The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe

Shipwrecked on a remote island with nothing but his wits, a few salvaged tools, and a Bible, Robinson Crusoe builds a life from wreckage — salvaging cargo, taming goats, planting barley, keeping a journal, and, after years of solitude, rescuing the man he names Friday. First published in 1719 and presented as a true account, Daniel Defoe's novel captivated readers at once and has never been out of print, shaping centuries of adventure fiction that followed. This edition returns to the complete, unabridged original text, exactly as Defoe wrote it, and surrounds it with a fresh introduction and reader's notes that illuminate the real castaway who inspired the story, the world of trade and empire behind it, and the questions it still asks about survival, solitude, and civilization. Whether you are returning to a classic or discovering it for the first time, Crusoe's island awaits. Part of The Founding Texts Library.