Robinson Crusoe is an imaginary story about a merchant-adventurer marooned on a desert island off the northern coast of South America. Daniel Defoe wrote this novel in 1719. He based the story partly on the experiences of a Scottish sailor, Alexander Selkirk. But Defoe's realistic account of Crusoe's life is much more interesting, and has become one of the most popular books in English.
The book explains how Crusoe cleverly manages to make himself at home while he lives on the island. After living alone for 26 years, Crusoe rescues a man from cannibals. He calls the man Friday because he met him on that day. Friday becomes Crusoe's trusted friend and servant. The term, "man Friday," has come to mean any trusted servant. Finally, after 28 years, Crusoe and Friday board a passing ship and are taken to England.
Defoe was born in London, the son of a Protestant butcher and candle merchant. He started a business career, but he went bankrupt and turned to writing. His earliest writings dealt with such controversial subjects as politics and religion; a political pamphlet led to his imprisonment in 1703 for about 4 months.
For about 25 years, Defoe earned his living as a journalist. He produced his own periodical, The Review, single-handedly from 1704 to 1713. Many politicians hired him to write for newspapers. At times he was secretly writing for the Whig Party in one paper and the Tories in another. Not much is known about his last years, but he continued to write much political journalism.
appears in: