I haven't read RC yet, but the Mysterious Island is a great piece of work! However, I think you shouldn't read that book if you haven't read "20,000 leagues under the sea" and "Captain Grant's Children" before, because in MI you will find out the real end of them, and there may be stuffs you don't understand completely =)

Kim wrote: "I had to admit I really liked this book. I thought it was going to be another "the old man and the sea" type since he's all alone for most of the book...but it was actually interesting!

At least..."

Stranded in an island? Better read The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne.

I'm sorry but I find Robinson Crusoe awfully boring and self-serving *shrugs*

Gerald wrote: "But he doesn't tell Friday to call him "Rob" but rather to call him "Master." And when he teaches Friday English (never mind learning Friday's language), he teaches him a grammatically incorrect En..."

The impression I got was that Crusoe was in another part of the world and had met a native to the part of the world he was stranded in and had already built a system of survival through many hardships that had worked for him. In this shocking encounter with another human he had to make him part of his system and establish dominance for safety because he was concerned about future attacks and deaths from natives of a foreign culture. As for speaking English, it is a very difficult second language for anyone to learn. I cannot speak for Stevenson's depiction of cultural practices of other natives which appears to possibly be fictitious and entirely a creation of the author's.

Pardon my ignorance, but does this book has any resemblance with The Misterious Island, by Julius Verne?? I have only read the latter, and I was fascinated by it, and I'm afraid if I read Robinson Crusoe it will seem to me a copy of Verne's. What do you think?

But he doesn't tell Friday to call him "Rob" but rather to call him "Master." And when he teaches Friday English (never mind learning Friday's language), he teaches him a grammatically incorrect English with verb tenses incorrect, so he becomes a "darkie" stereotype when he speaks. He and Friday are together several years; why not teach him to speak grammatical English? Because Friday is a "savage" and therefore unable to speak grammatically?

I thought RC was terrific and his finding of the footprint on his island is one of the alltime classic moments of literature in my view. At that point you are really into the character's head and the footprint seems to psychically vibrate within the character's experiences within the book. It also become the start of a key plot turning point in the book.

I loved R.C. When my kids were watching the TV show "Survivor" we read R. C. together as a family. They soon lost interest in the TV show. Oh, the power of good books!!

I think the issue of slavery was handled very nicely. He went from working on the salving ship to depending on "Friday" for his survival. It is hard to step back and see their behavior in context with the morals of their time. I tend to judge their behavior by the morals of our times. I am just glad I live in a more enlightened time in history.

] I wonder if in another 100 years his "carnivore" values will be as difficult to read as his "racist" values are today?

In short: No.

I wonder if in another 100 years his "carnivore" values will be as difficult to read as his "racist" values are today?

I read it when I was young, and again this year--20 years difference in perspective made me enjoy it much more. Now that I am actually responsible for feeding, housing, and clothing myself, as well as figuring out how to fix and grow things around the house, it was much more fascinating to consider what it must be like to completely construct your own life without most conveniences. And as a scientist, I found Crusoe's views on his own agriculture interesting. As far as some of the older books on the list go, I thought this was pretty readable--although I don't argue that there aren't tedious parts, and that despite recognizing the differences in culture between then and now, the racist ideas are difficult to read.

Hey Skylar,
Yes you would !
But, believe me, I was very angry when I understood
his ship went for slaves.
Greetings from Belgium.

Robinson Crusoe bored me to tears both times I had to read it. I wonder if I would like it in my older age?

You know ... I had to read this for a graduate level English class in college where we were reading doubles (like reading Defoe's Robinson Crusoe and then J.M. Coetzee's Foe or King Lear and then A Hundred Thousand Acres). If I wasn't forced to, I would never had read this book. It was mundane and boring in the sheer repetition of the lists and such. I couldn't even stomach Foe for that matter but it was better than Crusoe.

I know....it's one of those books where the idea (stranded on an island) was way more interesting than the book itself

I thought Robinson Crusoe was long winded and boring. I did think it was well written and understand why it was on the list.

I loved Robinson Crusoe when I was a kid. I think I probably read it 10 times.

Can't really compare the two books, can you? I mean, one is long, one is short, one is 20th century, one is 19th, one is Hemmingway, one is Defoe. I didn't really like The old Man and the Sea, but I enjoyed Robinson Crusoe.

I really like the idea of discussing some of the 1001 books in detail. I think, we should have some discussions here, instead of just adding up, which books we have just read!

Speaking of The Old Man and the Sea, that is what I just finished.

I had to admit I really liked this book. I thought it was going to be another "the old man and the sea" type since he's all alone for most of the book...but it was actually interesting!

At least I have some good tips if I ever become shipwrecked on a stranded island! =)