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The Swiss Family Robinson

The Swiss Family Robinson

List Price: $5.50
Your Price: $4.95
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The ultimate survival story.
Review: Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe carved a literary niche for the survival story, and The Swiss Family Robinson is one of the many stories carved in that mould. Written from the perspective of the father, it chronicles the first-hand account of the shipwreck and survival of a Swiss family of six on a remote island somewhere near New Guinea. The family consists of a Swiss pastor who is a walking encyclopedia on agricultural practices from around the world; his wife who excels in equal measure with culinary skills, and four energetic sons. Displaying remarkable resilience and resourcefulness, they survive completely alone for over ten years until their rescue. In the process, they create their own European civilization, showing complete mastery over animals and plants, and creatively establishing houses. The bulk of the novel consists of their struggle for survival with their endless discovery of new species of plants and animals..

Readers should be warned that different versions of the Swiss Family Robinson abound. The Swiss pastor originally credited with the work - Johann David Wyss (1743-1818) - originally told many of these tales to his children, one of whom was likely responsible for the editing and publication of it. It was subsequently translated into many languages, with translators taking major liberties in abridgement or adding episodes of their own. The Disney film version, for instance, contains confrontations with pirates that are entirely absent from the original. Some versions speak of the shipwrecked lass as "Jenny", others as "Emily". The version I read (the Puffin Classics edition) was the translation of WHG Kingston, first published in 1879, and widely regarded as one of the best-loved English translations. Remarkably, however, it is not based on the original German version, but on an 1816 French version. Regardless of which version one reads, abridged versions sacrifice much of the charm of the original. The longer versions are eloquent, descriptive, and employ vocabulary and language that makes them far more satisfying than most contemporary condensed versions.

Given that the original author was a Swiss pastor, it's not surprising to find the narrative soaked with implicit Christian influences. There are frequent references to God's providence, commendation into God's care, keeping the day of rest, as well as the encouragement of Christian morals. The exercise and promotion of Christian virtue is a clear theme, evident especially in a final scene where the father charges his sons to be faithful as Christians. "In a long conversation with my sons I solemnly charged them with the future responsibilities of their life, in all its varied aspects, of duty towards God, their fellow men, and themselves, pointing out the temptations to which their different characters were likely to expose them, and exhorting them affectionately to hold fast to the faith in which they had been brought up." The boys all have different strengths and weaknesses, and Wyss presents this as a moral lesson for his readers: "Children are, on the whole, very much alike everywhere, and you four lads fairly represent multitudes, who are growing up in all directions. 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 eyes of parental love." The importance of a wholesome Christian family working together is very central: "And my great wish is that young people who read this record of our lives and adventures, should learn from it how admirably suited is the peaceful, industrious and pious life of a cheerful and united family, to the formation of strong, pure and manly character."

The island proves to be a form of idyllic paradise, where animals from every continent around the world apparently co-exist in a rather impossible manner (Australian kangaroos and platypuses, Antarctic penguins, African lions and elephants, North American wolves, and bears, South American boa constrictors, not to mention walruses, tapirs, toucans, flamingos and ostriches). New species of plants and animals are conveniently discovered on a daily basis, and the Wyss family appears to have an inexhaustible knowledge of how to use these resources to create their own civilization. They are little troubled by sickness, storms or strife, and have few difficulties in taming nearly every animal known to mankind. They are able to cook every delicacy ever conceived. Whether their menu offers truffles or turtle, roasted bear-paw or buffalo, the food is always good and the meat never burnt. In fact their success sometimes becomes rather repetitive and tiresome, and is evidently rooted in an overly optimistic view of mankind and faith in the possibilities offered by scientific knowledge.

But rather than become too frustrated by the utopianism, you should suspend your sense of disbelief and enjoy the ride. Certainly it is rather hard to believe that a Swiss pastor can immediately recognize a Myrica cerifera when he sees one and conveniently knows that its berries can be melted and strained to make candles, or that he knows that a sturgeon's bladder can be used to make isinglass, or that he remembers intricate details about Italian, Indian and South American practices of agriculture and animal husbandry. The production of chinaware, porcelain, soap, and rubber boots and the apparent skills in taxidermy and other exotic abilities may at times be hard to swallow. And the endless discoveries and conquests of nature are rather repetitive. But in the end it's enjoyable. It's little wonder that the Wyss family decided not to leave their "New Switzerland" at the end. For the same reason, so many people come back to the Robinson's island time and again. Some of the ideas in this book are certainly dated, but this book has stood the test of time, and spending time with the Swiss Family Robinson will continue to be rewarding.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Book Of The World!
Review: Have you ever been on a deserted island with only your family? Well in the book The Swiss Family Robinson, a Swiss family has to live on a deserted island after there boat gets caught in a storm and they end up on a shore line. Lacking food and clothes they use what they have and there surrounds to live. The book is told the Swiss captain/ father and husband; he is like the narrator of the story. He has four boys and a loving and caring wife. While on the island they make a tree house to live in. Although this tree house is only suppose to be temporary, but if they don't get rescued it could become permanent. This is a great book that really keeps you entertained and interested. So if you want to find out more details and see what the family goes though then READ the BOOK.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Swiss fmaily robinson
Review: Have you ever been on a deserted island with only your family? Well in the book The Swiss Family Robinson, a Swiss family has to live on a deserted island after there boat gets caught in a storm and they end up on a shore line. Lacking food and clothes they use what they have and there surrounds to live. The book is told the Swiss captain/ father and husband; he is like the narrator of the story. He has four boys and a loving and caring wife. While on the island they make a tree house to live in. Although this tree house is only suppose to be temporary, but if they don't get rescued it could become permanent. This is a great book that really keeps you entertained and interested. So if you want to find out more details and see what the family goes though then READ the BOOK.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Swiss family Robinson
Review: I just can't get into this book, even though I've tried. I know it was written long ago, and in a different language, but the dialogue is just ridiculous. Other classics that I've enjoyed presented similar hurdles, but this one was just too much. Perhaps the fact that I'm not 10 years old anymore (or 20, or...) didn't help. I wanted to enjoy this like I enjoyed my recent first reading of Robinson Crusoe, but it wasn't to be. Maybe you'll love it, but I abandoned it after several chapters and gave it over to my 8yr old, who hasn't been tempted to read it yet.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: You'll Nod, You'll Snore, You'll Call This Book a Bore!
Review: I picked up this book to read with my family because it is one of the "classics" that I did not read as a child. What a mistake. The callous slaughter of animals is really sad. The combination of plants and animals from around the world is ridiculous. The story line is weak. And I can recall of only one time where "the mother" is referred to by her given name. This is the only book that we've read that did not have my children begging for "just one more chapter, please!"

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Book Of The World!
Review: I really liked the book "The Swiss Family Robinson." It has a lot of action-like things that make it so exiting to read. How the Family Robinson survived without anything, except what was on the shipwreaked boat. It was very cool, with all the exotic animals.The wars against animals made me read on and on for the adventure and excitment. This book is for venturesome readers. You should read it, or you will be missing out.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Read it out loud to your kids for a wonderful experience
Review: Never mind the film versions; the original unabridged Swiss Family Robinson is an exciting epic with a lot in it for the whole family.

Our third grade teacher read to us from this book every day and I could hardly wait for the next installment. Finally I got my own copy for a birthday gift, sat on the couch and read it cover to cover in one go. I still have this book, decades later.

From the opening, thrilling tempest scene to the very end and the "rescue", this book has plenty of action as well as creative solutions to problems. There is a lot of material for discussion, how the family solved problems, how they handled disagreements, adversity, disappointment, building of character.

This book definitely teaches values along with the adventure and the values are linked in such a way as to be an integral part of the story.

And Swiss Family Robinson is never boring. There is always an exciting new beast to be discovered, a new plant to use for food or clothing, a new machine or tool to be built, a new part of the island to explore. This is a wonderful book to read out loud to kids until they are old enough to enjoy reading it themselves. If you are bored with re-runs on TV, turn off the box and spend a half-hour or hour every evening reading this aloud. Everyone will have a great time, and kids who are read to, become readers themselves.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: not like Survivor
Review: The movies that have been made based on this story were much more interesting and fun. Most of this book is about the shipwrecked father and sons finding and killing animals, fish, reptiles and anything that appears. The wife is always referred to as "my wife" or "the mother" and never mentioned by name. Her purpose is to prepare all the food that is brought to her, grow a garden, sew, and not much else. The father seems to be an encyclopedia of knowledge. Every thing they find, he seems to know what it is. They lack for nothing on this island. There is very little adversity in the story to make it interesting. If you want to be more entertained, watch Survivor. It is much more fascinating than this book.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Still a bit confused
Review: The Swiss Family Robinson is a short read, with a moral, and a story simple enough to appeal to children. I am still confused, however, whether this novel is really intended for children or not. The language is not what I would call easy - there are too many words that require the knowledge of vocabulary that is above the level of children who would probably best enjoy the novel. This creates a dilemma: an adult (or a teenager) would most likely find this story too unrealistic and would be skeptical of the events, while a child is likely to be confounded by the vocabulary. The novel itself seems to be aimed at educating the public - there are many plants and animals that are described at length, most of which the average person has never heard of, and is unlikely to hear of again. One could view this in a very positive manner - it is a learning process through a novel that is, at least, engaging. I, however, found this to be rather tedious - it felt too much like I was expected to remember all of the various things, which detracted from my enjoyment of the novel as a whole.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A landmark adventure/survival book
Review: There's not many classic books that are more well known than "The Swiss Family Robinson." A Swiss family is stranded on an uninhabited island and there doesn't seem to be any rescues that are lingering around the corner for many years. Soon the family is taming tons of new pets, fighting off animals such as anacondas and lions, and learning how to basically survive off the land the best they can. The Robinson family must keep an eye out for danger while also starting a whole new way of life for themselves.

I thought "The Swiss Family Robinson" was a spectacular adventure/survival book. You can say that the book is pretty much a long diary that is kept by the father of the family of everything that happens to them on the island. The book I read did have many references to God unlike some of the abridged editions. The only thing I didn't like about "The Swiss Family Robinson" is that when the family starts collecting and taming many animals that they find on the island, it gets a little tough to keep up with all the animals' names, but that wasn't bad enough to take anything away from the book for me.

I recommend anybody who likes survival or adventure books, especially if you like reading the classics, to get "The Swiss Family Robinson." I would recommend getting an unabridged version of the book if you can so you won't miss a word.


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