Robinson Crusoe cover art

Robinson Crusoe

 Preview
Get this deal Try Premium Plus free
Offer ends 29 January 2026 at 11:59PM GMT.
Prime members: New to Audible? Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Just £0.99/mo for your first 3 months of Audible.
1 bestseller or new release per month—yours to keep.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals.
Auto-renews at £8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

Robinson Crusoe

By: Daniel Defoe
Narrated by: Simon Vance
Get this deal Try Premium Plus free

£8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly. Offer ends 29 January 2026 at 11:59PM GMT.

£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

LIMITED TIME OFFER | £0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Premium Plus auto-renews at £8.99/mo after 3 months. Terms apply.

About this listen

 Widely regarded as the first English novel, Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe is one of the most popular and influential adventure stories of all time.

This classic tale of shipwreck and survival on an uninhabited island was an instant success when first published in 1719, and it has inspired countless imitations.

In his own words, Robinson Crusoe tells of the terrible storm that drowned all his shipmates and left him marooned on a deserted island. Forced to overcome despair, doubt, and self-pity, he struggles to create a life for himself in the wilderness. From practically nothing, Crusoe painstakingly learns how to make pottery, grow crops, domesticate livestock, and build a house. His many adventures are recounted in vivid detail, including a fierce battle with cannibals and his rescue of Friday, the man who becomes his trusted companion.

Full of enchanting detail and daring heroics, Robinson Crusoe is a celebration of courage, patience, ingenuity, and hard work.

Public Domain (P)2008 Tantor Action & Adventure Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Sea Adventures Adventure Funny Feel-Good

Listeners also enjoyed...

 The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe cover art
Gulliver's Travels cover art
Around the World in 80 Days cover art
A General History of the Pyrates cover art
Joseph Andrews cover art
The Great Railway Bazaar cover art
A Brief History of Life in the Middle Ages cover art
Treasure Island cover art
Letters to a Young Poet cover art
If I See You Again Tomorrow cover art
The Challenge of Things cover art
In 27 Days cover art
The Travels and Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen cover art
Erewhon cover art
The Deepest Waters cover art
Tom Jones cover art
All stars
Most relevant
Really good story.
I assume one of my favourite books to listen to, The Martian, is based on this concept.

The attitude of the castaway is always what prevails.

There were a few aspects which I found all too convenient. But nevertheless, really enjoyed the story and would recommend.

I would recommend to anyone who enjoyed The Martian and for anyone who likes a diary-esq book.

I would also recommend this book as a break between a long series (in my case A song of fire and ice series) as it's easy to follow and will relax your brain as there isn't many characters.

Loved it

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Is there anything you would change about this book?

It needs editing. I actually like all the detail about how he survives on the island. It's the latter sections of the book that are the problem. There's a clear natural finishing point for the story but Defoe kept on writing beyond it.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

It's like the final Lord Of The Rings movie, it just didn't know when to end.

Have you listened to any of Simon Vance’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No but I will listen to more. Very very good.

Could you see Robinson Crusoe being made into a movie or a TV series? Who would the stars be?

Well I think it's already been done, but Desmond from Lost would be my choice.

Good, but not great

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I enjoyed listening to this book, but think I benefitted from listening first. I think reading through the book may have been harder work. Most is monologe (of course, if deserted by oneself on an island) and occasionally dragged. However if you have already read and love the book, you will not be disappointed with this audio version. The narration is very good. I was surprised by some phrases and idealogies, but then it was written a very long time ago, when the status of women, black people, and 'savages' was considerably different, and considered acceptable and normal.

Very good

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The narration felt natural on this one once the story got rolling. I appreciated the slightly northern accent in context of Crusoe hailing from Yorkshire.

This is a relatively easy classic to digest...except for the nonchalant slave trade ventures and condescension towards all non-whites. Still, those reveal as much about the author's time than they do about Defoe.

Another Classic

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Where does Robinson Crusoe rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Great listen. Very enjoyable, one of the best books every written in English, in my opinion.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Robinson Crusoe?

There are many.

Which character – as performed by Simon Vance – was your favourite?

Robinson, of course.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

It would be Castaway

Any additional comments?

Great voice, good to listen to.

Great

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews