Wrote in English · 1743–1818
Johann David Wyss
One book in the original English, with a translation beside it.
Johann David Wyss was a Swiss writer and pastor born in Bern in 1743. He is best remembered for his 1812 book The Swiss Family Robinson, a story inspired by Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe. Wyss wrote this narrative to teach important lessons to his own children, mirroring the way the father in the story educates his offspring. The work was later edited by his son, Johann Rudolf Wyss, and illustrated by another son, Johann Emmanuel Wyss. Wyss died in Köniz in 1818.
Reading Johann David Wyss in translation
On Paralelo, you read The Swiss Family Robinson in the original German with a translation beside it, using your English as the anchor. Wyss writes in a firm, Christian, and moral tone, focusing on description and the educational lessons the father imparts. This clear, didactic style makes the vocabulary accessible, though the 1812 phrasing may feel slightly formal. The book is aligned phrase by phrase, allowing you to match the German text directly to the English meaning. At about 562 minutes of reading, it is the only title in our catalogue featuring Wyss, making it the ideal starting point for exploring his literary legacy.
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- Born
- 1743Bern
- Died
- 1818Köniz
- Wrote in
- English
- On Paralelo
- 1 title
- Shortest read
- 562 minThe Swiss family Robinson
Where to start with Johann David Wyss
- 01
The Swiss family Robinson
The Swiss Family Robinson (German: Der Schweizerische Robinson, "The Swiss Robinson") is a novel by the Swiss author Johann David Wyss, first published in 1812, about a Swiss family of immigrants…
Read a passage free →EN · PASSAGE“You pretend,” said my wife, with a little malicious smile, “to be curious about my history, yet you have not let me speak a single word in all this time: but the longer a torrent is pent up, the longer it flows when once let loose.
DE„Du gibst vor“, sagte meine Frau mit einem kleinen boshaften Lächeln, „dass du neugierig auf meine Geschichte bist, doch hast du mich die ganze Zeit über kein einziges Wort sprechen lassen: Aber je länger ein Strom gestaut ist, desto län…
Reading Johann David Wyss in English
Which Johann David Wyss book should I read first?
The Swiss family Robinson, the one Johann David Wyss title on Paralelo: about 562 minutes of reading.
Can I read Johann David Wyss in English with a translation beside it for free?
Yes. A passage from every title is free to read without an account, and a free account opens the whole book, with a translation aligned to the original phrase by phrase.
Are the books by Johann David Wyss in the public domain?
Yes. Johann David Wyss died in 1818, and the texts on Paralelo come from Project Gutenberg’s public-domain editions.