The Swiss Family Robinson


Read by Mark F. Smith

(4.7 stars; 1532 reviews)

The Swiss Family Robinson has delighted generations of readers with its exciting tale of a family which, though shipwrecked, displays “the right stuff” and builds a charming colony that later, they do not want to leave. Cut off from the comforts and companionship of other humans, they use a familiarity with natural history and biology to find the resources and build the tools to construct a canoe, weave cloth, irrigate a garden, and turn an immense hollow tree into a lofty house with a spiral staircase. They domesticate buffaloes, wild asses, and monkeys. They establish farms and plantations. And finally, they have a terrifying encounter with natives from a nearby island.

Johann David Wyss, the author, did not live to complete his tale. Storytellers over the years have injected so many episodes into the various versions that probably none closely match the original. (Indeed, the Baroness de Montholieu expanded the book from two volumes into five when she translated it into French.) This effort was re-translated into English in 1849 by W.H.G. Kingston, abridging the edition severely. It follows the British sensibilities of the period in terms of sentence structure and emphasis. (Summary by Mark F. Smith) (0 hr 45 min)

Chapters

Chapter 01 18:47 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 02 21:19 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 03 18:04 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 04 15:01 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 05 9:51 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 06 6:43 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 07 9:06 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 08 10:02 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 09 9:57 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 10 9:10 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 11 19:14 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 12 10:49 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 13 10:24 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 14 12:22 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 15 12:44 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 16 11:02 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 17 13:13 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 18 9:09 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 19 8:39 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 20 17:35 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 21 14:57 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 22 13:36 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 23 12:08 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 24 11:34 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 25 13:49 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 26 18:38 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 27 24:01 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 28 12:34 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 29 17:09 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 30 9:19 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 31 9:35 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 32 15:16 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 33 12:48 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 34 12:53 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 35 14:17 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 36 12:31 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 37 14:16 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 38 18:59 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 39 19:05 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 40 18:51 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 41 13:30 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 42 14:14 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 43 9:44 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 44 19:30 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 45 11:35 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 46 28:56 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 47 20:07 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 48 21:33 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 49 26:29 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 50 15:17 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 51 25:49 Read by Mark F. Smith
Chapter 52 9:03 Read by Mark F. Smith

Reviews

excellently read


(4 stars)

heavy on santimonious words like "gluttony" and "idleness" and other pious phrases common of the time of writing, this is a wonderful, fanciful tale written by an obvious fan of Defoe's Robinson Crusoe. Fan fic done right 😁

Clear, well-paced reading


(5 stars)

Thank you so much for this excellent reading. The ditction was perfect and the narrator was careful to take time to allow the words to perfectly communicate all the details in the text.


(5 stars)

A wonderful reading. Viewed with modern eyes, the naivety of the author may cause the occasional chuckle or cringe, yet the story is a classic and very enjoyable.


(4.5 stars)

I liked the book and the reader. I'll have to say though, I did miss not having the the pirates that are in the Disney movie version.

Thank you Mark Smith!


(5 stars)

I am so greatful for all the novels Mark Smith has volunteered. He does an amazing job! I only came across this book as many others simply because he is Narrating. I will be completing all of the books he has done. Highly recommended book and reader!! p.s. thanks for making my work days fly bye ;)


(4 stars)

Very clever and I think that it was very clever how they used the things around them to survive on the island.👍🏼 I enjoyed it a lot.

Excellent reader, thanks Mark!


(4 stars)

This book is interesting, but sometimes too obvious to be a true account. Indeed a good book for young and older people.

Excellent story and terrific reading.


(4.5 stars)

Very enjoyable. More religious than I expected, which may be a negative for some people. The reader is once again outstanding.