Daniel Defoe

by William Minto

Published in the first series of English Men of Letters in 1879, a time when a complete edition of Daniel Defoe's works was yet to be collated, this biograhical account by William Minto (1845-93) was a significant achievement in literary scholarship as well as an engaging portrait of a colourful and outspoken polemicist. Himself a journalist and essayist for the pioneering Pall Mall Gazette and the Daily News, Minto combines the critical insight of a literary scholar with the empathy and understanding of a fellow writer. Spanning the novelist's entire life (c. 1659-1731), from the passions of his youth to the publication of Robinson Crusoe, his 'later journalistic labours' and the impact of literary success, this biography tells how Defoe disproved the rule that the lives of men of letters are rarely eventful.

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1879

About the author

Scottish academic, journalist, novelist, critic and editor.

Reviews

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as in connection with Defoe's The Storm (the two works were combined in one volume). You can read my review here. I was confused about whether The Storm was really a work of fiction or not, and Minto really helped to put it in its historical context as an example of the journalistic standards of the day.

[Mark Nenadov · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm afraid that all but the most serious Defoe nerds will be disappointed with this one. It gives some valuable historical contextualization and there are some golden moments where Minto shines, such as the last few pages, but all in all, it's tedious and doesn't give a very satisfying or thorough portrait of Defoe.