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The life and adventures of Alexander Selkirk, the real Robinson Crusoe : A narrative founded on facts. History of the wanderings of Tom Starboard.

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The life and adventures of Alexander Selkirk, the real Robinson Crusoe : A narrative founded on facts. History of the wanderings of Tom Starboard.

by John Howell

EN·~1 hours·15 chapters

Chapters

15 total

SELKIRK AND STARBOARD.

0:21

ADVENTURES OF ALEXANDER SELKIRK.

32:27

STARBOARD.

0:00

HISTORY OF THE WANDERINGS OF TOM STARBOARD.

6:17

THE SHIPWRECK.

8:21

JOURNEY ACROSS THE ANDES.

4:21

VISIT TO A CAVERN.

3:53

TRAVELS AMONG THE INDIANS.

2:55

BIRDS AND BEASTS OF SOUTH AMERICA.

2:51

THE WILL-O’-THE-WISP.

3:32

Description

Set in the early 1700s, the story follows a restless Scottish youth who signs onto a South Sea vessel. After a bitter clash with his captain and a disturbing dream, he abandons the ship and steps onto the desolate Juan Fernández island. The initial thrill of freedom quickly sours as he watches the departing oars and realizes he may be utterly alone. In the first days he battles hunger, sleepless anxiety, and the stark fact that rescue is not imminent.

He gradually adapts, learning to catch seals, gather shell‑fish, and preserve powder for hunting. Building a simple hut and coping with chilling winter nights gives him a modest sense of control. The narrative also notes how his early religious upbringing offers quiet consolation amid isolation. Listeners experience a factual adventure that blends survival, inner reflection, and the raw beauty of an uninhabited Pacific landscape.

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Details

Language

en

Duration

~1 hours (74K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Original publisher

United States: M. Day & Co., 1841.

Credits

Bob Taylor and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)

Release date

2023-04-24

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

JH

John Howell

1788–1863

A restless, many-sided figure from Edinburgh, this 19th-century writer mixed adventure storytelling with a life of bold experiments and unusual inventions. He is best remembered for turning the real story behind Robinson Crusoe into a lively narrative for readers of his day.

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