Daniel Defoe Books In Order

Publication Order of Robinson Crusoe Books

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Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Collections

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Pamphlets/Essays

Publication Order of Anthologies

Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe, born in London around 1660, was an English journalist, writer, and spy that gained enduring fame for his novel “Robinson Crusoe”. He is notable for being one of the earliest practitioners of the novel, is usually referred to as one of the founders, if not the founder, of the English novel. Defoe helped popularize the genre in Britain. He is known to have used almost two hundred pen names in his career.

Daniel was a versatile and prolific writer, writing over five hundred books, journals, and pamphlets on numerous topics, like: psychology, politics, religion, crime, the supernatural, and marriage. He was also a pioneer of economic journalism.

Daniel was born Daniel Foe and was the son of a London butcher named James Foe. He later added the “De” at the beginning of his name to make his name sound more gentlemanly.

He graduated from an academy at Newington Green, which was run by the Reverend Charles Morton. Shortly after, in the year 1683, he went into business, giving up an earlier intent on becoming a dissenting minister. He traveled around often, selling goods like wool and wine, however he was rarely ever out of debt. Daniel went bankrupt in the year 1692, paying debts for close to a decade after. By 1703 he had given up the business industry.

Daniel was always interested in politics, and published a political pamphlet, his first literary piece, in the year 1683. He continued writing political works, working as a journalist until early in the 1700s. Some of these pamphlets got him jailed by his political opponents for slander.

Around the age of 59, he took a new literary path when he published “Robinson Crusoe”, a novel that is based off many short essays that he composed over the years. Some novels followed shortly after, often with rogues and criminals.

While he was writing fiction, his political work tapered off during this point, due to the fall of both the Tory and Whig party leaders with whom he was associated. Robert Walpole had been beginning his rise at this time, and Defoe just never felt entirely at home with the Walpole group.

During the mid-1720s, he went back to writing editorial pieces that focused on subjects like politics, morality, and the breakdown of social order in England.

He died April 24, 1731. The cause of death was ruled lethargy, but it is likely that he experienced a stroke. Defoe is remembered today as a prolific author and journalist, and has been lauded for his numerous works of non-fiction and fiction. The characters he created in his fiction have been brought to life countless times through the years, in editorial works, and on screen and stage productions.

“Robinson Crusoe” was released in the year 1719. It tells the story of Robinson’s shipwreck on a desert island for almost thirty years and the subsequent adventures that he went on. Throughout the episodic narrative, Crusoe’s struggles with his own faith are apparent while bargaining with God in times of life-threatening crises, but he repeatedly turns his back after his deliverances.

Robinson finally becomes content with his lot in life, having been separated from society, and following a much more genuine conversion experience.

Fans found the novel to be best during the slower parts, as Defoe is a master of detail. The action, when it does come, is much better after the calmer parts. The novel has a gripping plot, is rich in detail, has profound character development, some insightful meditations, and the meeting of two totally different worlds of the cannibals and Robinson.

“Journal of the Plague Year” is a novel that was released in the year 1722. In 1665, the Great Plague swept through London, and claimed almost one hundred thousand lives. In the novel, Defoe chronicles vividly the progress of this epidemic.

Readers follow his fictional narrator through a city that has been transformed: the alleyways and streets are deserted, houses of death have crosses painted on the doors. The dead-carts make their way on to the pits, and find horrified citizens of the city. All while isolation, fear, and hysteria take hold.

“Moll Flanders” is a novel that was released in the year 1722. Moll Flanders, the titular heroine, appears as a bigamist, whore, thief, and lives in The Mint, commits acts such as incest and adultery, yet is still able to maintain the sympathy of the reader. She was born in Newgate. The novel claims to be the true accounting of Moll’s life, detailing exploits from her birth until her old age.

Some of her exploits included being a whore for twelve years, being a thief for twelve years, and marrying five times (once to her brother), and eight years living as a transported felon in Virginia. After doing all of this, she grew rich, lived honest, before dying a penitent.

Her savvy manipulation of wealth and men earns her a life filled with trials, however ultimately an ending in reward. Even though Moll struggles with some of her choices and actions, religion appears to be the furthest from her concerns throughout the majority of her story.

Readers found this to be a brilliant and classic story with a bold and unusual heroine that is not at all girly, prim, or chaste. Moll is a great survivalist bad girl that triumphs over every bad thing that the author throws her way. Defoe does a great job of getting the sympathy of the reader, and does so by placing her in a hostile yet enticing world, one that lures and tempts otherwise virtuous individual into a life of crime.

“Roxana: The Fortunate Mistress” is Daniel’s final novel and was released in the year 1724. This novel is an example of the rather remarkable way that Defoe is able to inhabit his fictional characters (who are also drawn from life), despite Roxana’s being a woman.

This is the story of the spiritual and moral decline of one high society courtesan. At the time she is relaying her story, she says she has become a penitent later in life.