I am really enjoying this. I will say that all of the slave trade caught me off guard, and I did have to remind myself of when it was written. But I still felt he deserved what he got for participating in it.
Being able to set himself up as well as he did from the wreckage was quite fortunate. I was pleased to see that all of his projects took "real" time. It took days to cut a tree, shape it and install it as fence post. His camp wasn't set up in a weekend, it took months and was hard. Looking forward to the next installment
This is a delightful summer read, out on the patio with a cool drink. I have read it before, at a much younger age when it seemed a much drier read, but now I am much better able to visualize the scene and enjoy the cinematic adventure, and, having lived a little, to get much more out of the moral and philosophical dilemmas presented in this book. Thanks for bringing us this book Henry!
I have to admit that I struggled a bit with the language and the spelling (the seemingly random Capital Letters almost had me reaching for the sal volatile). I was particularly confused by 'bad' for 'bade' - and there was quite a bit of re-reading necessary to get the sense of things.
Once I got into the stride of it, I was hooked.
And, yes, this does look like it will turn out to be a "ne'er-do-well faces adversity and becomes a better person". (Is that 'Moll Flanders' as well?)
The early part was a surprise. I kept thinking that Crusoe was going to get swindled and end up on a dodgy voyage, but he seems to have been remarkably lucky and met people who were good to him. I was going to say 'decent people' but the slave trade is more than a small issue.
Defoe - or Robinson - manages to be very ambiguous about slavery. I wondered whether the young lad might have ended up better off with the captain rather than Crusoe. Yes, he would have had his freedom with Crusoe, but I can't help thinking being with Crusoe would put him in danger on a regular basis. And the captain may well have been a better master than Crusoe would have been. I think it is the ease in which Defoe / Crusoe talk about slavery that is chilling - and realising how unremarkable it seemed then. I can't help thinking there will be a few things in the 21 st Century developed world that will look uncomfortable in a few hundred years' time.
I did find a few things to smile at, particularly Crusoe realising that if the lightning hit the gunpowder, it would all be over.
Very much enjoying reading this, and agree with your observations about the pre-island account and the directness of the language. It's also interesting to note so many dramatic tropes within the story, and realise that this was the origin for so many of them!
I'm enjoying the speed of the action - something happens on every page - and the language, which is so easy to understand but at the same time is interestingly different from modern English. Crusoe has met people who have been good to him and he remarks how trustworthy people can be, as though this surprises him. Then he is enslaved, and when his master trusts him to prepare a boat, he escapes. He treats African peoples with great suspicion but we see a successful transaction carried out between the two parties. His ambitions are such that in his Brasilian farming venture, Crusoe wanted to use enslaved African people. I'm looking forward to reading more. I must say the dog and the cats seemed to be an afterthought.
I really appreciate the background to this novel you’ve given us. It’s one of those stories I thought I knew but having read these opening chapters I’ve found there’s so much either not covered in films or that I’ve forgotten. I admit to being partly disappointed to know that it might not have been the work of a brilliant imagination but actually based on a real life experience.
It was Wilkie Collins that led me to read the story as his character Mr Betteredge uses the book as his personal philosophy. So far I’ve not been disappointed. While our narrator might have behaved wild and thoughtless in these early chapters, his father gives ample advice about living comfortably and warns him about the dangers of living in the lower or higher echelons of society.
Ironically, despite ignoring this sensible advice to follow a comfortable middle station he eventually finds himself in the position of having to become sensible and pragmatic in order to survive.
However, perhaps it was that self confidence and ability to abandon his secure homes that enabled him to get on with the job of securing a haven for himself rather than having lived comfortably.
I couldn’t help but read ahead so look forward to next quarters discussion.
It was my recent read of The Moonstone that also prompted me to read Robinson Crusoe as well, and I was so happy to see this readalong. I'm also enjoying it! (And I loved Mr. Betteredge)
I thought it started really well but then I struggled when Betteredge handed over the narration of the story. It seemed disjointed but comes together at the end so I would say it was worth sticking with if you can.
When I went to the 2nd-hand bookshop to buy Robinson Crusoe, I mistakenly bought Gulliver's Travels. (What an idiot!) But can I suggest Gulliver's Travels as another read-along.
Not idiotic at all! They’re from a similar date, they’re similarly mythologised and Swift was in part parodying Defoe. Very easy slip to make! And great idea – Gulliver’s Travels would be an excellent read-along.
I read Gullivers travels this year too and was surprised at the keen social criticism observed in justifying the human civilisation to another completely different culture.
Definitely plenty in there to discuss in a slow read.
I am thoroughly enjoying the book and am surprised at how easy it is to read. This book has sat on my shelf since childhood so I am pleased to finally read it. Defoe’s descriptive writing makes for wonderful visualisation. Looking forward to more adventures.
I also found the first part very interesting. I think I must have had an abridged copy when I was young as I’d only remembered the island. The insertion of the journal to bring us the story in a slightly different way reminded me of ‘The Counterfeiters’ though.
This is my first read and of course we all think of Crusoe’s time on the island so it was informative to read how the book starts out and gets it bearings.
Now I’m keen to see how it compares to Treasure Island more than 199 years later or other high seas tales such as Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling or Mutiny on the Bounty by Nordhoff and Hall.
I'm enjoying this book, and I've found it easy reading. I appreciate your comments, Henry, in the video about the moral ambiguity of Crusoe, and the slave trade. When I was reading, I was so astonished to see Dafoe use that two column "Evil" and "Good" as it was a rudimentary cognitive behavioural therapy system. Of course, it's a method of thought that is common, but I didn't expect it written out that way!
I am really enjoying this. I will say that all of the slave trade caught me off guard, and I did have to remind myself of when it was written. But I still felt he deserved what he got for participating in it.
Being able to set himself up as well as he did from the wreckage was quite fortunate. I was pleased to see that all of his projects took "real" time. It took days to cut a tree, shape it and install it as fence post. His camp wasn't set up in a weekend, it took months and was hard. Looking forward to the next installment
This is a delightful summer read, out on the patio with a cool drink. I have read it before, at a much younger age when it seemed a much drier read, but now I am much better able to visualize the scene and enjoy the cinematic adventure, and, having lived a little, to get much more out of the moral and philosophical dilemmas presented in this book. Thanks for bringing us this book Henry!
Upon re-reading my comment, I realised that I used the word much a bit much! Sorry about that!
Ha ha! Never too much much.
You are too kind!
I have to admit that I struggled a bit with the language and the spelling (the seemingly random Capital Letters almost had me reaching for the sal volatile). I was particularly confused by 'bad' for 'bade' - and there was quite a bit of re-reading necessary to get the sense of things.
Once I got into the stride of it, I was hooked.
And, yes, this does look like it will turn out to be a "ne'er-do-well faces adversity and becomes a better person". (Is that 'Moll Flanders' as well?)
The early part was a surprise. I kept thinking that Crusoe was going to get swindled and end up on a dodgy voyage, but he seems to have been remarkably lucky and met people who were good to him. I was going to say 'decent people' but the slave trade is more than a small issue.
Defoe - or Robinson - manages to be very ambiguous about slavery. I wondered whether the young lad might have ended up better off with the captain rather than Crusoe. Yes, he would have had his freedom with Crusoe, but I can't help thinking being with Crusoe would put him in danger on a regular basis. And the captain may well have been a better master than Crusoe would have been. I think it is the ease in which Defoe / Crusoe talk about slavery that is chilling - and realising how unremarkable it seemed then. I can't help thinking there will be a few things in the 21 st Century developed world that will look uncomfortable in a few hundred years' time.
I did find a few things to smile at, particularly Crusoe realising that if the lightning hit the gunpowder, it would all be over.
Wonderful observations Bren - and you’ve put your finger on it - it’s the casual references of slavery that feel uncomfortable.
Very much enjoying reading this, and agree with your observations about the pre-island account and the directness of the language. It's also interesting to note so many dramatic tropes within the story, and realise that this was the origin for so many of them!
I'm enjoying the speed of the action - something happens on every page - and the language, which is so easy to understand but at the same time is interestingly different from modern English. Crusoe has met people who have been good to him and he remarks how trustworthy people can be, as though this surprises him. Then he is enslaved, and when his master trusts him to prepare a boat, he escapes. He treats African peoples with great suspicion but we see a successful transaction carried out between the two parties. His ambitions are such that in his Brasilian farming venture, Crusoe wanted to use enslaved African people. I'm looking forward to reading more. I must say the dog and the cats seemed to be an afterthought.
I completely agree about the dog! I keep forgetting he has one – and then we get a casual reference. I keep wondering what he’s giving the dog to eat!
I really appreciate the background to this novel you’ve given us. It’s one of those stories I thought I knew but having read these opening chapters I’ve found there’s so much either not covered in films or that I’ve forgotten. I admit to being partly disappointed to know that it might not have been the work of a brilliant imagination but actually based on a real life experience.
It was Wilkie Collins that led me to read the story as his character Mr Betteredge uses the book as his personal philosophy. So far I’ve not been disappointed. While our narrator might have behaved wild and thoughtless in these early chapters, his father gives ample advice about living comfortably and warns him about the dangers of living in the lower or higher echelons of society.
Ironically, despite ignoring this sensible advice to follow a comfortable middle station he eventually finds himself in the position of having to become sensible and pragmatic in order to survive.
However, perhaps it was that self confidence and ability to abandon his secure homes that enabled him to get on with the job of securing a haven for himself rather than having lived comfortably.
I couldn’t help but read ahead so look forward to next quarters discussion.
Wonderful comments Jenny – thanks so much for sharing.
It was my recent read of The Moonstone that also prompted me to read Robinson Crusoe as well, and I was so happy to see this readalong. I'm also enjoying it! (And I loved Mr. Betteredge)
I got started on The Moonstone once and got distracted. I need to pick it up again and read all the way through.
It was so worth it.
I thought it started really well but then I struggled when Betteredge handed over the narration of the story. It seemed disjointed but comes together at the end so I would say it was worth sticking with if you can.
Loved Betteredge too. Are you in Tristan & the Classics book club by any chance?
I'm not but I'll have to look it up! I did my own readalong with a few friends and we had a great time reading The Moonstone.
When I went to the 2nd-hand bookshop to buy Robinson Crusoe, I mistakenly bought Gulliver's Travels. (What an idiot!) But can I suggest Gulliver's Travels as another read-along.
Not idiotic at all! They’re from a similar date, they’re similarly mythologised and Swift was in part parodying Defoe. Very easy slip to make! And great idea – Gulliver’s Travels would be an excellent read-along.
I read Gullivers travels this year too and was surprised at the keen social criticism observed in justifying the human civilisation to another completely different culture.
Definitely plenty in there to discuss in a slow read.
I am thoroughly enjoying the book and am surprised at how easy it is to read. This book has sat on my shelf since childhood so I am pleased to finally read it. Defoe’s descriptive writing makes for wonderful visualisation. Looking forward to more adventures.
I also found the first part very interesting. I think I must have had an abridged copy when I was young as I’d only remembered the island. The insertion of the journal to bring us the story in a slightly different way reminded me of ‘The Counterfeiters’ though.
Great point! I hadn’t made that connection.
This is my first read and of course we all think of Crusoe’s time on the island so it was informative to read how the book starts out and gets it bearings.
Now I’m keen to see how it compares to Treasure Island more than 199 years later or other high seas tales such as Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling or Mutiny on the Bounty by Nordhoff and Hall.
I'm enjoying this book, and I've found it easy reading. I appreciate your comments, Henry, in the video about the moral ambiguity of Crusoe, and the slave trade. When I was reading, I was so astonished to see Dafoe use that two column "Evil" and "Good" as it was a rudimentary cognitive behavioural therapy system. Of course, it's a method of thought that is common, but I didn't expect it written out that way!
That’s so fascinating – I hadn’t thought of it as a form of proto-CBT but it definitely helps him, doesn’t it?