A Defoe Companion

Daniel Defoe occupies a central place in the history of English literature. As the author of Robinson Crusoe and Moll Flanders he can claim with some justification to be the creator of the first novels in English and the father of the novel as we know it today. He was one of the earliest practitioners of the "desert island" myth which has had such a seminal influence on the human imagination. In A Journal of the Plague Year and A Tour Through the Whole Island of Great Britain he forged a distinctive documentary style which deeply influenced later writers including Wells and Orwell. An introductory section traces the forces which molded Defoe as man and writer and summarises his contribution to English letters. This is followed by detailed introductions to the novels and documentaries placing each of the principal works in its literary and biographical context. The Companion also contains a key to the characters and locations, and a guide to the film versions of Defoe's novels. In summarizing Defoe's life and achievement the Companion offers a critical overview of his contribution to the development of the novel and re-establishes him as a central figure in the history of literature.