Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss

The Swiss Family Robinson has delighted generations of readers with its exciting tale of a family which, though shipwrecked, displays remarkable resilience and ingenuity in making the best of what they’ve been dealt with. Trusting deeply in God, the family, a Swiss pastor, his wife, and four sons, undertake to make a livable home, and provide for their needs, gathering and making use of all they can from the bounteous ship’s stores, as well as the natural abundance available on the island. Cut off from the comforts and companionship of other humans, they use a familiarity with natural history and biology to find the resources and build the tools to construct a canoe, weave cloth, irrigate a garden, and turn an immense hollow tree into a lofty house with a spiral staircase. They domesticate buffaloes, wild asses, and monkeys, as well as, establishing farms and plantations. Not wanting to keep things all peace and bliss, the author throws in a bit of adventure with encounters with terrifying creatures and an alarming run in with natives from a nearby island.

The years go by, the family comes to greatly love the life they’ve built on the island, founding a charming colony that later, they do not want to leave. The language of the book is charming and delightful, the tales colorful, creative, and exciting. A wonderful read from a time when family values were in the right place and believing in, living for, and praying to God was not faux-pas.

12 Hours and 32 Minutes

You can purchase Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss here.