Fun Facts Friday: Johann David Wyss

Johann David Wyss (28 May, 1743 – 11 January, 1818) was an author, folklorist, and editor hailing from Switzerland. His best-known novel is The Swiss Family Robinson.

Books by Johann David Wyss*

Fun Facts about Johann David Wyss:

1. The author was born, and died, in Bern, Switzerland.
2. Johann David Wyss worked as a clergyman, and a former military chaplain serving in Italy.
3. An intelligent man, Mr. Wyss spoke four languages and loved nature. He was very involved in raising his four boys, teaching them how to hunt, reading to them, and taking them on hikes.
4. Wyss was inspired by Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe to write The Swiss Family Robinson. He wanted to write a story in which the father teaches important lessons to his… four sons.
5. The book was a family project. Mr. Wyss’ son, Johann Rudolf, edited the 800-page manuscript (he later went on to write the Swiss national anthem). Johann Emmanuel, his other son, illustrated it. Each son took a turn to tell a story, and their father would write it down.
6. This was a fun family project, when Johann Rudolf, by now a professor at the Bern Academy found the manuscript, he edited it some more and published it.
7. The Swiss Family Robinson was published in German in 1812, and translated into English in 1814.
8. Over the years, the novel has been translated to other languages and even re-translated into German.
9. Jules Verne liked the book so much; he wrote a sequel titled The Castaways of the Flag in 1900.
10. There have been around 200 published versions of The Swiss Family Robinson, as well as a TV movie, and two motion pictures.

Books by Johann David Wyss*

Zohar — Man of la Book
*Ama­zon links point to an affil­i­ate account, the money is usually spent on books