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Robinson Crusoe, Adapted
After surviving a terrible shipwreck, Robinson Crusoe discovers he is the only human on an island far from any shipping routes or rescue. At first he is devastated, but slowly, with patience and imagination, he transforms his island into a tropical paradise. For twenty-four years he lives with no human companionship - until one fateful day, when he discovers he is not alone... Puffin Classics edition has been specially abridged.
273 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 2, 2017
Master Robinson Crusoe is the real master of cunning and just like ordinary people you can see everyday and everywhere. But, with a dark side you can hardly see. I couldn't believe that Defoe wrote this many years ago.
March 7, 2020
Should be required reading for all Boy Scouts. A must-have how-to manual for surviving in the wild: how to find shelter, forge for food, and subjugate a native for use as a slave or pet.
A good yarn with great pacing considering the time span of the tale, but probably not deserving of its reputation as one of the greatest English novels ever written.
A good yarn with great pacing considering the time span of the tale, but probably not deserving of its reputation as one of the greatest English novels ever written.
October 21, 2010
What did I think of this book with the incredibly long long run on sentences that seem to go on and on until you don't know what he's saying even though he's not even really saying anything worth listening to since it's him alone?
I'm not sure.
I completely accept the fact that it was written almost 300 years ago, and I appreciate it as a classic, but once you get past all that you still have a story of a man alone on an island for 60% of the story which means no real conflict; he wasn't even trying to get off the island he just made a life there like it was nothing.
I read the abridged edition that concentrated on the "essential storyline" so I'm kind of glad it wasn't the whole thing.
I'm not sure.
I completely accept the fact that it was written almost 300 years ago, and I appreciate it as a classic, but once you get past all that you still have a story of a man alone on an island for 60% of the story which means no real conflict; he wasn't even trying to get off the island he just made a life there like it was nothing.
I read the abridged edition that concentrated on the "essential storyline" so I'm kind of glad it wasn't the whole thing.
July 15, 2012
I didn't finish this book. I'll never finish this book. I have never hated a book as much as I do this one. It was utterly and unbearably boring! I don't care what anyone else says about Robinson's character and adventures, this book has no emotion, a slow plot, excessive and completely unnecessary detailing... After a 150 pages I just couldn't bear it any more. I was reading this book for class, but I stopped and read a couple of online summaries and that was that. To this book, Daniel Defoe and Robinson Crusoe I say: goodbye and good riddance!
September 27, 2010
One of my favorites as a child. Have not reread this in many years!
January 26, 2012
Would you let your child read this book? What's one advantage and one disadvantage of having your child read this book?
- Since we've defined children as minors under the age of majority (18), at a certain age, yes I would let my child read this book. I wouldn't limit it to only boys, either. I guess depending on the maturity of a child and their interests, the book may or may not be hard for a child to get into (I agree that the language can be a bit hard to follow but it gets easier). It would be nice to see a 13-14 year old boy reading a novel of any kind instead of playing a video game or reading a book below their reading level. Especially one that may be looked at as "literary broccoli", if you will. How many classics are found in the hands of kids these days? Anyways, I digress...
-
- Advantages: I found that the story can bring up a good conversation not just about greed but about gratitude. Sometimes R.C. regrets his situation and wishes he had the right tools and such but then he appreciates his situation with gratitude. It also brings up the point that we can live off very little. I would probably take this book as an opportunity to talk about other cultures that live without the luxuries we take for granted and areas that have been devastated by a natural disaster. It'd be good to point out the fact that even though R.C. wasn't nagged to do something with his life, he felt the need to be productive the whole time. He was proactive and prepared for just about anything and always teaching himself something new even if it was fueled by anxiety and paranoia. He also put to use things that he had seen as a child which would emphasize the value of education because it will be put to use someday. His reflections might inspire a child to make their own reflections and draw their own conclusions (there is alot of opportunity for this given by the author), maybe even write their own diary to remember and appreciate their own memories and events of their life.
-
- Disadvantages: I agree that the cannibalism was hard to read. The book is very stereotypical to what appeals to boys (adventure= tools, building, hunting, guns, forts). I agree that some concepts need to be clarified, like racism, slavery, male dominance and entitlement, etc. He also repeatedly uses people for his own benefit. Xury, for one but also Friday whom he relied on to help him escape the island. He doesn't do anything altruistically which does not teach anything valuable about having friends and being nice to others. I'm actually surprised he didn't learn that kind of selflessness from the Bible when many basic life lessons are clearly laid out in it. It may suggest that becoming a better person doesn’t come from just reading the Bible (or becoming Christian). In his dream before Friday shows up on the island, he already decided his use of a savage he rescues as his way off the isalnd. (p.166) After dreaming of this, he knows he just has to rescue someone, make them his slave and rely on him for escape. He doesn’t appreciate the company of another person.
-
- I enjoyed the first 2/3 of the book better than the last 1/3 but after such a long time of building fences and catching goats, it was nice to pick up the pace a little, even if it did turn out to be disappointing. On the other hand, we have no problem with zombies and slasher movies so depending on the age, it may not bother them as much as it would a parent (who tend to develop a weaker stomach with age, to me at least). I found that Crusoe liked to play God. Deciding what animals were to live or not, “saving” Friday to the point of allowing him to be worshipped, and hiding the secret of how a gun works from Friday.
-
- Then again, not every book has to be a life lesson. It can just be entertaining. Especially to children who will take a book at face value and not think much of it. There are many books, movies and tv shows that have adapted the whole stranded on an island concept which proves that the idea hasn’t gotten old. It's important that they look at it from a historical view to appreciate how far civilization has come and know how things were in order to appreciate (and identify) how things are today.
-
- Out of curiosity, I looked up a few children's versions of the book and it doesn't omit the references to cannibals or cutting up and eating people. They weren’t nearly as detailed, though.
- Since we've defined children as minors under the age of majority (18), at a certain age, yes I would let my child read this book. I wouldn't limit it to only boys, either. I guess depending on the maturity of a child and their interests, the book may or may not be hard for a child to get into (I agree that the language can be a bit hard to follow but it gets easier). It would be nice to see a 13-14 year old boy reading a novel of any kind instead of playing a video game or reading a book below their reading level. Especially one that may be looked at as "literary broccoli", if you will. How many classics are found in the hands of kids these days? Anyways, I digress...
-
- Advantages: I found that the story can bring up a good conversation not just about greed but about gratitude. Sometimes R.C. regrets his situation and wishes he had the right tools and such but then he appreciates his situation with gratitude. It also brings up the point that we can live off very little. I would probably take this book as an opportunity to talk about other cultures that live without the luxuries we take for granted and areas that have been devastated by a natural disaster. It'd be good to point out the fact that even though R.C. wasn't nagged to do something with his life, he felt the need to be productive the whole time. He was proactive and prepared for just about anything and always teaching himself something new even if it was fueled by anxiety and paranoia. He also put to use things that he had seen as a child which would emphasize the value of education because it will be put to use someday. His reflections might inspire a child to make their own reflections and draw their own conclusions (there is alot of opportunity for this given by the author), maybe even write their own diary to remember and appreciate their own memories and events of their life.
-
- Disadvantages: I agree that the cannibalism was hard to read. The book is very stereotypical to what appeals to boys (adventure= tools, building, hunting, guns, forts). I agree that some concepts need to be clarified, like racism, slavery, male dominance and entitlement, etc. He also repeatedly uses people for his own benefit. Xury, for one but also Friday whom he relied on to help him escape the island. He doesn't do anything altruistically which does not teach anything valuable about having friends and being nice to others. I'm actually surprised he didn't learn that kind of selflessness from the Bible when many basic life lessons are clearly laid out in it. It may suggest that becoming a better person doesn’t come from just reading the Bible (or becoming Christian). In his dream before Friday shows up on the island, he already decided his use of a savage he rescues as his way off the isalnd. (p.166) After dreaming of this, he knows he just has to rescue someone, make them his slave and rely on him for escape. He doesn’t appreciate the company of another person.
-
- I enjoyed the first 2/3 of the book better than the last 1/3 but after such a long time of building fences and catching goats, it was nice to pick up the pace a little, even if it did turn out to be disappointing. On the other hand, we have no problem with zombies and slasher movies so depending on the age, it may not bother them as much as it would a parent (who tend to develop a weaker stomach with age, to me at least). I found that Crusoe liked to play God. Deciding what animals were to live or not, “saving” Friday to the point of allowing him to be worshipped, and hiding the secret of how a gun works from Friday.
-
- Then again, not every book has to be a life lesson. It can just be entertaining. Especially to children who will take a book at face value and not think much of it. There are many books, movies and tv shows that have adapted the whole stranded on an island concept which proves that the idea hasn’t gotten old. It's important that they look at it from a historical view to appreciate how far civilization has come and know how things were in order to appreciate (and identify) how things are today.
-
- Out of curiosity, I looked up a few children's versions of the book and it doesn't omit the references to cannibals or cutting up and eating people. They weren’t nearly as detailed, though.
October 12, 2017
This seems to be a Marmite kind of book with everyone either loving it or hating it. Somehow, I'm in the middle. I find Defoe's quaint 17thC style of writing very readable and certainly the first 50 pages (life before the shipwreck) fairly fly by. A little later on, RC says that he is running low on ink and only writing down important events, but he lies, and writes down everything just the same as before, even recapping and repeating himself. I found this quite infuriating, and around this same time, he captures and eats a few goats which didn't go down too well with me either :-/ Many readers seem to be irked by the 'enslavery' of Friday, RC's religious leanings or the opinions of the Carib 'savages' and cannibals that come to his island, which I readily accept as coming from a 17thC historical viewpoint. It would be strange to expect otherwise. (Apparently, this is an abridged version with some of the less palatable parts omitted!) All said and done, I rather enjoyed it, but I wouldn't recommend it especially strongly as a great classic to all and sundry. I wish Bob had refrained from quite so much caprine cookery. If he had eaten more seagulls or been washed ashore with a crate of fishfingers, this might've been a 3.75, but as is 3.5/5.
October 7, 2013
I didn't realize when I picked up my copy of this book that it was an abridged version. But that was ok because it means there was less of it for me to read. I really didn't care for the story; it dragged on with intricate detail in the beginning and came to its resolution very quickly. My book group thought it was funny that Defoe summed up Crusoe's getting married and having 3 children in one small paragraph.
I also was surprised that this is considered a young adult book. I certainly did not enjoy the language used and the writing style as an adult (it made me slow my reading pace - grrr!) and I definitely would NOT have enjoyed it in highschool and I was an avid read back then too. I can't imagine this is a winner with many highschool students.
I wouldn't dissuade anyone who wanted to read it but it is not a book I would recommend to anyone looking for a reading suggestion. There are far better classics I could offer than this one.
I also was surprised that this is considered a young adult book. I certainly did not enjoy the language used and the writing style as an adult (it made me slow my reading pace - grrr!) and I definitely would NOT have enjoyed it in highschool and I was an avid read back then too. I can't imagine this is a winner with many highschool students.
I wouldn't dissuade anyone who wanted to read it but it is not a book I would recommend to anyone looking for a reading suggestion. There are far better classics I could offer than this one.
May 1, 2024
Robinson Crusoe spent 28 years on an island shooting kittens and panicking over possible savage cannibals.
Truly though, if trying to understand the thoughts of the original colonial powers, this book might be a good place to start. He views himself by the end as a 'good christian'. All that time reading the Bible all alone and he completely misses the point. Everything he reads is about him- his salvation. But when he meets 'Friday' he's immediately back to domination and subjugation. And he continues on in this way whenever he meets another person.
The geography and anthropology is obviously lacking, though if I read this when it was written I probably would have been enthralled.
If you want to read this be careful to find an unabridged version, or not. Just double check.
Truly though, if trying to understand the thoughts of the original colonial powers, this book might be a good place to start. He views himself by the end as a 'good christian'. All that time reading the Bible all alone and he completely misses the point. Everything he reads is about him- his salvation. But when he meets 'Friday' he's immediately back to domination and subjugation. And he continues on in this way whenever he meets another person.
The geography and anthropology is obviously lacking, though if I read this when it was written I probably would have been enthralled.
If you want to read this be careful to find an unabridged version, or not. Just double check.
July 17, 2011
If I could give this novel minus stars I would. It is by far the most boring book I have ever read. Honestly. The first half is more of a how-to guide (hell, the details would bore even that) and the second half is so rushed that I could barely keep up with who belonged where. There is just about no plot, it's more of a word dump arranged loosely into a kind of chronological order of possibilities.
This novel has such potential. The plot line and all, so very much potential. I sincerely fail to see how this made it to print let alone as a classic.
This novel has such potential. The plot line and all, so very much potential. I sincerely fail to see how this made it to print let alone as a classic.
May 9, 2023
The fictional story of the shipwrecked sailor comes across as very truthful. This is an abridged edition by Puffin Publishers, concentrating on the essential storyline of the book. So most of the religions stuff has been edited out, which probably benefits the story. Other than that, the story isn't particularly interesting. Good quote: “Those people cannot enjoy comfortably what God has given them because they see and covet what He has not given them. All of our discontents for what we want appear to me to spring from want of thankfulness for what we have.”
March 14, 2010
I liked this well enough -- 'Castaway' definitely pulls heavily from this book, but I enjoyed reading this in print form because it is different and I always find it amazing when humor, human nature, etc. can translate over hundreds of years. Sometimes Defoe is a bit morally heavy-handed (lots of talk about Providence and God's role in Crusoe's life) but I didn't find it overwhelming. Quick read - go for it.
March 20, 2023
It’s like an old man, almost tired, telling tales of the most unconventional life he has had. I liked the adventures and he seemed like the character seemed the kind of guy who knew nothing except looking ahead, but quite honestly, halfway through the story I found myself dragging but then it got better towards the end.
Anywho, if you got some time to chill and are not looking for anything big to read this is probably a good choice.
Anywho, if you got some time to chill and are not looking for anything big to read this is probably a good choice.
September 14, 2008
Assigned reading (the only kind I have time to do right now). Didn't much care for it, but I honestly didn't try very hard. I found it dry and uninteresting from the start and I wasn't engaged enough to actually work at it. I definitely failed the quiz I took on this one, so that hurts.
October 9, 2012
It was an enjoyable read except sometimes I was lost in the author's train of thought, for Daniel Defoe can sure waffle incomprehensibly when he wants to.
But I should still like to read the unabridged version one day.
But I should still like to read the unabridged version one day.
December 18, 2013
Daw, great little read. Loses a point because Crusoe gets a little bit full of himself... Did love the "my man Friday" aspect. Who knew?! Also, feel no need to read the word "Providence" again for...28 years!
July 23, 2016
Great book to read while on holiday, especially on an island as Nosy Be (Madagascar)! Even though this is the abridged version (I realised it when I had almost finished the book), this story still took me to another world which I greatly enjoyed!
November 8, 2020
Thought this would be a fun adventure of a man stranded on an island. Was not expecting to be reading the work of the king of run-on sentences. The story also kept tediously going on and on. The last 4 chapters or so when things happened, they happened with servitude. Not my type of classic novel.
December 8, 2009
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. I need to try it again sometime when my brain isn't so tired.
December 4, 2009
i think that this was the one of thebest books i have ever read.
what i learned from this story is how to survive in the wild.
what i learned from this story is how to survive in the wild.
January 13, 2010
Nice plot, but a little draggy. A pity I bought the young reader's edition though.
September 10, 2012
Beginning was boring; the stripped-down version I read was entertaining but not particularly memorable.
November 11, 2022
daniel defoe more like i defoe did not enjoy this book that much
December 4, 2022
Glad I have read it but not sure how this is still described as a children's classic.
May 29, 2025
peut être mon premier livre avec 20 000 lieues sous les mers z l'avoir fini en entier et de l'avoir relu encore et encore
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews