Daniel Defoe: Five Novels - Robinson Crusoe / The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe / Captain Singleton / Moll Flanders / A Journal of the Plague Year

by Daniel Defoe

Synopsis Daniel Defoe was an innovative writer whose prose works in the early eighteenth century helped to revolutionize the novel as a literary form. Steeped in satire and full of trenchant social and political criticism, Defoe's novels open a fascinating window onto the time and place where they were written, even as they abound with entertainment for the modern reader. This literary omnibus features five of Defoe's best-known works, among them his masterpiece, Robinson Crusoe and its sequel, The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. Included as well are Captain Singleton, Moll Flanders, and the historical novel A Journal of the Plague Year, all of which continue to influence the way we read and write fiction today.

Genres: Classics, Fiction

1002 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2007

About the author

Daniel Defoe was an English novelist, journalist, merchant, pamphleteer and spy. He is most famous for his novel Robinson Crusoe, published in 1719, which is claimed to be second only to the Bible in its number of translations. He has been seen as one of the earliest proponents of the English novel, and helped to popularise the form in Britain with others such as Aphra Behn and Samuel Richardson. Defoe wrote many political tracts, was often in trouble with the authorities, and spent a period in prison. Intellectuals and political leaders paid attention to his fresh ideas and sometimes consulted him.
Defoe was a prolific and versatile writer, producing more than three hundred works—books, pamphlets, and journals—on diverse topics, including politics, crime, religion, marriage, psychology and the supernatural. He was also a pioneer of business journalism and economic journalism.

Reviews

[James Violand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful in every way. Defoe may be known for Crusoe, but the reader is cheating himself if he only reads this one work. Moll Flanders is better and A Journal of the Plague Year is his best as far as I'm concerned. A terrific writer who puts today's critically acclaimed favorites to shame.

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

classics that hold up well to this day

[Victoria Marie Lees · Rating 3 out of 5]

Time for a classic. I chose Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe to read next from this edition. Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!