Daniel Defoe's first novel "Robinson Crusoe", published in 1719, is considered by many to be the first novel in English, and its success was so enormous that by the end of the 19th century it had spawned more translations and versions than any other English book.

Its central importance to the canon lies not just in being first, but in being one of the best, and in Crusoe, the author created an everyman character who has become part of our cultural heritage.

Defoe's castaway - shipwrecked, imperilled, and facing a host of elemental challenges - lives an archetypal life of survival, adventure and personal development.

On one level a simple adventure story, and on other levels an allegory, a quest novel and a spiritual autobiography, "Robinson Crusoe" has captured the imagination of readers for nearly three centuries.