Or to give the novel its full title, because the full titles of early novels are always worth recording: “The Farther Adventures of Robinson Crusoe; Being the Second and Last Part of His Life, And of the Strange Surprising Accounts of his Travels Round three Parts of the Globe”. 

I enjoy literary curiosities and this novel definitely falls into that category. The original ‘Robinson Crusoe‘ was hugely popular, and this little-read sequel could be seen as a cynical cashing in, a ‘straight to video’ Robinson Crusoe 2, published just five short months after RC1. There is also an RC3 –  ‘Serious Reflections During the Life and Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe: With his Vision of the Angelick World‘ (1720) which for me is probably one Crusoe too many.

This novel opens with a quick summary of Crusoe’s life since his return from the island. He has bought a farm and had three children. But his wanderlust cannot be contained for long and he wants to return to his island. The death of his wife acts as a form of release and he sets off on another set of voyages, leaving his young family behind. Continue reading →