Robinson Crusoe Day

History of Robinson Crusoe Day

Robinson Crusoe, a novel of author Daniel Defoe, was first published on April 25, 1719. This first edition credits the work's fictional protagonist Robinson Crusoe as its author, making it many readers believe that he is a real person and that the book is a travel book of real events. It was published under the considerably longer original title Robinson Crusoe's Life and Strange Adventures, Of York, Mariner: The Man Who Lived for 8 and 20 Years, All Lonely on an Island Without people living on the United States Coast, near the mouth of the Great Oroonoque River; Thrown on the Shore by Shipwreck, in which all the Men die except for himself. With An Account, what it's like to end up with a strange delivery by Pyrates. In a clerical, confessional, and didactic form, the book is a fictional autobiography of the title character (born Robinson Kreutznaer)—a runaway who lived for many years on a tropical island far away near Trinidad, encountering cannibals, captors and mutants before being told The story is widely believed to have been influenced by the life of Alexander Selkirk, a Scottish lived for four years on Más a Tierra island (in 1966 its name was changed to Robinson Crusoe Island), Chile. However, other sources may have been given for the text. For example, it is possible that Defoe drew inspiration from the Latin or English translation of Hayy ibn Yaqdhan by Ibn Tufail, an earlier novel also set on a desert island.

February 1 is perhaps best known as the day before dark-seeking mammals appear to predict how long winter will last. But it is also the date designated as "Robinson Crusoe Day", to commemorate Alexander Selkirk's rescue in 1709.

How to celebrate Robinson Crusoe Day

• To hear the story of Robinson Crusoe, visit Candlelight Stories. (There are also quick summaries and illustrations provided on the website.)
• For some resources and activities to celebrate this day, check out Living Life at Home.