Daniel Defoe

Daniel Defoe

Daniel Defoe (1660-1731) was a prolific English writer and occupies a revered place in the annals of English literature. Defoe emerged as a literary force during a tumultuous era marked by political upheaval, economic transformation, and the rise of the novel as a distinctive literary form.

Defoe’s enduring legacy is perhaps best encapsulated in his masterpiece, Robinson Crusoe, a novel that continues to captivate readers with its exploration of isolation, survival, and the human spirit.

Books by Daniel Defoe

Ibn Tufail’s The Journey of the Soul is a novella which was written in the 12th century. Ibn Tufail was born in a town called Guadix near Granada and he was Ibn Rushd’s teacher who was a great philosopher. I think it is an extraordinary book. Many people see it as one of the inspirations behind Robinson Crusoe. There was a translation done of it from the Arabic into Latin just a few years before Defoe wrote Crusoe and there are various parallels between the two books.

Jason Webster on the Best Books on Spain

Interviews where books by Daniel Defoe were recommended

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