Crusoe, Castaways and Shipwrecks in the Perilous Age of Sail
"Fascinating" stories of real-life people and events that inspired the author of the classic adventure novel Robinson Crusoe (Historical Novel Society).
 
This book looks at some of the stories that inspired Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe—stories of bravery, determination, and good fortune, as well as human negligence, sheer stupidity, and bad luck. In addition to an overview of Defoe's life and his monumentally successful novel, it also considers some of the reasons why people found themselves cast away—as a result of being wrecked, abandoned as a punishment, or marooned by pirates, or even out of deliberate choice.
 
Major hurricanes in the eighteenth century causing huge damage to shipping and loss of life are also covered, along with catastrophes when ships were lost, and astonishing tales of survival in the face of adversity—down in the Falklands, in the Caribbean, and off the coast of Australia. It looks at how being cast away brings out the best in some—and in others the very worst. And it examines perhaps the most astonishing story of them all—sixty slaves abandoned on a desolate treeless island in the Indian Ocean and left there for fifteen years, some of whom survived against all odds.
1130594350
Crusoe, Castaways and Shipwrecks in the Perilous Age of Sail
"Fascinating" stories of real-life people and events that inspired the author of the classic adventure novel Robinson Crusoe (Historical Novel Society).
 
This book looks at some of the stories that inspired Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe—stories of bravery, determination, and good fortune, as well as human negligence, sheer stupidity, and bad luck. In addition to an overview of Defoe's life and his monumentally successful novel, it also considers some of the reasons why people found themselves cast away—as a result of being wrecked, abandoned as a punishment, or marooned by pirates, or even out of deliberate choice.
 
Major hurricanes in the eighteenth century causing huge damage to shipping and loss of life are also covered, along with catastrophes when ships were lost, and astonishing tales of survival in the face of adversity—down in the Falklands, in the Caribbean, and off the coast of Australia. It looks at how being cast away brings out the best in some—and in others the very worst. And it examines perhaps the most astonishing story of them all—sixty slaves abandoned on a desolate treeless island in the Indian Ocean and left there for fifteen years, some of whom survived against all odds.
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Crusoe, Castaways and Shipwrecks in the Perilous Age of Sail

Crusoe, Castaways and Shipwrecks in the Perilous Age of Sail

by Mike Rendell
Crusoe, Castaways and Shipwrecks in the Perilous Age of Sail

Crusoe, Castaways and Shipwrecks in the Perilous Age of Sail

by Mike Rendell

eBook

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Overview

"Fascinating" stories of real-life people and events that inspired the author of the classic adventure novel Robinson Crusoe (Historical Novel Society).
 
This book looks at some of the stories that inspired Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe—stories of bravery, determination, and good fortune, as well as human negligence, sheer stupidity, and bad luck. In addition to an overview of Defoe's life and his monumentally successful novel, it also considers some of the reasons why people found themselves cast away—as a result of being wrecked, abandoned as a punishment, or marooned by pirates, or even out of deliberate choice.
 
Major hurricanes in the eighteenth century causing huge damage to shipping and loss of life are also covered, along with catastrophes when ships were lost, and astonishing tales of survival in the face of adversity—down in the Falklands, in the Caribbean, and off the coast of Australia. It looks at how being cast away brings out the best in some—and in others the very worst. And it examines perhaps the most astonishing story of them all—sixty slaves abandoned on a desolate treeless island in the Indian Ocean and left there for fifteen years, some of whom survived against all odds.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781526747488
Publisher: Pen & Sword History
Publication date: 11/12/2020
Sold by: OPEN ROAD INTEGRATED - EBKS
Format: eBook
Pages: 160
File size: 19 MB
Note: This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Mike Rendell has written many books, all of them about Georgian England. His interest in the period was inspired by a fascinating cache of papers left by his 18th century ancestors. His other books with Pen & Sword include 'In Bed with the Georgians: Sex, Scandal and Satire in the 18th Century', 'Trailblazing Women of the Georgian Era' and 'Pirates & Privateers in the 18th Century: The Final Flourish'. When not writing, he spends his time talking on Georgian topics both in Britain and abroad, and in particular on board cruise ships. He travels extensively but his home is on the edge of Dartmoor.

Table of Contents

Preface vi

Part 1 The Book that Started it All…

Chapter 1 Daniel Defoe 2

Chapter 2 Robinson Crusoe 9

Part 2 Inspirations for Robinson Crusoe

Chapter 3 Alexander Selkirk 16

Chapter 4 Henry Pitman 24

Chapter 5 Robert Knox 31

Chapter 6 William Dampier 38

Part 3 Shipwrecked!

By Way of Background 50

Chapter 7 The Great Storm of 1703 52

Chapter 8 The Scillies Storm of 1707 61

Chapter 9 The Loss of HMS Victory in 1744 68

Chapter 10 The Hurricanes of 1780 and 1782 74

Chapter 11 Human Error: Fire and Water 82

Part 4 Other Castaways

Chapter 12 The Wreck of the Batavia 92

Chapter 13 Philip Ashton 104

Chapter 14 Leendert Hasenbosch 110

Chapter 15 The Forgotten Slaves of Tromelin 116

Chapter 16 Captain Bligh and Fletcher Christian 125

Chapter 17 Charles Barnard 134

Chapter 18 Conclusion 141

Bibliography 143

Image Accreditation 146

Index 150

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