Daniel Defoe (c. 1660 – 1731) was an English novelist, pamphleteer, and journalist who became one of the early proponents of the novel as a genre. His works are notable for their vivid detail, realism, and keen psychological insights. Defoe is best remembered for his novel 'Robinson Crusoe' (1719), a tale that has captured the imagination of readers for three centuries and stands as a seminal work in the canon of English literature. However, in his lifetime and thereafter, Defoe's literary repertoire extended well beyond this single work. His 'The History of the Pirates' provides a detailed account of the lives and exploits of notorious pirates, contributing to the popular image of pirate life and enduring in the cultural imagination. Defoe's literary style was marked by his innovative use of first-person narrative and his ability to convincingly portray the speech and thought patterns of his characters. A prolific writer, his other significant works include 'Moll Flanders' (1722), an exploration of moral ambiguities, and 'A Journal of the Plague Year' (1722), a quasi-nonfictional account of the Great Plague of London in 1665. His vivid prose and pioneering use of the novel form have had a lasting influence on English literature.