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In Search Of Robinson Crusoe
Vivid eighteenth century tales of sailors washed ashore from shipwrecks, buccaneers on the run, white slaves escaping from pirates, and mutineers fleeing tyrannical captains — these were the mix from which Defoe conjured his classic book 'The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe'.
But could any man have survived what Crusoe endured.
The explorer and writer Tim Severin was determined to find out.
Beginning on the coast of Chile, then traveling to Nicaragua, Pananama and the Caribbean islands of Venezuela, Severin travels to the sites of these amazing survival stories, camping on islands and visiting jungles to put to the test the adventures and survival strategies of Crusoe and his companion Man Friday.
In the process he debunks the widely-held belief that Alexander Selkirk, a castaway who piqued early eighteenth century popular interest, was Defoe’s model.
Insightful travel writing, riveting narrative history and clever scholarly discoveries make this a remarkably rich and varied book. Tim Severin has once again demonstrated his superb ability to bring together literature and adventure in an engrossing tale.
With his signature approach to literary sleuthing, Tim Severin goes ‘In Search of Robinson Crusoe’, as he retraces the footsteps of castaways and pirates to unearth the inspiration behind Daniel Defoe’s legendary creation.
“A fascinating read … Blending travel narrative, maritime history and a literary mystery.” — LOS ANGELES TIMES
“Its hard to say which is more interesting — the history he so capably writes or his own adventures in the odd, forlorn places his research takes him to. Either way, he knows how to blend his ingredients to generate the kind of heat a reader wants from a book.”
— NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ADVENTURE MAGAZINE
“The charm of Mr. Severin is that he, an accomplished sailor, a polished narrator, can transmit the air and the feel of the sun blasted islands, the strength of the trade winds, the taste of the salt to his island-hopping research and keep us guessing.”
— THE WASHINGTON TIMES
“Track[ing] the intrepid investigation by one of the best British travel writers, […] Tim Severin, who deserves to be better known in this country, is indefatigable researcher and observer with the sort of wry humor that makes Brit writers such enviable travelling companions on the page.”
— ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tim Severin is an explorer, film-maker and lecturer, who has made many expeditions, from crossing the Atlantic in a medieval leather boat to going out in search of Moby Dick and Robinson Crusoe. He has won the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award, the Book of the Sea Award, a Christopher Prize, and the literary medal of the Academie de la Marine. He books include ‘Crusader’, ‘The Sindbad Voyage’, ‘The Brendan Voyage’, ‘The Jason Voyage’ and ‘The Ulysses Voyage’.
Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent publisher of digital books.
But could any man have survived what Crusoe endured.
The explorer and writer Tim Severin was determined to find out.
Beginning on the coast of Chile, then traveling to Nicaragua, Pananama and the Caribbean islands of Venezuela, Severin travels to the sites of these amazing survival stories, camping on islands and visiting jungles to put to the test the adventures and survival strategies of Crusoe and his companion Man Friday.
In the process he debunks the widely-held belief that Alexander Selkirk, a castaway who piqued early eighteenth century popular interest, was Defoe’s model.
Insightful travel writing, riveting narrative history and clever scholarly discoveries make this a remarkably rich and varied book. Tim Severin has once again demonstrated his superb ability to bring together literature and adventure in an engrossing tale.
With his signature approach to literary sleuthing, Tim Severin goes ‘In Search of Robinson Crusoe’, as he retraces the footsteps of castaways and pirates to unearth the inspiration behind Daniel Defoe’s legendary creation.
“A fascinating read … Blending travel narrative, maritime history and a literary mystery.” — LOS ANGELES TIMES
“Its hard to say which is more interesting — the history he so capably writes or his own adventures in the odd, forlorn places his research takes him to. Either way, he knows how to blend his ingredients to generate the kind of heat a reader wants from a book.”
— NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ADVENTURE MAGAZINE
“The charm of Mr. Severin is that he, an accomplished sailor, a polished narrator, can transmit the air and the feel of the sun blasted islands, the strength of the trade winds, the taste of the salt to his island-hopping research and keep us guessing.”
— THE WASHINGTON TIMES
“Track[ing] the intrepid investigation by one of the best British travel writers, […] Tim Severin, who deserves to be better known in this country, is indefatigable researcher and observer with the sort of wry humor that makes Brit writers such enviable travelling companions on the page.”
— ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tim Severin is an explorer, film-maker and lecturer, who has made many expeditions, from crossing the Atlantic in a medieval leather boat to going out in search of Moby Dick and Robinson Crusoe. He has won the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award, the Book of the Sea Award, a Christopher Prize, and the literary medal of the Academie de la Marine. He books include ‘Crusader’, ‘The Sindbad Voyage’, ‘The Brendan Voyage’, ‘The Jason Voyage’ and ‘The Ulysses Voyage’.
Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent publisher of digital books.
244 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 27, 2001
37 people are currently reading
302 people want to read
About the author
Tim Severin
46 books267 followersTim Severin was a British explorer, historian and writer. Severin is noted for his work in retracing the legendary journeys of historical figures. Severin was awarded both the Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society and the Livingstone Medal of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. He received the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award for his 1982 book The Sindbad Voyage.
He was born Timothy Severin in Assam, India in 1940. Severin attended Tonbridge School and studied geography and history at Keble College, Oxford.
Severin has also written historical fiction along with non fiction. The Viking Series, first published in 2005, concerns a young Viking adventurer who travels the world. In 2007 he published The Adventures of Hector Lynch series set in the late 17th century about a 17-year-old Corsair.
He was born Timothy Severin in Assam, India in 1940. Severin attended Tonbridge School and studied geography and history at Keble College, Oxford.
Severin has also written historical fiction along with non fiction. The Viking Series, first published in 2005, concerns a young Viking adventurer who travels the world. In 2007 he published The Adventures of Hector Lynch series set in the late 17th century about a 17-year-old Corsair.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 18, 2019
I really do love Tim Severin’s books. Packed full of history and travel. This time his subject is Robinson Crusoe and who was the prototype for this fictional character? It was always thought to be Alexander Selkirk but what is the truth? Severin is on a mission to find out.
Daniel Defoe wrote ‘The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe’ which was published in 1719. Defoe never did confirm if Selkirk was the model for his hero, Crusoe. Selkirk, a Scot, was marooned on Juan Fernandez Island 400 miles off the coast of Chile. He was there for 4 years and 4 months before being picked up in 1709.
Many English buccaneers and mariners had written books around this time of their exploits which Defoe could certainly have utilized. Severin goes over some of these. One story he tells and goes into quite some detail was when a ship called the ‘Speedwell’ gets lashed against the island leaving the Captain and 70 crew as castaways on the same island that Selkirk was marooned. This was 10 years after Selkirk’s solitary adventure. It is a really great story.
Michael Palin visited the island in ‘Full Circle’. He takes a plane out from Valparaiso in Chile for 400 miles. Palin goes to the cave where Selkirk lived. Severin points out that Crusoe lived in a cave but Selkirk did not. Crusoe is fictional and he did not even live on this island and the cave he lived in was high up which the one tourists are taken to is not.
Then there is ‘Man Friday’. Will the Moskito as he was dubbed by the English was marooned on the same island before Selkirk. He was there for three years. He was a Miskito Indian from the Mosquito Coast as we know it in Nicaragua. Severin visits the area. Is he the prototype for ‘Man Friday’?
Don’t worry if you have never read Robinson Crusoe. I never have and I did not feel I needed to.
So, does it match the other Severin books I have read? Not quite. This time I think there are too many stories and not enough travel. Incredibly researched as ever but it was all a little too dry for me. He tells a long story and then goes off to the area where the person was marooned to see how that area has changed or not in some cases. In typical Severin style he never does travel the easy way and he’ll never shy away from dangerous places. What I mean by ‘not enough travel’ is not that he didn’t travel enough. He certainly did that. I just love his travel writing and I wanted more in this book.
3.5 stars
Daniel Defoe wrote ‘The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe’ which was published in 1719. Defoe never did confirm if Selkirk was the model for his hero, Crusoe. Selkirk, a Scot, was marooned on Juan Fernandez Island 400 miles off the coast of Chile. He was there for 4 years and 4 months before being picked up in 1709.
Many English buccaneers and mariners had written books around this time of their exploits which Defoe could certainly have utilized. Severin goes over some of these. One story he tells and goes into quite some detail was when a ship called the ‘Speedwell’ gets lashed against the island leaving the Captain and 70 crew as castaways on the same island that Selkirk was marooned. This was 10 years after Selkirk’s solitary adventure. It is a really great story.
Michael Palin visited the island in ‘Full Circle’. He takes a plane out from Valparaiso in Chile for 400 miles. Palin goes to the cave where Selkirk lived. Severin points out that Crusoe lived in a cave but Selkirk did not. Crusoe is fictional and he did not even live on this island and the cave he lived in was high up which the one tourists are taken to is not.
Then there is ‘Man Friday’. Will the Moskito as he was dubbed by the English was marooned on the same island before Selkirk. He was there for three years. He was a Miskito Indian from the Mosquito Coast as we know it in Nicaragua. Severin visits the area. Is he the prototype for ‘Man Friday’?
Don’t worry if you have never read Robinson Crusoe. I never have and I did not feel I needed to.
So, does it match the other Severin books I have read? Not quite. This time I think there are too many stories and not enough travel. Incredibly researched as ever but it was all a little too dry for me. He tells a long story and then goes off to the area where the person was marooned to see how that area has changed or not in some cases. In typical Severin style he never does travel the easy way and he’ll never shy away from dangerous places. What I mean by ‘not enough travel’ is not that he didn’t travel enough. He certainly did that. I just love his travel writing and I wanted more in this book.
3.5 stars
January 30, 2016
For such an interesting topic, I just could *not* get through this. Finally, I did. The last chapter was the most interesting, but it wasn't worth it to get to it.
Skip unless you're really into sailing.
Skip unless you're really into sailing.
February 11, 2024
This was a book written in the same vein as Thor Heyerdahl's Kon Tiki or Ra, although perhaps not at the same level. The reason for this statement is largely based on the disconectivity between the authors writings based on background/literature research and on his own ground work/exploration. Tese two key aspects of the book appear are quite separate entities within the book and at times, it is not so clear as to why a particular piece of exploration is being conducted. The two, sort of come together at the end and do bring some credibility to the author's claims regarding Defoe's basis for the Robinson Crusoe character, however, I believe the same claim could have been made without on the author's travels from being conducted at all. Perhaps his travels do give is a little more insight into the geography of the area however, I reiterate that this component of the book does not mesh together particularly well with the main detective work based on literature findings. Nonetheless, this was a highly engaging book, written in an upbeat and captivating manner and provided me with a week's worth of enjoyable reading.
December 18, 2025
Ben bu kitabı aslında Robinson Crusoe hakkında edebi bir inceleme sanıyordum. Oysa karşıma çıkan metin, romanın kendisinden çok etrafında örülen tarihsel ve sosyolojik bağlamla ilgileniyor. Robinson Crusoe'nun "gerçek" hikâyesinin izini sürerken birebir ne yaşandığı ya da hangi ayrıntıların kurguya ne ölçüde kaynaklık ettiği beni pek cezbetmedi. Buna karşılık Robinson'u bir roman kahramanı değil de gerçek bir kişi olarak kabul edenlerin tutumu çok daha ilgi çekiciydi.
March 4, 2017
This book is great. Extremely readable and extremely interesting. It is not simply a review or examination of Defoe's classic novel about a castaway. Rather, it is a true search for Crusoe in history. And the search takes the author (and the audience) all over the world. And it's really great.
March 11, 2020
I'm giving this book 3 stars, but if it was more to the point, it would have deserved 4. It's an enlightening book, but since the real content about Robinson Crusoe is relatively scant, the author has added all sorts of unrelated and useless trivia.
March 9, 2019
Didn't finish....
May 20, 2021
I always give this author a five star rating because he has to do so much more than most writers to get his ideas onto the page. First he has to go out and have an adventure about which to write. But even before that he has to have done his research so that when he finally arrives at his destination he has the intelligent questions to ask. And he has to go on his adventure in Kon-Tiki-like style. That means working with a naval architect and a shipwright to design and build a vanished or fast-disappearing sea craft. Since Robinson Crusoe was a maroon which is to say his adventure began with the sinking of his ship, Tim Severin didn't have to build a boat from scratch for this book but he did do his trademark research and travel though.
I've read enough of Tim Severin's books to realize that he is a master seaman, in other words, too good to ever get caught unprepared and wind up a maroon on a forlorn desert island. So in this book his experiences are a little more vicarious than usual. He does recount the harrowing details of shipwreck and survival of mariners perhaps less skilled than himself.
Essentially what Severin does in this book is try to determine what Da Foe's factual basis was for the Robinson Crusoe novel. This takes him to Juan Fernandez Island where Alexander Selkirk, the widely presumed model for Crusoe, was marooned, to the Misquito coast where Crusoe's Man Friday was likely from and to an island off the coast of Venezuela which Da Foe most certainly had in mind when he wrote the book. He then recounts the experience of a man who survived the hurricane of 1932 on that island. Severin finishes in his characteristic way with an unexpected slam dunk that surely validates his theory.
I've read enough of Tim Severin's books to realize that he is a master seaman, in other words, too good to ever get caught unprepared and wind up a maroon on a forlorn desert island. So in this book his experiences are a little more vicarious than usual. He does recount the harrowing details of shipwreck and survival of mariners perhaps less skilled than himself.
Essentially what Severin does in this book is try to determine what Da Foe's factual basis was for the Robinson Crusoe novel. This takes him to Juan Fernandez Island where Alexander Selkirk, the widely presumed model for Crusoe, was marooned, to the Misquito coast where Crusoe's Man Friday was likely from and to an island off the coast of Venezuela which Da Foe most certainly had in mind when he wrote the book. He then recounts the experience of a man who survived the hurricane of 1932 on that island. Severin finishes in his characteristic way with an unexpected slam dunk that surely validates his theory.
November 7, 2019
This is one of those books that you either find incredibly fascinating or excruciatingly boring. Severin goes into minute detail about multiple real-life cases of castaways, mutinies, and wilderness survival that I just skimmed, since they drag on forever. Also, while Friday's inspiration may have been a Central American Moskito, the book actually identifies him as belonging to another tribe:
As others have mentioned, the last chapter is really the best part. Severin makes a very, very good case for the real-life Robinson Crusoe being someone else, not Alexander Selkirk.
I asked him the names of the several nations of his sort of people, but could get no other name than Caribs; from whence I easily understood that these were the Caribbees, which our maps place on the part of America which reaches from the mouth of the river Orinoco to Guiana, and onwards to St. Martha.The Caribs (Kalinago) were expert sailors who have been compared to the Vikings and Polynesians. They were also the subject of lurid, sensational accounts of cannibalism that are only just now being debunked; in fact, the very word comes from their Spanish name, Caníbales. Given that he devotes an entire chapter to sailing in the Caribbean, this is quite a glaring oversight on Severin's part.
As others have mentioned, the last chapter is really the best part. Severin makes a very, very good case for the real-life Robinson Crusoe being someone else, not Alexander Selkirk.
February 28, 2024
Knock that one off the to read list after a few decades, and I should've read it long ago. Great work of travel, detection and obscure history and lots of pirates and natives to Central America. I really thought this book was going to be more a leisurely recreation of Selkirk's time on the Juan Fernandez Island. No idea it was going to pack so much more into after that. It intercuts between the history of several potential influences on Crusoe and then his attempts to go to those places and travel as they did briefly. Really interesting how little of himself he put into the writing, he's just there to point out the interesting bits that he observed. Not only obscure history but obscure places in Central America that are not covered much in the books I've read. So much to get from this book. Amazing stories and places. The epilogue has that if not completely mind-blowing, it's downright satisfying, just plain fascinating and highly admirable extra and original detective work for the history that strongly reminds me of the end of Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI which is a classic.
December 19, 2015
Since the time the sun never set on the British Empire, and despite having a rather gray and lackluster cuisine, Brits have excelled as travel writers. Tim Severin’s In Search of Robinson Crusoe is but another example of that excellence. An intrepid explorer and excellent scribe, Severin traveled the lands described in Daniel Defoe’s books to see if he could discover the identity of the real life castaway upon whom Defoe based his book, or if it was based upon the voluntary castaway, Alexander Selkirk, as many believe.
Moving back and forth in time, with summaries of the past interspersed with descriptions of his own often hazardous, sometimes hilarious, journeys, Severn effectively debunks the myths, and comes to the conclusion that Defoe based his character upon an entirely different castaway. I won’t spoil the book for you by identifying that worthy. I’ll just suggest you get the book and find out for yourself.
Severn writes in a vivid style, complete with self-deprecating wit that will make this perhaps one of the best travelogues, historical narratives, adventure books you’ll read in a while.
Moving back and forth in time, with summaries of the past interspersed with descriptions of his own often hazardous, sometimes hilarious, journeys, Severn effectively debunks the myths, and comes to the conclusion that Defoe based his character upon an entirely different castaway. I won’t spoil the book for you by identifying that worthy. I’ll just suggest you get the book and find out for yourself.
Severn writes in a vivid style, complete with self-deprecating wit that will make this perhaps one of the best travelogues, historical narratives, adventure books you’ll read in a while.
August 24, 2015
Since the time the sun never set on the British Empire, and despite having a rather gray and lackluster cuisine, Brits have excelled as travel writers. Tim Severin’s In Search of Robinson Crusoe is but another example of that excellence. An intrepid explorer and excellent scribe, Severin traveled the lands described in Daniel Defoe’s books to see if he could discover the identity of the real life castaway upon whom Defoe based his book, or if it was based upon the voluntary castaway, Alexander Selkirk, as many believe.
Moving back and forth in time, with summaries of the past interspersed with descriptions of his own often hazardous, sometimes hilarious, journeys, Severn effectively debunks the myths, and comes to the conclusion that Defoe based his character upon an entirely different castaway. I won’t spoil the book for you by identifying that worthy. I’ll just suggest you get the book and find out for yourself.
Severn writes in a vivid style, complete with self-deprecating wit that will make this perhaps one of the best travelogues, historical narratives, adventure books you’ll read in a while.
Moving back and forth in time, with summaries of the past interspersed with descriptions of his own often hazardous, sometimes hilarious, journeys, Severn effectively debunks the myths, and comes to the conclusion that Defoe based his character upon an entirely different castaway. I won’t spoil the book for you by identifying that worthy. I’ll just suggest you get the book and find out for yourself.
Severn writes in a vivid style, complete with self-deprecating wit that will make this perhaps one of the best travelogues, historical narratives, adventure books you’ll read in a while.
April 23, 2010
I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book, other than the people who wrote the cover blurb really liked it, and I thought it sounded interesting. I think it's good I went in this way. Severin's premise is never really quite clear--he's looking for "Robinson Crusoe" who he admits right up front probably isn't any real one person. Consequently the book meanders, taking us from historical castaway and pirate accounts to Severin's adventures in research and back. However, if you come to it just looking for a good story and an engaging read, it fills the bill.
August 26, 2011
In his usual fashion, Severin delves into an old story to find its origins. An interesting account of Defoe's inspiration for Robinson Crusoe - Severin uncovers stories of castaways (more common than you would imagine) and explores the geography of islands from the South Pacific to the Caribbean, culminating with a retelling of one fisherman's account of survival in the Cayman Islands during the great hurricane of 1932. It all comes together neatly at the end.
August 3, 2013
This book is an excellent exploration of all the possible 'inspirations' for the famous fictional castaway, Robinson Crusoe. Part literary-detective work, part travelogue, the author's journey is an erudite and adventurous one of its own - and one which is very well told.
I've written more on this book here on my blog.
I've written more on this book here on my blog.
June 27, 2015
Interesting look at what all may think is only a legend in the form of the book "Robinson Crusoe" by Daniel Defoe. The author looks at this legend from various angles and does a great job investigating who the real Robinson Crusoe might be as the tale takes readers back in time and examines the exploits of several possibilities to the mystery of the man and the myth known as Robinson Crusoe. Well written and interesting read.
October 9, 2007
A mixture of history, literature, and travalogue. Well written and interesting.
January 31, 2012
Entertaining yarn about wandering along the coast and thru the islands of South America
March 1, 2015
Wonderful exploration of possibility. I'm convinced. Well written narrative.
June 26, 2015
Really interesting!
March 20, 2016
Great book. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
May 21, 2016
Excellent book.
April 6, 2017
Who was Robinson Crusoe?
Interesting account of looking for the prototype for Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe! The author finds several men who had been castaways by reading their descriptions in either their own words or others. These castaways lived in the time period as Defoe wrote his book. Great reading!
Interesting account of looking for the prototype for Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe! The author finds several men who had been castaways by reading their descriptions in either their own words or others. These castaways lived in the time period as Defoe wrote his book. Great reading!
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews