In 1719 the journalist Daniel Defoe published an unusual survivor story that became a runaway best seller commonly known as Robinson Crusoe.
In this episode we talk with rare books specialist Georgia Prince about the book and the story behind the 300 year old publication - The life and strange surprizing adventures of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe.
https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1955844
Such was the book’s success that Defoe speedily published a sequel in the same year, The farther adventures of Robinson Crusoe.
https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1955843
The most likely model for Robinson Crusoe was the real-life adventure story of the Scottish seaman Alexander Selkirk. He spent over four years surviving on an island until he was rescued by the privateer Woodes Rogers. An account can be read in, A cruising voyage round the world.
https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1968736
Plate engravings digitised here:
https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/rarebooks/id/1242/rec/2
All three books are on display and can be viewed in the ‘Real Gold Case’ in the Heritage Collections reading room, Level 2 of Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero | Central City Library.
Image: The first editions of Robinson Crusoe had no illustrations.
This image comes from the engravings contained in the sixteenth edition of 1784.
