The Life of a Privateer

Daniel Defoe’s 1719 novel Robinson Crusoe is one of the most widely published books in history. This story of a man stranded alone on an island is said to be second only to the Bible in its number of translations. But who was Defoe’s inspiration for creating one of the best-known protagonists in literature? And what led to this real-life sailor spending years of his life cut off from human contact?

This is a Short History of the Real Robinson Crusoe.

Written by David Jackson. With thanks Dr Rebecca Simon, historian and the author of Why We Love Pirates.

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