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Robinson Crusoe Retold from Daniel Defoe
Shipwrecked Robinson Crusoe is alone on a desert island. Are there wild animals in the forest? Cannibals?
If he wants to stay alive, Robinson Crusoe must start to do things he never thought of doing before: build a house, weave baskets,, tame goals, raise grain, sew anima-l skin clothes.
He has no one to help him, no one to talk to. He has to decide for himself what to do. Then he has to do it.
How does Robinson Crusoe stay alive and safe on his island?
If he wants to stay alive, Robinson Crusoe must start to do things he never thought of doing before: build a house, weave baskets,, tame goals, raise grain, sew anima-l skin clothes.
He has no one to help him, no one to talk to. He has to decide for himself what to do. Then he has to do it.
How does Robinson Crusoe stay alive and safe on his island?
127 pages, Paperback
First published April 25, 1719
25 people are currently reading
286 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
October 16, 2009
OK, so I thought I'd read this classic because it's supposed to be wonderful and all that.
It's in old English, so it's hard to read. But I could get through that with enough effort.
I didn't finish the book.
I'll never finish this book.
I found it totally, utterly, unbearably, BORING!!! It doesn't matter what happens, how wonderful or bad it is, there's not much emotion at all. And I never *cared*! After about 150 pages, I realised I couldn't care less, and I closed the book.
The End.
It's in old English, so it's hard to read. But I could get through that with enough effort.
I didn't finish the book.
I'll never finish this book.
I found it totally, utterly, unbearably, BORING!!! It doesn't matter what happens, how wonderful or bad it is, there's not much emotion at all. And I never *cared*! After about 150 pages, I realised I couldn't care less, and I closed the book.
The End.
October 20, 2020
I have not read any version of 'Robinson Crusoe' since I was a youngster (and even then I think it was probably the Regent's Classic edition) so, even though this was an adapted version (and I do have a full versions somewhere) I thought I would give it a read.
And the three people responsible for the adaptation have done a really good job for they have captured Crusoe in all his moods and situations perfectly. In addition JJ Grandville has provided excellent illustrations that have been turned into black and white engravings to fit the period of the book.
Cast ashore on an island after his ship was shipwrecked and everyone else lost their lives, Crusoe was loathe to move off the beach to begin with for he was uncertain whether or not the island was inhabited, and if it was were the inhabitants cannibals?
Fortunately when the storm that wrecked his ship died down he could see the ship in the relative shallows so he made his way to it and over a period of days, before the waves eventually demolished it, he was able to move all sorts of useful implements, weapons and food to the shore. But where was he to store it all?
He ventured inland, found a clearing with a mountain wall backing onto it and constructed, at first, a primitive home and a primitive storeroom, which he augmented by using a cave that was adjacent to his buildings. He later elaborated them to make them more comfortable and then built a double fence around the buildings to prevent any wild animals entering and so that they could not easily be seen. He also planted seeds he gathered around the fences so that his residence was even more hidden.
He then had to learn skills that would help him survive so he built a canoe, made bread, shot goats to eat the meat, drink the milk and wear the skins and then he just had to get used to the endless solitude of the place, which he discovered was indeed uninhabited.
He did this for 28 years before another human being came into his life. That was when canoes landed on the island with cannibals and some prisoners in them. One of the prisoners managed to break away and found his way to Crusoe who christened him Friday because that was the day that he met him. They shot some of the cannibals who, afraid of gunshots, quickly took flight and returned to whence they came.
Crusoe and Friday got on famously and enjoyed their time together until more cannibals arrived along with another prisoner who turned out to be Friday's father. They were happily united, the remaining cannibals once more were routed and the threesome made arrangements to make a larger boat that would take them all to Friday's father's island.
But before that adventure could take place an English ship arrived in the bay and a small boat arrived on the island with British sailors in it. Crusoe acquainted himself with them and the ship's captain said that he would take them all back to England. There had been trouble on the ship so some of the men did not want to return to England in case they were arrested for crimes committed on board ship, so Crusoe allowed them to stay on his island.
He and Friday went with the Englishmen on the ship back to England, Friday's father returned to his own island and those that chose to stay made their home where Crusoe, who left them sufficient supplies for their immediate needs, once lived.
As I mentioned, it is an excellent adaptation and does make the reader probably want to read the full text as written in 1719.
And the three people responsible for the adaptation have done a really good job for they have captured Crusoe in all his moods and situations perfectly. In addition JJ Grandville has provided excellent illustrations that have been turned into black and white engravings to fit the period of the book.
Cast ashore on an island after his ship was shipwrecked and everyone else lost their lives, Crusoe was loathe to move off the beach to begin with for he was uncertain whether or not the island was inhabited, and if it was were the inhabitants cannibals?
Fortunately when the storm that wrecked his ship died down he could see the ship in the relative shallows so he made his way to it and over a period of days, before the waves eventually demolished it, he was able to move all sorts of useful implements, weapons and food to the shore. But where was he to store it all?
He ventured inland, found a clearing with a mountain wall backing onto it and constructed, at first, a primitive home and a primitive storeroom, which he augmented by using a cave that was adjacent to his buildings. He later elaborated them to make them more comfortable and then built a double fence around the buildings to prevent any wild animals entering and so that they could not easily be seen. He also planted seeds he gathered around the fences so that his residence was even more hidden.
He then had to learn skills that would help him survive so he built a canoe, made bread, shot goats to eat the meat, drink the milk and wear the skins and then he just had to get used to the endless solitude of the place, which he discovered was indeed uninhabited.
He did this for 28 years before another human being came into his life. That was when canoes landed on the island with cannibals and some prisoners in them. One of the prisoners managed to break away and found his way to Crusoe who christened him Friday because that was the day that he met him. They shot some of the cannibals who, afraid of gunshots, quickly took flight and returned to whence they came.
Crusoe and Friday got on famously and enjoyed their time together until more cannibals arrived along with another prisoner who turned out to be Friday's father. They were happily united, the remaining cannibals once more were routed and the threesome made arrangements to make a larger boat that would take them all to Friday's father's island.
But before that adventure could take place an English ship arrived in the bay and a small boat arrived on the island with British sailors in it. Crusoe acquainted himself with them and the ship's captain said that he would take them all back to England. There had been trouble on the ship so some of the men did not want to return to England in case they were arrested for crimes committed on board ship, so Crusoe allowed them to stay on his island.
He and Friday went with the Englishmen on the ship back to England, Friday's father returned to his own island and those that chose to stay made their home where Crusoe, who left them sufficient supplies for their immediate needs, once lived.
As I mentioned, it is an excellent adaptation and does make the reader probably want to read the full text as written in 1719.
November 13, 2009
I don't own the the edition I read as I read it in the mid 60s and I don't have the isbn number, so, I picked one.
This is to this day a good book. A strong adventure, a good character and a good read.
This is to this day a good book. A strong adventure, a good character and a good read.
December 31, 2019
A book I read many, many, many times as a boy, now I have read to my boys. The first book I've read of any length not written by Roald Dahl. An abridged version that excises Defoe's exhaustive sermonizing and attempts to squeeze praise into every paper-thin crevice in the story, and skips straight to the adventure.
This story is the 300-year-old precursor to Cast Away. A human marooned on an abandoned island with nothing but wits and a few odds and ends salvaged from a wrecked vessel, though Crusoe benefited from a wider variety of wildlife than Tom Hanks.
It made me very happy to hear the boys enthusiastic response each time I asked if they wanted to keep reading. It brought back something of the boy in me, for which I am very grateful.
This story is the 300-year-old precursor to Cast Away. A human marooned on an abandoned island with nothing but wits and a few odds and ends salvaged from a wrecked vessel, though Crusoe benefited from a wider variety of wildlife than Tom Hanks.
It made me very happy to hear the boys enthusiastic response each time I asked if they wanted to keep reading. It brought back something of the boy in me, for which I am very grateful.
March 17, 2022
Ich habe Robinson Crusoe gelesen, da ich einen kleinen und langsamen Einstieg in die Literatur haben wollte. Es ist zu erwähnen, dass das Buch einige rassistische Ausdrücke enthält und damit einhergehend die Hierarchisierung der Menschen aufgrund ihrer Hautfarbe. Die Abenteuergeschichte an sich war interessant und für mich neu. Die lebensnahen Situationen und das Hinterfragen der Arbeit die hinter dem Brotbacken mit Weizen oder dem Nähen mit Schafswolle fand ich sehr interessant, da wir auch heutzutage schnell vergessen, wie einfach das Leben doch ist und wie wenig man von Hand produzieren muss
September 1, 2024
It's not for me.
In my opinion some parts are too imaginative.
The book tells the adventures of a young English sailor, who is shipwrecked on a desert island in the Atlantic and remains there for almost twenty-eight years; during this period, he will have the time and opportunity to test all his abilities to adapt to the environment, while experiencing great adventures at the same time.
In my opinion some parts are too imaginative.
The book tells the adventures of a young English sailor, who is shipwrecked on a desert island in the Atlantic and remains there for almost twenty-eight years; during this period, he will have the time and opportunity to test all his abilities to adapt to the environment, while experiencing great adventures at the same time.
August 6, 2025
Hittade den här boken på en loppis någonstans uppe i fjällen och tänkte att jag skulle ge den en chans. Trots att det är en väldigt kortfattad version så var den trevlig, men det skulle vara roligt att läsa originalversionen✨
April 3, 2019
Obviously a simplified version but my little girls got the gist of it. Not my favorite classic story but clear lesson of God's provision and gratitude.
Read at bed time to 10, 8, and 6 year olds.
Read at bed time to 10, 8, and 6 year olds.
January 24, 2022
el principio es entretenido pero prácticamente toda la estancia en la isla desierta me ha parecido un rollo y el final sin más pq tiene segunda parte
April 30, 2024
It was okay but I don't understand how this man can be more than 27 years living on an island ALONE and not getting crazy😧😧
April 2, 2019
Nice little condensed version of the original designed for kids. A great survival story that keeps the kids entertained and engaged. Lots of tense situations plus cannibals! Wasn't sure how the kids would react to that but they pulled through. Saw some shocked faces though. I enjoyed it as well.
May 23, 2015
This book was about a man that was stranded on an island. The man finds ways to survive. One day he see's cannibals on the island. He saves a man that was tied up in the sand and they survive together on an island. One day they see a ship from England.
I didn't like this book was okay because of how boring the tone is. I liked this book because the story makes me want to read more and I really like the character Friday. I would recommend this book to people that like books about surviving on an island and cannibals.
I didn't like this book was okay because of how boring the tone is. I liked this book because the story makes me want to read more and I really like the character Friday. I would recommend this book to people that like books about surviving on an island and cannibals.
July 30, 2008
I actually read the original, not the Junior edition, and I have to admit it was quite painful to go through the laborious detail of Crusoe's acclimation to living alone and learning how to survive. The most redeeming part of the book was his discovery of God and realizing that he could be grateful for his life and the things he had despite his lack of basic comforts and communication with any other life form.
March 2, 2008
i read this at a time that i felt sort of marooned in my own home. i enjoyed this book because it takes you back to basics. however, crusoe himself was kind of a jerk. nonetheless - it is an interesting read.
May 20, 2023
The adventurous story of a person on an inland ... Living alone for 28 years..simple language for me to read.
November 14, 2025
ADVENTURE, SOLITUDE AND SIGNATURE STRENGTHS
An attempt to look at Robinson Crusoe from a Positive Psychology perspective
Instead of a spoiler alert, I dare you to read a note on Crusoe, which looks at the famous Solitaire from a different angle.
I have read some months ago a wonderful book of positive psychology- The Happiness Formula, written by an extraordinary German neuroscientist - Stefan Klein. This is translated in Romanian as Formula Fericirii, at Humanitas.
In it, Stefan Klein talks about a very large array of subjects, ranging from the famous Notre Dame nun’s study, to a research made in a community of Italians who lived way longer than their habits predicted. In The Happiness Formula we find Rosa Luxembourg and her shockingly blissful happiness while spending a sentence in…jail. We also have…Robinson Crusoe and his positive psychology approach to being shipwrecked on an island. Robinson made a list with what happened to him, looking at the sad and bright aspects:
- Negative- I am thrown on this land in the middle of the ocean
- Positive- I am alive
- Negative- everybody is dead
- Positive- except myself!
- Negative- all my clothes are gone
- Positive- it’s so hot I do not need any clothes
With this list, Robinson Crusoe does two psychological exercises without which we can’t be sure what would have happened to the sanity of his mind.
First of all, he detached himself somewhat from the tragic aspects of the misfortune which he suffered with the members of his crew. Sonja Lyubomirsky has written about this in her book, The How of Happiness and it is elaborated on, in the chapter on Coping With Adversity and Trauma- Happiness Activity No 6.
Robinson Crusoe boosts his morale by looking at the bright side. Even if alone on an island, he is alive, as opposed to his comrades. There are no clothes left, but hey…he does not need them. I will file this under the chapter on Gratitude. Doctor Martin Seligman, Professor Tal Ben-Shahar from Harvard and many others have written about the importance of gratitude.
There is an astonishing amount of research that proves the huge impact that gratitude makes on the life satisfaction of people who express it- be it in the form of a letter, daily exercises.
Without knowing about all this, the lonely man made his life better by writing down The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
This brings me to the last positive psychology connection that I made while reading again Robinson Crusoe- the extreme danger of Solitude.
Isolation is terrible for our psychological well being. So much so that soon there will be signs advertising it. No smoking is already kind of obsolete- all that needed to know that already do, and those who choose to ignore the warning and smoke will do so indifferent to the size of the campaign. We could put signs all over the sky and it would be all to no good.
But few people know that Isolation is Twice as Dangerous as smoking. People who live like Robinson are at tremendous risk of dying, no matter how (mistakenly) appealing the adventure of escaping from it all on an island seems when we are stuck in traffic, or endure the ordeal of the urban jungle.
We are all much better off in society, than outside it. As social animals we would not resist on an island. Crusoe is the outlier, the exception.
It is true that people showed up. The first he saw however were…cannibals.
Robinson has been with me for a large part of my life…he still recalls memories, look – I have read an adaptation of the book for the nth time…n may be just three, come to think of it. The last time I read it, the other day- I skipped through parts of it as they seemed boring. Oh how we age- this was the most adventurous, fascinating story ever when I was a teenager and now it has lost much, if not most of its appeal.
Some of the events, even a song from one of the movie inspired by the book – have been inscribed with a hot iron in my memory;
- We are going to fly
- To the island of Friday
- Like the eagle…
The film was called Man Friday, as it places more emphasizes on the partner- slave. Peter O’Toole the magnificent was playing Robinson Crusoe.
This goes to prove that even reading again a book destined for a younger generation, there still are some useful conclusions to be drawn.
An attempt to look at Robinson Crusoe from a Positive Psychology perspective
Instead of a spoiler alert, I dare you to read a note on Crusoe, which looks at the famous Solitaire from a different angle.
I have read some months ago a wonderful book of positive psychology- The Happiness Formula, written by an extraordinary German neuroscientist - Stefan Klein. This is translated in Romanian as Formula Fericirii, at Humanitas.
In it, Stefan Klein talks about a very large array of subjects, ranging from the famous Notre Dame nun’s study, to a research made in a community of Italians who lived way longer than their habits predicted. In The Happiness Formula we find Rosa Luxembourg and her shockingly blissful happiness while spending a sentence in…jail. We also have…Robinson Crusoe and his positive psychology approach to being shipwrecked on an island. Robinson made a list with what happened to him, looking at the sad and bright aspects:
- Negative- I am thrown on this land in the middle of the ocean
- Positive- I am alive
- Negative- everybody is dead
- Positive- except myself!
- Negative- all my clothes are gone
- Positive- it’s so hot I do not need any clothes
With this list, Robinson Crusoe does two psychological exercises without which we can’t be sure what would have happened to the sanity of his mind.
First of all, he detached himself somewhat from the tragic aspects of the misfortune which he suffered with the members of his crew. Sonja Lyubomirsky has written about this in her book, The How of Happiness and it is elaborated on, in the chapter on Coping With Adversity and Trauma- Happiness Activity No 6.
Robinson Crusoe boosts his morale by looking at the bright side. Even if alone on an island, he is alive, as opposed to his comrades. There are no clothes left, but hey…he does not need them. I will file this under the chapter on Gratitude. Doctor Martin Seligman, Professor Tal Ben-Shahar from Harvard and many others have written about the importance of gratitude.
There is an astonishing amount of research that proves the huge impact that gratitude makes on the life satisfaction of people who express it- be it in the form of a letter, daily exercises.
Without knowing about all this, the lonely man made his life better by writing down The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
This brings me to the last positive psychology connection that I made while reading again Robinson Crusoe- the extreme danger of Solitude.
Isolation is terrible for our psychological well being. So much so that soon there will be signs advertising it. No smoking is already kind of obsolete- all that needed to know that already do, and those who choose to ignore the warning and smoke will do so indifferent to the size of the campaign. We could put signs all over the sky and it would be all to no good.
But few people know that Isolation is Twice as Dangerous as smoking. People who live like Robinson are at tremendous risk of dying, no matter how (mistakenly) appealing the adventure of escaping from it all on an island seems when we are stuck in traffic, or endure the ordeal of the urban jungle.
We are all much better off in society, than outside it. As social animals we would not resist on an island. Crusoe is the outlier, the exception.
It is true that people showed up. The first he saw however were…cannibals.
Robinson has been with me for a large part of my life…he still recalls memories, look – I have read an adaptation of the book for the nth time…n may be just three, come to think of it. The last time I read it, the other day- I skipped through parts of it as they seemed boring. Oh how we age- this was the most adventurous, fascinating story ever when I was a teenager and now it has lost much, if not most of its appeal.
Some of the events, even a song from one of the movie inspired by the book – have been inscribed with a hot iron in my memory;
- We are going to fly
- To the island of Friday
- Like the eagle…
The film was called Man Friday, as it places more emphasizes on the partner- slave. Peter O’Toole the magnificent was playing Robinson Crusoe.
This goes to prove that even reading again a book destined for a younger generation, there still are some useful conclusions to be drawn.
June 30, 2021
Între timp izbutisem să-mi asigur și oarecare distracții, așa că timpul trecea mai ușor ca la început. II învățasem pe Poli să vorbească, după cum am povestit. Vorbea acum mai bine şi mai articulat. Mi-era plăcut să-l ascult. A trăit în preajma mea nu mai puțin de douăzeci și șase de ani. Nu știu cât a mai trăit şi după aceea, dar știu că în Brazilia se spunea că papagalii ajung la vârsta de o sută de ani. Poate că mai trăiesc şi azi în insulă câțiva Polii, care mai strigă încă după sărmanul Robinson Crusoe. Nu urez nici unui englez nefericirea de a ajunge acolo ca să-i audă. Dacă ar face-o, ar crede desigur că aude pe dracul.
January 22, 2018
I read this so I can supervise my second grader with her book report. She liked the story more than I did, for sure. Even this shortened version felt dragging especially through the chapters where Robinson Crusoe was learning how to start a life in the island. There simply wasn't anything happening. Also, there were more than a few times that the book started to sound like some book one would use to evangelize "savages." However, if it encourages my daughter to read the original in the future then I'd come back to update this rating. Maybe I need to rate this based on a child's perspective.
December 9, 2025
I picked this book up solely for the nostalgia. I read it in my youth and found it fascinating, but I stopped reading it halfway through at the talk of cannibalism, scared myself while reading and had to stopped reading it.
Now in my 20s and it’s still an okay read, very slow, a tad mediocre, but I can safely say that the cannibalism didn’t scare me and I finally read through the book.
Now in my 20s and it’s still an okay read, very slow, a tad mediocre, but I can safely say that the cannibalism didn’t scare me and I finally read through the book.
March 5, 2020
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April 4, 2022
I read the version "Robinson Crusoe Told in Pictures. A very good concise version of the story with excellent illustration by Dudley D Watkins. Recommended.
June 24, 2022
Interesting tale of the famed Crusoe that we read in our Dialectic homeschool literature studies.
April 18, 2025
Book- in my library
November 2, 2016
Colonialisme
Sexisme
Évangélisation
Sexisme
Évangélisation
August 16, 2012
Aku bacanya buku Robinson Crusoe Bahasa Inggris, terbitan Gramedia, tapi retold. Aku gak tau bentuk sebenarnya yang ditulis Daniel Dafoe kayak apa. Apa kayak catatan harian ya? Tapi di yang kubaca bentuknya ya sekedar menceritakannya aja. Bahasa Inggrisnya katanya sih untuk advance, tapi berlebihan ah. Buktinya aku ngerti (beginner). Aku gak gitu paham Bahasa Inggris, tapi kalau aku jadi editor buku itu, pasti banyak yang kuubah, disederhanakan. Seolah-olah itu buku aslinya Bahasa Indonesia, lalu diterjemahkan oleh orang Indonesia ke Bahasa Inggris. Bukan aslinya Bahasa Inggris. Padahal yang retold orang luar negri loh, bukan orang Indonesia.
Kalau untuk ceritanya sendiri, lumayan menegangkan. Kayak nonton film CastAway (apa filmnya memang berdasar buku ini?). Kalau buku ini keluar jaman sekarang, pasti biasa aja. Soalnya cerita tentang terdampar udah disimak dari buku-buku yang lain, dari film-film, bahkan dari game. Tapi membayangkan buku model begini, hadir dua ratus lima puluh tahun yang lalu, di saat orang-orang Eropa gak tau apa itu terdampar, ya luar biasa aja. Kalau jaman sekarang, kayak sebuah cerita tiba-tiba ada astronot yang terdampar di asteroid.
Aku pengen baca yang naskah asli Daniel Dafoe-nya.
Kalau untuk ceritanya sendiri, lumayan menegangkan. Kayak nonton film CastAway (apa filmnya memang berdasar buku ini?). Kalau buku ini keluar jaman sekarang, pasti biasa aja. Soalnya cerita tentang terdampar udah disimak dari buku-buku yang lain, dari film-film, bahkan dari game. Tapi membayangkan buku model begini, hadir dua ratus lima puluh tahun yang lalu, di saat orang-orang Eropa gak tau apa itu terdampar, ya luar biasa aja. Kalau jaman sekarang, kayak sebuah cerita tiba-tiba ada astronot yang terdampar di asteroid.
Aku pengen baca yang naskah asli Daniel Dafoe-nya.
September 23, 2016
This book is about a Guy named Robinson who has crashed in a ship and is suck on a island Robinson had to swim to the island. Later than day Robison made a small raft and went back to the remains of the ship he grabbed as muck stuff as he could. On the ship was a dog and a cat Robinson just put the dog in the water and it just swam back to the island and he just grabbed the cat and they went back to the island. Rob insantly knew that he had to make a shelter. he was on that island for about 13 years then he saw a foot print in the sand he knew this was not his because this foot is much bigger. one day he saw a tiny bout full of canibuls and they where coming to him he got his guns ready and they finally they came to the island they had a poor man and they where tring to kill him Rob shot the bad guys and went up to the guy and took him back to his shelter. they where on the island for like 13 more years then a bout came and picked them up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2009
Robinson Crusoe
By Daniel Defoe, Charles Welsh
Published by Public- School Publishing Company, 1903
245 Pages Fiction Mystery 5 Stars.
The book is a great mystery/adventure that keeps you wanting to know more. The authors writing style is beautiful it pulls you in to a nonstop page-turner. It has well developed characters for example Robinson Crusoe and Friday the savage. Who is saved from the tribe of man eaters from an island right next to their island will they live or die by the hand of a savage Read to find out more.
Read
July 26, 2009Robinson Crusoe always wanted to have an exiting life at sea. But I'm sure he changed his mind when a terrible thing happens. Did Robinson Crusoe expect this terrible shipwreck? This book is about the life that Robinson Lives on that deserted, untamed island. You can join him in his adventures on that island. I really liked this book. You get, in a way, a feeling tht you are in his shoes. You feel his loss and sadness and then you feel his fear and happiness. I hope you feel the same way!!! :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews