Desert island Autodidactus" inspired Robert Boyle, an acquaintance of Pococke, to write his own philosophical novel set on a deserted island, "The Aspiring Naturalist". Ibn al-Nafis' "Theologus Autodidactus" was also eventually translated into English in the early 20th century. Published in 1719, Daniel Defoe's novel "Robinson Crusoe" about a castaway on a desert island has spawned so many imitations in film, television and radio that its name was used to define a genre, Robinsonade. The novel features Man Friday, Crusoe's personal assistant. It is likely that Defoe took inspiration for Crusoe from a Scottish sailor named Alexander Selkirk, who was rescued in
The Minstrel Boy (novel) buildings and environs of the school Cronin attended. Reference is also made to his footballing exploits as Cronin was reputedly an excellent footballer and played in the College First XI . Cronin never specifically mentioned his own school in his books but does refer to another Jesuit school, Stonyhurst and a combination of Stonyhurst and Ampleforth called "Amplehurst". He also never refers directly to Glasgow, but to the fictional locale of "Winton", which often stands in for Glasgow in Cronin's novels. The Minstrel Boy (novel) The Minstrel Boy (also published under the title Desmonde) is a 1975 novel by A.