The complete English tradesman, in familiar letters, directing him in all the several parts and progressions of trade

by Daniel Defoe

The title of this work is an index of the performance. It is a collection of useful instructions for a young tradesman.

Genres: Business, Classics

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1627

About the author

Daniel Defoe was an English novelist, journalist, merchant, pamphleteer and spy. He is most famous for his novel Robinson Crusoe, published in 1719, which is claimed to be second only to the Bible in its number of translations. He has been seen as one of the earliest proponents of the English novel, and helped to popularise the form in Britain with others such as Aphra Behn and Samuel Richardson. Defoe wrote many political tracts, was often in trouble with the authorities, and spent a period in prison. Intellectuals and political leaders paid attention to his fresh ideas and sometimes consulted him.
Defoe was a prolific and versatile writer, producing more than three hundred works—books, pamphlets, and journals—on diverse topics, including politics, crime, religion, marriage, psychology and the supernatural. He was also a pioneer of business journalism and economic journalism.

Reviews

[Lucy · Rating 2 out of 5]

When one finds out about Defoe's life as a tradesman himself, I suspect this book is more 'Do as I say, not as I do'. But it's a fascinating slice of 18th century British life and still surprisingly relevant.

[Mimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfect if you want to become an 18th century English tradesman. If not, you still get an interesting look into 18th century British values, especially as they relate to an emerging consumer culture. A very patriotic book. Defoe talks at length about the superiority of the British way of life, and he even calls the English climate the best in the world (ha! :D).