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Daniel Defoe was one of the earliest practitioners of the English novel. He fundamentally shaped the novel as a genre within English literature. In this article, we celebrate his most famous novel, Robinson Crusoe, sharing details from some of our favourite editions.
Born in c1660 in London, Defoe was a prolific English writer, journalist, trader, pamphleteer – and spy. His writing covered diverse topics, including politics, religion and psychology. Following his seditious libel in a pamphlet titled The Shortest Way with the Dissenters, he ended up in jail. The 1st Earl of Oxford, Robert Harley, later hired him as a spy.
Defoe spent many years creating propaganda for the government. In 1719 however, when he was almost sixty years old, he published Robinson Crusoe. Translated into hundreds of different languages and editions over the years, the story of the original castaway is one of the greatest classics of all time.
The tale of Robinson Crusoe was based on the life of real adventurer, Alexander Selkirk. A Royal Navy officer from Fife, Scotland, Selkirk lived on an island in solitude for four years after being marooned there – partly by choice, it must be noted.
In Defoe’s tale, the young and impulsive Robinson Crusoe becomes marooned on an island following a storm. There, he struggles to survive in extraordinary circumstances, tested to the limits by his environment and by the psychological impact of his endless isolation. Richly detailed, gripping, adventurous, confessional and didactic, Defoe’s novel is a masterpiece.
“Thus fear of danger is ten thousand times more terrifying than danger itself.”
A modern, clothbound edition designed for Penguin by the award-winning Coralie-Bickford Smith. The cloth cover is wonderfully tactile with a foil stamped design. The contrast between the blue background and white spots on the cover is striking. Penguin has brought new books to readers for over 150 years, with its oldest imprint, Chatto & Windus, dating back to 1855. Penguin, now combined with Penguin Random House, is a truly global publishing company and their Clothbound Classic designs are just breath-taking.
Another decorative edition filled with wonderful illustrations. The beautiful blue and gold cover, decorated with flowers, would look stunning on any bookshelf! The publisher, Routledge, was established in 1836 by London bookseller George Routledge. With assistance from his brother in law, W. H. Warne, he began selling cheap works of fiction to rail travellers – a business which became known as the ‘Railway Library’.
A rare hardback edition of Defoe’s timeless novel, published by Walter Scott. Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet of Beauclerc, worked as a mason before establishing his own building firm. In later years, he set up Walter Scott Publishing Co. Ltd. His company made significant contributions to cultural life, bringing classic books like this stunning blue-gold copy of Robinson Crusoe to the masses for a low price. This decorative edition also contains illustrations by British painter, illustrator and sculptor, Thomas Eyre Macklin.
With its smooth green cover and gold decorations, this wonderful volume once again tells the famed tale of the adventurous Robinson Crusoe. Containing several colour illustrations, this undated edition really brings the story to life. An estimate suggests that it may have been printed in the early 1900s, published by Collins. The publisher was first established in Glasgow by Presbyterian schoolmaster William Collins in 1819.
This beautiful hardcover volume was published as part of Ward Lock & Co’s ‘Sunshine Series’. With a colourful, pictorial cover board, decorative borders and a cloth spine, it is a stunning edition and one well-worth adding to your shelf. Started as a partnership by Ebenezer Ward and George Lock in 1854, Ward Lock & Co now belongs to the Orion Publishing Group. The original partnership published many notable authors, including Oscar Wilde, Lewis Carroll and of course, Daniel Defoe.
Robinson Crusoe has entertained and troubled readers for just over 300 years. It is a tale of wanderlust and adventure but also on of isolation and struggle. Daniel Defoe’s legacy lives on and he will forever be known as one of the founding fathers of the English novel.
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