man left to fend for himself after a shipwreck is not necessarily portrayed correctly in this novel but this story is definitely a product of its time. The title character personifies the British colonial spirit through and through and deals with issues such as cultural imperialism and cultural relativism. This novel is not a must read for everyone by any stretch but the importance of this novel and its impact on the novel should not be overlooked.

yay! I love this book... I especially liked the way he constructed his own house, found stuff and settled down.

Interesting to read the thinking the prevailed at the time. Although a story of redemption for the main character, his primary sin was not listening to his father (and going to see which sets him off on his advebtures). On the other hand, he shows no remorse for being a slave trader, imperialist, or racist in his approach to non-Christian natives. Certainly a classic worth reading, you will have to suspend current thinking about equality of all people to enjoy this.

I read this as a kid and decided to re-read it. I managed to get only about 3/4 through it this time.

The main thrust of the narrative offers insights into human nature, societies and morality. The story was usually entertaining in it's own right, and read like an authentic journal of the era, giving insight to the nature of the main character and the world around him.

The trade-off for the authentic feel of the prose is that it is ponderous, convoluted, and repetitive. Defoe could make Sarah Palin look like a master of Haiku...though to be fair, I suspect this is a result of a modern reader's prejudice.

Regardless, after several hundred pages, I just couldn't take it anymore and I re-shelved it.

One has to wonder if Friday had been named Monday, or Wednesday or say Pugsley...if the story would have read differently...think about it.

Wonderful book! So much doctrinal truth as well as being interesting. Really makes one think on so many levels.