Spiritual Insights into Crusoe Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe is considered the first incident novel. Before reading the novel I knew something about poor Robinson Crusoe: shipwrecked on a desert island, lived on the island for many years and acquired a friend named Friday. When I started reading, I had the preconceived idea that Robinson Crusoe was just an adventure book. However, I read no more than a few pages before my mind was greatly enlightened. Robinson Crusoe suffers not just one shipwreck, but two. He is captured by Moorish pirates, escapes and goes to Brazil to become a planter. After his second shipwreck, Crusoe provides details on his survival techniques. Additionally, the ending of the novel is quite surprising with a starkly contrasting desert island setting. Arguably, one of the funniest scenes in all literature is recorded in the final chapters. If the book does not capture the reader's attention due to suspense, then it does so thanks to the profound spiritual insight that Defoe includes in the pages of his work. . This was the biggest surprise of all for me. For example, in chapter 12, Robinson Crusoe states: "From this time I began to conclude in my mind that it is possible for me to be happier in this lonely and forsaken condition, than I probably ever should have been in any other particular state of the world, and with this thought I wanted to thank God for having brought me to this place." Crusoe was convinced that the reason for all his calamities was the result of his disobedience to his father's advice. The theological discussions with Friday were beautiful. Indeed, every Christian can identify with Crusoe's struggle with faith and fear. I ended the book with the conclusion that this book should be standard reading for every Christian, especially preachers. Preachers will find a wealth of sermon illustrations in Robinson Crusoe. So why is Robinson Crusoe so sadly overlooked among Christians when it is obvious that the book is a Christian classic? Without a doubt, abridged versions of the novel remove the incentive for readers to read the actual work. Many people have read a children's version of the novel or, even worse, seen the film.