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3.17 AVERAGE
3.17 AVERAGE
I can see why this is a classic. The adventure/survival aspects of this book are wonderful! However, it did not age well. From the outdated attitude towards hunting all the way to racism and heavy-handed Christian monologues. I don't see how the main character was ever likable. He steals boats, constantly puts others in danger and thinks he is superior to everyone.
The best way I can describe this book is as a very tedious story about an exciting life.
I don't know if it's the extremely slow plot, the lack of character development over the 30+ years or simply dull story telling but I feel like I own textbooks less boring than this...
To be fair to the author, I did read a version without chapters which I'm not used to, and which probably didn't help. Also, it's pretty old... But I have to rate it from my experience, no?
Thinking about it - I honestly think I'm a little generous with two stars and based on my experience I would not recommend this book (not as entertainment at least. It's great for falling asleep).
I don't know if it's the extremely slow plot, the lack of character development over the 30+ years or simply dull story telling but I feel like I own textbooks less boring than this...
To be fair to the author, I did read a version without chapters which I'm not used to, and which probably didn't help. Also, it's pretty old... But I have to rate it from my experience, no?
Thinking about it - I honestly think I'm a little generous with two stars and based on my experience I would not recommend this book (not as entertainment at least. It's great for falling asleep).
It was a little slow in the middle, unless you *really* like the nuts and bolts aspect of survival. Otherwise, this was an interesting tale of the aspects of loneliness. Perhaps some readers can relate. It also underscored the importance of the capacity of the protagonist's wit, industriousness, and work ethic. I can see why this novel has held so much sway for 300 years.
I just want to know what happened to Friday's dad and the Spaniard.
I just want to know what happened to Friday's dad and the Spaniard.
A book I had to read but didn't mind. I liked writing about Crusoe and Friday.
Step right up folks and see the English-speaking world's first published novel! Nevermind that it's a bit crap and a bunch racist, it was first!
Mostly read these days as a historical oddity, if nothing else Robinson Crusoe is a reminder of how far we've come, writing-wise, as a culture. I'd give it 2 stars, maybe 2 and a half on a generous day.
This is a good tool for building discipline and patience, because if you can sit still a while and follow along R.C. will just out of nowhere hit you with some Enlightened-level comment that cuts to the core and makes you rethink your whole being, or at least your present circumstances. But then he goes right back to listing how many goatskins he cured in the sun or how long it took him to whittle a canoe out of an entire tree or whatever. So because the content isn't always what we'd call finger-quotes arresting, the goal for me became to experience reading this as an action itself and seek the value in a bit of basic reflection, i.e. how's my posture right now? what's different about reading out in the sun vs. under the covers? have I become distracted? what's the last thing I remember before my mind began wandering? It was like reading as meditation, in that way.
So, did I like the book? Nope. But I don't like exercising either, and there's a similar sense of accomplishment in both activities.
Mostly read these days as a historical oddity, if nothing else Robinson Crusoe is a reminder of how far we've come, writing-wise, as a culture. I'd give it 2 stars, maybe 2 and a half on a generous day.
This is a good tool for building discipline and patience, because if you can sit still a while and follow along R.C. will just out of nowhere hit you with some Enlightened-level comment that cuts to the core and makes you rethink your whole being, or at least your present circumstances. But then he goes right back to listing how many goatskins he cured in the sun or how long it took him to whittle a canoe out of an entire tree or whatever. So because the content isn't always what we'd call finger-quotes arresting, the goal for me became to experience reading this as an action itself and seek the value in a bit of basic reflection, i.e. how's my posture right now? what's different about reading out in the sun vs. under the covers? have I become distracted? what's the last thing I remember before my mind began wandering? It was like reading as meditation, in that way.
So, did I like the book? Nope. But I don't like exercising either, and there's a similar sense of accomplishment in both activities.
I checked out the audiobook read by John Lee to listen to in a long car ride. Since I was with a few others, I thought this would be a fun story for a multi-gender and multigenerational audience. It was. I attribute a lot of the enjoyment to the reader John Lee. He did a phenomenal job reading for each character presented in the story. Given the detail of Robinson's accounts, there were certainly times I would drift in and out of the recollections. I don't know if I would have kept interested if not for John Lee's expressions and the historical significance of this novel.
The content of the book wasn't modern by any means. It was written 300 years ago, after all. There is plenty that you shake your head out, twitch your lip, and grimace at. It is offensive in many ways. Our main character is a bigoted, self-righteous, Mary-Sue character. Despite any and all of his misfortunes, he manages to come out well ahead because he somehow had skill sets and luck to survive it. His egotistical viewpoint enslaves Friday and somehow Friday, the captain, and others bow down before him with little reserve.
There are many historical inaccuracies and the human reactions hardly seem realistic. As a novel, you can separate this from reality. Unfortunately, I am sure it created more bias by passing on false information at the time of original publishing when Daniel Defoe credited Robinson Crusoe as the author making it appear as if an autobiography rather than a piece of fiction.
Despite, I appreciate having had John Lee record this book. I don't think I would have gotten through this story had I read it on my own. I would easily give his work a 5/5. This novel I would give 2/5 for my modern viewpoint.
The content of the book wasn't modern by any means. It was written 300 years ago, after all. There is plenty that you shake your head out, twitch your lip, and grimace at. It is offensive in many ways. Our main character is a bigoted, self-righteous, Mary-Sue character. Despite any and all of his misfortunes, he manages to come out well ahead because he somehow had skill sets and luck to survive it. His egotistical viewpoint enslaves Friday and somehow Friday, the captain, and others bow down before him with little reserve.
There are many historical inaccuracies and the human reactions hardly seem realistic. As a novel, you can separate this from reality. Unfortunately, I am sure it created more bias by passing on false information at the time of original publishing when Daniel Defoe credited Robinson Crusoe as the author making it appear as if an autobiography rather than a piece of fiction.
Despite, I appreciate having had John Lee record this book. I don't think I would have gotten through this story had I read it on my own. I would easily give his work a 5/5. This novel I would give 2/5 for my modern viewpoint.
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
This book was just painful, painful, painful for me to read.
La storia in generale la conoscono tutti.
Il problema è che il messaggio “meglio stare ancorato alle radici, allontanarsi dal nido porta solo sventure” poteva andar bene nel ‘700, oggi sembra una presa in giro.
Il problema è che il messaggio “meglio stare ancorato alle radici, allontanarsi dal nido porta solo sventure” poteva andar bene nel ‘700, oggi sembra una presa in giro.