Daniel Defoe occupies a central place in the history of English literature. As the author of Robinson Crusoe and Moll Flanders he can claim, with some justification, to be the creator of the first novels in English. He was one of the earliest practitioners of the desert island myth which has had such a seminal influence on the human imagination. In A Journal of the Plague Year and A Tour Through the Whole Island of Great Britain he forged a distinctive documentary style which deeply influenced later writers including Wells and Orwell. In summarizing Defoe’s life and achievements, this book offers a critical overview of his contribution to the development of the novel and re-establishes him as a central figure in the history of literature.