John Howell (5) (1788–1863)

Frankly, I was disappointed with this work. Few subjects are more compelling than the experiences of a man stranded alone on an uninhabited island. Nonetheless, a surprisingly small portion of this book was devoted to Alexander Selkirk's 4 years of solitude. Instead, more text was devoted to the exploits of the captain and crew members who "rescued" Alexander and subsequently plundered various ships and villages on the return voyage home. The author has an odd sense of priorities.