Tim Severin, acclaimed author and explorer, appeared at SMU Wednesday night to discuss his experiences in writing his most recent book, “In Search of Robinson Crusoe.” Severin, a native of County Cork, Ireland, has always had a passion for exploring and made his first voyage by motorcycle along the route taken by Marco Polo while still a student at Oxford.
Some popular books by Severin include journeys that explore the Atlantic in “St. Brendan the Navigator,” travel from Muscat to China to investigate the legends of “Sinbad the Sailor,” and through the “Spice Islands Voyage” using a 19th century Indonesian boat, a prahu, as his mode of transportation.
He has written these novels about his journeys, which have won him the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award, The Book of the Sea Award, a Christopher Prize and the literary medal of the Acadmie de la Marine.
Severin’s fans gathered in the Smith Auditorium of Meadows Museum at 7:30 p.m. to hear the author speak about his many expeditions, particularly his voyages in search of the real Robinson Crusoe.
The lecture began with an introduction by Louis Jacobs, the president of the Institute for the Study of Earth and Man, which sponsored the event. Jacobs said Severin “has created his own niche in the world” and that “legendary heroes and myths have made him a living legend on his own.”
Severin was greeted by applause and he began his talk with his most recent expedition that unveiled the true Robinson Crusoe.
“I wanted to show the reality behind the legend,” he commented. He explains that Daniel Defoe’s book, Robinson Crusoe, is a flawed model and that the English sailor who was stranded for four years off the coast of Chile, which has long been accepted as Crusoe’s prototype, is incorrect.
Seeking the real Robinson Crusoe, Severin goes to meet Friday’s descendents living on the Mosquito Coast of Nicaragua and the Indian tribe whose ancestors rescued a 17th century pirate stranded in the jungles of Panama.
After various attempts to unveil the true Robinson Crusoe and the basis behind Defoe’s legendary novel, Severin finally established that an English surgeon by the name of Henry Pittman, who was deserted off the Caribbean coast of Venezuela, provides all the raw material for Defoe’s legendary character.
The lecture included picture slides, maps and video of Severin’s explorations and intimate details about the cultures, people and lifestyles of every spot he visited during his travels.
During his stay at various locations, he compared the countries with those of Robinson Crusoe, and he sought out the similarities and differences between the two in an attempt to uncover the basis of Defoe’s novel.
The video footage allowed the audience to feel as though it was experiencing Severin’s voyages. His play-by-play narration of every shot of footage provided memorable details of his exploration. The lecture was followed by a wine and cheese reception which provided an opportunity to meet the author and receive a personalized, autographed copy of his book.