《鲁滨孙漂流记》是英国著名作家笛福的代表作。语言明白晓畅，朴素生动，加上其真实性和不凡的艺术表现力，使之成为文学史上不朽的名著。小说讲述了英国年轻的航海爱好者鲁滨逊，在一次海难中被风浪卷到一座荒岛上。虽然脱离了危险，但他孤身一人，无依无靠，为了生存，他用自己的聪慧和坚强意志，克服了种种磨难，建造了堡垒、“别墅”和船只。他又救下土人手中的俘虏，协助英国船主收复了被海盗占领的大船。最后告别了他生活了28年的荒岛，随船返回了英国。

年轻的鲁滨逊不满足安稳的中产阶级家庭生活，他告别家人，开始了自己的航海生涯。在一次航行中，般在途中遇到风暴，仅鲁滨逊一人活了下来，只身漂流到孤岛上。他以顽强的毅力和过人的智慧在岛上开始了与世隔绝的野人生活。他盖房子、养牲畜、拓荒地种小麦，并与野兽斗争。

独自生活了24年后，鲁滨逊救下了土人“星期五”，聪明的“星期五”成了鲁滨逊忠实的朋友。不久一艘英国船来到岛上，鲁滨逊帮助船长制服了叛乱的水手，并搭船长的船返回故土。此时鲁滨逊已离家35年了。

CHAPTER I START IN LIFE

CHAPTER II SLAVERY AND ESCAPE

CHAPTER III WRECKEDON A DESERT ISLAND

CHAPTER IV FIRST WEEKS ON THEISLAND

CHAPTER V BUILDS A HOUSE THE JOURNAL

CHAPTER VI ILL AND CONSCIENCE STRICKEN

CHAPTER VII AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE

CHAPTER VIII SURVEYS HIS POSITION

CHAPTER IX A BOAT

CHAPTER X TAMES GOATS

CHAPTER XI FINDS PRINT OF MAN'S FOOT ON THE SAND

CHAPTER XII A CAVE RETREAT

CHAPTER XIII WRECK OF A SPANISH SHIP

CHAPTER XIV A DREAM REALISED

CHAPTER XV FRIDAY'S EDUCATION

CHAPTER XVI RESCUE OF PRISONERS FROM CANNIBALS

CHAPTER XVII VISIT OF MUTINEERS

CHAPTER XVIII THE SHIP RECOVERED

CHAPTER XIX　RETURN TO ENGLAND

CHAPTER XX FIGHT BETWEEN FRIDAY AND A BEAR

 My father, a wise and grave man, gave me serious andexcellent counsel against what he foresaw was my design.He called me one morning into his chamber, where he wasconfined by the gout, and expostulated very warmly withme upon this subject. He asked me what reasons, morethan a mere wandering inclination, I had for leaving myfather's house and my native country, where I might be wellintroduced. and had a prospect of raising my fortune byapplication and industry, with a life of ease and pleasure. Hetold me it was for men of desperate fortunes on one hand,or of aspiring, superior fortunes on the other. who wentabroad upon adventures, to rise by enterprise and makethemselves famous in undertakings of a nature out of thecommon road; that these things were all either too far aboveme or too far below me; that mine was the middle state, orwhat might be called the upper station of low life, whichhe had found by long experience was the best state in theworld. the most suited to human happiness, not exposedto the miseries and hardships. the labour and sufferings ofthe mechanic part of mankind, and not embarrassed withthe pride. luxury, ambition. and envy of the upper part ofmankind. He told me I might judge of the happiness of thisstate by this one thing--viz, that this was the state of lifewhich all other people envied; that kings have frequentlylamented the miserable consequence of being born to greatthings. and wished they had been placed in the middle of thetwo extremes, between the mean and the great; that the wiseman gave his testimony to this,as the just standard of truefelicity, when he prayed to have neither poverty nor riches.

 He bade me observe it, and I should always find that thecalamities of life were shared among the upper and lowerpart of mankind; but that the middle station had the fewestdisasters, and was not exposed to so many vicissitudes asthe higher or lower part of mankind; nay, they were notsubjected to so many distempers and uneasinesses, either ofbody or mind. as those were who. by vicious living. luxury,and extravagances on the one hand, or by hard labour, wantof necessaries. and mean or insufficient diet on the otherhand, bring distemper upon themselves by the naturalconsequences of their way of living; that the middle stationof life was calculated for all kind of virtue and all kind ofenjoyments. that peace and plenty were the handmaids ofa middle fortune; that temperance, moderation, quietness.health. society. all agreeable diversions, and all desirablepleasures, were the blessings attending the middle station oflife. that this way men went silently and smoothly throughthe world, and comfortably out of it. not embarrassed withthe labours of the hands or of the head. not sold to a lifeof slavery for daily bread. nor harassed with perplexedcircumstances. which rob the soul of peace and the bodyof rest. nor enraged with the passion of envy, or the secretburning lust of ambition for great things; but. in easycircumstances. sliding gently through the world, andsensibly tasting the sweets of living. without the bitter.feeling that they are happy, and learning by every day'sexperience to know it more sensibly.