Swiss Family Robinson, Johann David Wyss
Swiss Family Robinson, Johann David Wyss
List: $35.00 | Sale: $24.50
Club: $17.50

Swiss Family Robinson
The Lost Manuscript

Author: Johann David Wyss

Narrator: Geoffrey Giuliano

Unabridged: 12 hr 41 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 12/07/2024

Categories: Fiction, Classic

Synopsis

First published in 1812, The Swiss Family Robinson may sometimes seem old-fashioned to modern readers, especially the family’s attitude toward wildlife (if it moves, shoot it). However, it’s a truly exciting adventure and a timeless story of warm and loving family life. As the narrator says: “It was written... for the instruction and amusement of my children... Children are, on the whole, very much alike everywhere, and you four lads fairly represent multitudes... It will make me happy to think that my simple narrative may lead some of these to observe how blessed are the results of patient continuance in well-doing, what benefits arise from the thoughtful application of knowledge and science, and how good and pleasant a thing it is when brethren dwell together in unity, under the eye of parental love.” Written by Swiss pastor Johann David Wyss and edited by his son Johann Rudolf Wyss (this edition lists J.R. as the author), the novel was intended to teach his four sons about family values, good husbandry, the uses of the natural world, and self-reliance. It’s fun to think of the long-ago author reading his own books of natural history and creating this novel to share his interests with his boys. 

About Johann David Wyss

Johann David Wyss (1743–1818), is best remembered for his book The Swiss Family Robinson. Like the narrator of his famous story of survival on an uninhabited island, Wyss was a Swiss pastor who had four sons. It was to entertain and instruct these children that he devised the idea of the island and its plethora of natural resources. The book was edited by his son, Johann Rudolf, a scholar who wrote the Swiss national anthem. Another son, Johann Emmanuel, illustrated the book.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Charles on October 18, 2022

Divine Providence and Swiss Industriousness Review of free Kindle edition A Public Domain Book Publication date: March 30, 2011 Language: English ASIN: B004UJ3C16 446 pages From the title page: THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON OR, Adventures on a Desert Island JEAN RUDOLPH WYSS THE WINDERMERE SERIES WITH ILLUSTRATION......more

Goodreads review by Drayton on June 12, 2014

Its fascinating to read these reviews and see how many people judge a story of this time period by the values of the 21st century. I doubt any of the people who have written these reviews have ever missed a meal let alone faced the dangers of survival in a wilderness. The story was written to fire......more

Goodreads review by mark on September 27, 2020

Argh, just noticed that I'm reading the confounded Abridged version. Stopping now! Will have to get the unabridged and start fresh. Still very happy to somehow have kept a book that I read over and over again as a kid, until its pages started falling out. (All pages rescued, happily.) But didn't you......more

Goodreads review by Marty on August 26, 2009

Wow. What a relief to have that out of the way ... I have been painstakingly pushing my way through this book for a while now. Having said that, I always thought that The Swiss Family Robinson was just the type of story that I would like. Going into it, my expectations were high and I think my enthu......more

Goodreads review by carrie on May 26, 2008

*****SPOILER ALERT ***** I've read it now, and it does not measure up to the Disney movie. It was so ridiculous! The boys shoot every animal they see, which range from inhabitants of the African savannah, Australia, and the American northwest -- yes, hippos, rhinos, lions, tigers, kangaroos, bears, e......more

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