Colonel Jack

Colonel Jack is a novel written by the famous English author, Daniel Defoe. The book tells the story of a young man named Jack who was born into poverty and raised on the streets of London. Despite his difficult upbringing, Jack manages to rise above his circumstances and becomes a successful thief. However, his life takes a dramatic turn when he is caught and sent to prison.While in prison, Jack meets a man who becomes his mentor and teaches him how to become a gentleman. After his release, Jack sets out to make a new life for himself and becomes a successful merchant. Along the way, he falls in love and faces a number of challenges that test his character and resolve.Throughout the book, Defoe explores themes of class, identity, and morality. He also provides a vivid depiction of life in 18th century London, including the social and economic conditions that shaped the lives of people like Jack.Overall, Colonel Jack is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of 18th century England. Defoe's masterful storytelling and vivid descriptions make this book a must-read for anyone interested in historical fiction or classic literature.Full title: The History and Remarkable Life Of the truly Honourable Col. Jacque, commonly call'd Col. Jack, who was Born a Gentleman, put 'Prentice to a Pick-Pocket, was Six and Twenty Years a Thief, and then Kidnapp'd to Virginia, Came back a Merchant; was Five times married to Four Whores; went into the Wars, behav'd bravely, got Preferment, was made Colonel of a Regiment, came over, and fled with the Chevalier, is still abroad compleating a Life of Wonders, and resolves to dye a General.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Long dismissed by critics as a novel of merely historical interest, Colonel Jack is one of Daniel Defoe’s most entertaining, revealing, and complex works. It is the supposed autobiography of an English gentleman who begins life as a child of the London streets. He and his brothers are brought up as pickpockets and highwaymen, but Jack seeks to improve himself. Kidnapped and taken to America, he becomes first a slave, then an overseer on plantations in Maryland. Jack’s story is one of dramatic turns of fortune that ultimately lead to a life of law-abiding prosperity as a plantation owner.

Historical appendices relate to eighteenth-century Virginia and Maryland and to contemporary crime, punishment, and imprisonment.