Alexander Selkirk…Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest…
It’s the consummate survival novel. Left on an exotic desert isle, all alone…clinging to the hope of eventual rescue and being returned to civilization. Many, many, many books and movies followed and capitalized on this theme…but Daniel Defoe got the story out first…and he used a real-life character to weave the tale. Alexander Selkirk lived it…and he was the basis for the story. Selkirk was a real-life Buccaneer who served as a privateer under William Dampier (who went on to become the Governor Nassau Island…perhaps the second best known pirate lair of the Caribbean…right after Port Royal, and before Tortuga), and self-marooned on the Pacific Island of Juan Fernandez for four months. He was eventually “rescued” and became somewhat of a celebrity…at least well enough known to have caught Defoe’s eye.
And then there’s Friday…
The first edition, or first printing of Robinson Crusoe is not available online (it’s a pretty rare volume) but the third printing is…and that’s just as good! Enjoy!
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