Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Novelist Daniel Defoe died - 1731




English novelist Daniel Defoe died on April 24, 1731 in London, England. He was a novelist, journalist, and pamphleteer, and is best known for his novel Robinson Crusoe (1719). Defoe was born on Daniel Foe (his original name) was probably born in the parish of St. Giles Cripplegate, London circa 1659-1661.  He later added the aristocratic-sounding "De" to his name and on occasion claimed descent from the family of De Beau Faux. His parents were Presbyterian dissenters; during this period, the English government was often not tolerant of those who chose to worship outside the Church of England. Defoe is notable for being one of the earliest proponents of the novel, as he helped to popularize the form in Britain, and, along with others such as Samuel Richardson, is among the founders of the English novel. A prolific and versatile writer, he wrote more than 500 books, pamphlets and journals on various topics (including politics, crime, religion, marriage, psychology and the supernatural). He was also a pioneer of economic journalism. Daniel Defoe died on April 24, 1731, probably while in hiding from his creditors. He was interred at the Bunhill Fields Cemetery in London.


Michael Thomas Barry is the author of Great Britain’s Literary Legends. The book can be purchased from Amazon through the following links:




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