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Treasure Island

3.77 of 5 stars 3.77 · rating details · 131,464 ratings · 3,848 reviews

The most popular pirate story ever written in English, featuring one of literature’s most beloved “bad guys,” Treasure Island has been happily devoured by several generations of boys—and girls—and grownups. Its unforgettable characters include: young Jim Hawkins, who finds himself owner of a map to Treasure Island, where the fabled pirate booty is buried; honest Captain Sm...more

Hardcover, 311 pages

Published September 15th 2001 by Kingfisher (first published 1883)

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Apr 26, 2013 midnightfaerie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: classics

Treasure Island was a swash-buckling adventure where the stakes were high and the Gentlemen of Fortune weren't so gentle when seeking their fortune. I absolutely loved this book. Having never read it before, I picked it up because it looked to be a quick read, and I had books on route to my house and not much time before they got here, I thought I'd get another quick read off my list of classics. Immediately upon reading I wanted to get on a boat and search for buried treasure, but settled for p...more Treasure Island was a swash-buckling adventure where the stakes were high and the Gentlemen of Fortune weren't so gentle when seeking their fortune. I absolutely loved this book. Having never read it before, I picked it up because it looked to be a quick read, and I had books on route to my house and not much time before they got here, I thought I'd get another quick read off my list of classics. Immediately upon reading I wanted to get on a boat and search for buried treasure, but settled for playing in the sandbox in the backyard.

Stevenson brings to life characters in a new and frightening way that held me captivated, in which Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde failed to do. He writes in such a way in this novel, that the characters come to life vividly and with great detail in my mind as I read, even though, when I later went back to re-read parts, the characters weren't defined nearly as minutely as I thought they were. I don't attribute this to my own imagination though. I think Stevenson's brilliance lies in the meticulous vagueness of his descriptions, allowing the reader to take the direction of their choosing with the character's appearance.

A perfect example of this is in Ben Gunn. My husband and I were watching Treasure Island with Eddie Izzard, and he commented on the age of Gunn, saying he'd seen another movie where he was old, opposed to this one, in which he was younger in age. So then I thought back to the book and wondered, what age was he? So I looked it up, and really, it could be interpreted in so many ways:

"...unlike any man I had ever seen, stooping almost double as it ran..." - As an animal or from old age?

"...his voice sounded hoarse and awkward, like a rusty lock. I could now see he was a white man like myself, and that his features were even pleasing. His skin, wherever it was exposed, was burnt by the sun; even his lips were black; and his fair eyes looked quite startling in so dark a face. Of all the beggar men I had seen or fancied, he was the chief for raggedness." - Old? Young?

"...I was a civil, pious, boy..." - Speaking of when he was young, makes me see him as older.

"You're a good lad, Jim..." - He calls Hawkins a lad, which makes him seem older to me, but then, how old is old? For the time it was and the longevity of life span, especially for the pirates with so hazardous a life, they didn't live long. So maybe in his thirties?

Besides the wonderful characters, the chapters were breathtaking, causing me to sit at the edge of my seat with each page turn. What a wonderfully suspenseful tale with such colorful inhabitants! Even the slang was picturesque, with nicknames like "Barbeque" for Silver, and "Long John's Earrings" for the ropes strung across the ships decks that allowed our favorite character to pass easily from port to starboard with his one leg. And even though the movie I saw gave a satisfying death to the despicable Trelawney, I'm rather glad that the book left him alive at the end. It wasn't what I expected and it was more true to life. The abhorrent man, who puts himself off as one of the good guys, never seems to be the one with a bad run of luck. And although Muppet Treasure Island was not exactly true to the original story, (the Captain a frog?), it was still surprisingly accurate in most aspects of the novel, which is something I've always enjoyed about the Muppets, especially in The Christmas Carol.

Overall, it was a superb book and an intoxicating adventure. A natural classic, with a huge following, underlying themes, and above all, a great deal of the Magic Factor, it's a story that will live through the ages and continue to be adapted in many ways and various forms for years to come. Treasure Island is a beloved tale for both young and older readers alike. I highly recommend it.

ClassicsDefined.com (less)

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Feb 03, 2012 Shovelmonkey1 rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone prepared to stage of a mutiny over a Bounty (bar)

Recommended to Shovelmonkey1 by: 1001 books list

Shelves: 1001-books, bookcrossing-books

As Indiana Jones once, rather astutely pointed out, when it comes to treasure "X never, ever marks the spot". Well, it does if you're a pirate, which basically means that as a pirate you have a statistically much higher chance of finding treasure than any archaeologist ever would. I find this a bit unfortunate and if someone had presented me with this hard and fast evidence I would have ticked the pirate box and not the archaeologist box on my careers worksheet at school. Instead, I have to make...more As Indiana Jones once, rather astutely pointed out, when it comes to treasure "X never, ever marks the spot". Well, it does if you're a pirate, which basically means that as a pirate you have a statistically much higher chance of finding treasure than any archaeologist ever would. I find this a bit unfortunate and if someone had presented me with this hard and fast evidence I would have ticked the pirate box and not the archaeologist box on my careers worksheet at school. Instead, I have to make do with reading Treasure Island and fantasising about my ideal bespoke treasure island (emeralds growing on trees- I know this is an arboreal unlikelihood but it's my fantasy so back off; lagoons filled with sapphires, gold dubloons in huge heapy piles at the foot of azure blue waterfalls and knuckle sized diamonds to be chipped off the walls of underground caverns).

Stevenson's Treasure Island is much less of a Disney-esque fantasy and Jim Hawkins, narrator and salty sea dog in the making, is forced to pit his wits against the wiliest of all pirates, Long John Silver in a race to retrieve the booty. After finding an oil-skin map in a dead mans chest (nice Robert, very nice) Jim sets off to find some trustworthy (or gullible) adults. Jim must be in possession of some serious powers of persuasion because within minutes the good squire and his associates are rustling up a ship (no mean feat when a schooner could set you back £6000 and your chance of surviving the voyage was slim), tightening their buckanneering belts and getting ready to hit the high seas. It turns out the ships cook is more than he seems though and not to be underestimated (I wonder if JF Lawton, the writer of Under Siege was a Treasure Island fan, after all he served up Casey Rybeck, the most underestimated ships cook of all time).

Caribbean capers ensue as Long John Silver serves up a melting pot of mendacity in an attempt to get his hand on Captain Flint's treasure. Jim Hawkins proves he's tougher than a soused herring that's been at the bottom of a barrel for a year and successfully repels the Island siege before hoisting the main sail, jibing -ho and heading for Britain. The other pirates are left marooned as a punishment and their skeletons will be unearthed 250 years from the time of telling during the construction of a Sandals adult holiday resort. Personally I think I'd rather be marooned than go to Sandals.(less)

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Aug 31, 2011 K.D. Oliveros rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to K.D. by: 501 Must Read Books; 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (2006-2010)

Shelves: classics, 1001-core, 501, childrens

My first time to read this book. The reason why I read this book now is that my favorite author, Frank McCourt mentioned in his memoir Teacher Man that Robert Louis Stevenson was his favorite author when he was a young boy in Ireland. When he moved to New York and during the first year of schooling, he submitted Treasure Island as his home-reading book and his literature teacher was impressed because his American classmates submitted books of contemporary (now forgotten) authors. After reading t...more My first time to read this book. The reason why I read this book now is that my favorite author, Frank McCourt mentioned in his memoir Teacher Man that Robert Louis Stevenson was his favorite author when he was a young boy in Ireland. When he moved to New York and during the first year of schooling, he submitted Treasure Island as his home-reading book and his literature teacher was impressed because his American classmates submitted books of contemporary (now forgotten) authors. After reading this book, I agree with McCourt's teacher. This classic children's book is a readable as the day it first came out in 1883. Truly a proof of Stevenson's excellence in writing. Treasure Island is really the ultimate "young boy's book".

I have not seen the movie or TV adaptations of this book but I now remember, when we were little, hearing my eldest brother singing this song that, according to Wiki, is entitled Sea Shanty:

"Fifteen men on the dead man's chest
Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!
Drink and the devil had done for the rest -
Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of run!"

Stated in the Wiki entries for Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) that this novel was dismissed by critics to be juvenile and they considered Stevenson as flippant to be taken seriously. However, more than 100 years after its first publication, the book is still being read by people of all ages and from all walks of life. Who knows? Maybe the people who criticize Harry Potter, The Twilight Saga, The Hunger Games or even The Song of Ice and Fire will also eat their words 100 years from now.

It tells the story of Jim Hawkings who assists in the running of their inn in England during the 18th century. Their inn is not very busy because it is far from the crowded area so scrupulous (translation: people hiding from something) individuals become their clients. One of these is Billy Bones who has a secret: he used to be part of the crew of Captain Flint, a notorious pirate. One day, Bones is visited by a former fellow crew, Pew who gives him a treasure map. When Bones opens the map, he saw a "Black Spot" that foretells bad luck and he drops dead of stroke. Jim and his mother opens his chest to get the amount due for Bones's board and lodging but before they could get the money, pirates arrive searching for the treasure map. The rest of the story is about the treasure hunt complete with lots of swashbucking actions (that reminded me very much of the movie Pirates of the Caribbean) and the flight to the DeadChest island, an island near the Norman Island located in British Virgin Island.

So before Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Deep), there was Long John Silver and the other pirates of Treasure Island. The movie series has many similarities with the book so, if you haven't read this and you are a Pirates' fan, you may want to consider reading the book first before seeing the third part of the series, On Stranger Tides. I saw it today and oh it was so good! Of course, still starring Johnny Depp:

Oh, I am just desperate to get your votes!

(less)

17 likes · like · see review

Jun 25, 2012 Jason Koivu rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, fiction

Arrrrrr me reader, embark now on a voyage of high seas adventure with scurvy pirates, honest jack-tar sailors, marooned souls, and a vast treasure buried on some faraway island. Aye, that's Treasure Island! Weigh anchor, me laddie! The wind's always fair for gettin' this wonderful tale under way! HAHAAAAARRRGGGHHHAAAaaaa....That's exhausting.

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Dec 06, 2012 Suvi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 1850-1899, children, _great-britain, _1001-before-you-die, _book-shelf

The smaller Suvi, who used to climb on the rocks of the nearby forest and build castles with pillows and sheets into our living room, would have probably appreciated this a tad more than 23-year-old Suvi. Absolutely an entertaining story, after all I did kind of forget myself with this instead of studying. However, I didn't have any particular negative or positive feelings one way or the other. One thing though that would have connected these two versions of me, is the complex and multifaceted c...more The smaller Suvi, who used to climb on the rocks of the nearby forest and build castles with pillows and sheets into our living room, would have probably appreciated this a tad more than 23-year-old Suvi. Absolutely an entertaining story, after all I did kind of forget myself with this instead of studying. However, I didn't have any particular negative or positive feelings one way or the other. One thing though that would have connected these two versions of me, is the complex and multifaceted character of Long John Silver, whose moral isn't quite as black and white as with the patriotic characters of the novel and the pirates. As far as I know, this moral issue is quite rare in children's literature, at least of this time period.

I don't know whether Treasure Island was the first pirate story, but there's a lot of (perhaps stereotypical) conceptions and ideas in here relating to pirates that have survived to this day. The most important of these are at least one legged pirates with a parrot on their shoulder, treasure maps with an X, and buried treasures. The ship Hispaniola sounded familiar, but I have no idea why. There are no wooden legs though, because Silver uses a crutch. Believe it or not, but it doesn't seem he has much difficulties using that on a swaying deck or on a soft sand beach. History buffs might want to know that Israel Hands really existed, and that he was Blackbeard's boatswain.

All in all, an entertaining adventure story and deserving of its status as a classic, although maybe not suitable for the smallest children. In addition to the flickering morality of Silver, I noticed that Stevenson doesn't try to glorify piracy in any way. Still, if I had read this sometime before the age of 12, I'd probably started dreaming of similar pirate adventures that Jim Hawkins got himself into. I already thought about what it would be like to run away with the circus (while considering the good and bad aspects of being a lion tamer), or hide myself into gypsies' wagons.(less)

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Mar 13, 2013 Liz rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: have-book, have-dl, sumfin-4-da-kiddies

I liked the Treasure Island, but if I had read it when I was younger I would have LOVED it. Whilst I was reading this book, all I could think of was One Eyed Willy and his 'rich stuff' and of course, THE TRUFFLE SHUFFLE!!

I didn't realise the movie Goonies was so heavily influenced by Treasure Island....I loved that movie. The adventure, the danger, the pirates, the rich stuff, Chunk.....it was brilliant.

Reading this book made me want to; pull out Goonies and watch it again, travel on a boat to a...more

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Sep 03, 2011 Fahad rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

جزيرة الكنز

كان بورخيس يعد ستيفنسون أحد كتابه المفضلين، وروبرت لويس ستيفنسون هو صاحب الروايتين المشهورتين جدا ً (جزيرة الكنز) و(الحالة الغريبة للدكتور جيكل والمستر هايد)، الرواية الأولى مشهورة جدا ً عربيا ً، ويعود ذلك إلى أن الرواية حولت على يد المخرج الياباني (أوسامو ديزاكي) إلى مسلسل رسومي مبهر بعنوان (Takarajima)، دبلج هذا المسلسل إلى اللغة العربية وعرض في الثمانينات، وكان أحد أجمل المسلسلات التي تابعتها في طفولتي، وأظن أنه أثر وأمتع جيل كامل قبل أن تفقد الأفلام الرسومية القصة والإنسان، وتصبح...more

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May 07, 2012 Anzu The Great Destroyer rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: i have no idea...

Shelves: el-clasico, fat-kitty-judges-you, kill-it-with-fire, reviewed-2011, masters-of-snoozeville, i-am-disappoint, 1001-books

Never trust a pirate.

I really love pirates… even though I try to ignore the fact that they’re dirty, rapists, murderers, alcoholics, thieves… aaah many bad things but still, I like the concept so here I am reading this book. Since it’s summer I tend to go towards these stories. One of my wishes is to become a pirate for a determinate amount of time. I’d love to sail away for a while with Jack Sparrow… I know, who doesn’t love Jack Sparrow? *daydreams*

After reading… and reading… and reading some...more

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Jan 28, 2011 Keely rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, sea-story, uk-and-ireland, reviewed

There are a lot of Sea Stories out there, and this is one of the better-known, but it hardly outshines its genre. I found myself missing the humor and vivid characterization of Conrad, not to mention the insightful philosophical asides. I also found it somewhat lacking as an adventure story, as the plot was somewhat simplistic and contrived, following the empty avatar of a narrator through various vicarious thrills.

There's nothing wrong with an escapist yarn, but a good one keeps you riveted wi...more

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Mar 15, 2011 Janeen-san rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, absolute-favorite-book-of-all-time

Book: Treasure Island
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
Pages: 212
Awesomeness level: 5/5
Read: December, 15, 2009
Status: Will defiantly read again

This book was amazing. I was totally blown away by it--the wonderful adventure story filled my head to the brim with a sense of awe and excitement I can't quite explain. Reading this fabulous book makes me connect with the movie even more...The Disney movie called "Treasure Planet" instead of "Treasure Island". But I will tell you about that later. For now,...more

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Jan 29, 2012 Audrey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics

3+ stars for me. I enjoyed the story and the twists and turns that popped up so unexpectedly throughout, both while at sea and on the island. However, there were parts that really dragged for me, and it seemed like I had to use my Kindle's definition function at least once on every page to help me figure out what nautical and piratical terms the characters and narrative were using. I recognize that, objectively, that's what sets the tone, and it is, after all, a 19th Century novel. However, subj...more

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May 13, 2012 Hollowspine rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have seen the movies, Muppet Treasure Island, that animated one where Ben Gunn is played by a nutty robot, but until I came across "Treasure Island!!!" by Sara Levine I never thought about actually reading the book. Then I thought, wouldn't it be fun if I, like the narrator of Levine's novel, read Treasure Island then of course read her book too. So that is what I did.

First of all, I found it rather difficult to locate a copy of Treasure Island that was not illustrated and abriged for children...more

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Oct 30, 2009 Julie Suzanne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-with-my-child

Chapter 7: We're alternating reading and listening to it on audio in the car. So far, Morgan prefers my reading (even though the audio is EXCELLENT--highly recommended) because he says the accents are hard to understand and there's no commentary from mom, so I guess we'll be switching to only read-aloud from the book. I can't believe the difference in readability between this classic and today's novels aimed at the same target age-group. I'm not sure that my 8th graders could handle this one. A...more

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Jan 23, 2008 Anthony rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Felt like revisiting my "yute." You really can't read it quite the same way as an adult as you did as a kid. It's a good yarn, but you're so aware of how the stereotypes act to reinforce the "received notions" that support the English class system. Damn that liberal-leaning higher education!:)

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Oct 04, 2010 Colleen McGlashen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, adventure, fiction, robert-louis-stevenson, favorite, don-t-die-before-you-read-this

Wow!!! What a fabulous book! Great writing! This should be a must read for every high school curriculum! This is an AMAZING book! It has adventure, pirates, treasure, treason...a parrot...what's not to love.

"15 men on a dead man's chest...yo, ho, ho and a bottle of rum".

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Jun 24, 2010 Joel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, 52-in-2010, classics, dailylit, arrrrgh, vote-getters

Remember when pirates briefly became ironically cool, and all of your annoying friends were joining facebook groups for International Talk Like A Pirate Day? And the first Pirates of the Carribbean movie came out and was surprisingly awesome? And then the second Pirates of the Carribbean movie came out and was decidedly less awesome, but you didn't really realize it until the third one came out and you discovered you couldn't remember and didn't care about number two's cliffhanger ending (it was...more Remember when pirates briefly became ironically cool, and all of your annoying friends were joining facebook groups for International Talk Like A Pirate Day? And the first Pirates of the Carribbean movie came out and was surprisingly awesome? And then the second Pirates of the Carribbean movie came out and was decidedly less awesome, but you didn't really realize it until the third one came out and you discovered you couldn't remember and didn't care about number two's cliffhanger ending (it was like The Matrix in that way actually)? And then you finally saw the third one on DVD when you were home from the hospital after almost dying of mono,who knew that could happen, but apparently it really messes with your liver, and the movie was so bad you couldn't even stay awake through the literally 45-minute long action sequence that caps it all off, and besides, it makes no sense at all, with everyone betraying everyone else so many times you need a flow chart to follow the plot?

I suppose we have RLS and Treasure Island to blame for all that. Because this is the book that established what we think of when we think of pirates, from skull & crossbones banners to peg legs to squawking shoulder-mounted parrots to maps with big red Xs and yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum. It's kind of weird to think about: those concepts are so ingrained in our culture (see: International Talk Like a Pirate Day), and yet they all stem from this rather innocuous adventure story for children.

But it is a really great adventure, which is probably why it became so iconic. This book is 130 years old but exhibits none of the mustiness of late Victorian-era fiction (turgid description being the chief offender, which you know if you've tried to slog through Jules Verne, and how in the world do you make submarines and sea monsters boring? Ask Jules). The adventure clips along quite nicely, moving from murder and mayhem on dry land to mutiny and more murder on the sea, and then to a creepy island filled with treasure and other dangers. Long John Silver is a crafty and compelling villain, switching sides more often than Benjamin Linus (hey, speaking of islands). Even though I knew basically where the story was going, it was a fast and engaging read, with a lot of creative sequences of suspense.

The only sections that bogged down a bit were the brief but somewhat technical descriptions of the ship, the sails, how the waves turned it this way and that, etc. I don't know starboard from port, and I don't care to, RLS. So get back to the parts with the talking parrot.(less)

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Sep 10, 2008 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who like pirates....or mizzenmasts....or the phrase "and you can lay to that."

I read this book alongside my son, who had been assigned Treasure Island for summer reading. While not necessarily the kind of fiction I typically choose, it was certainly entertaining, however, there *were* large paragraphs here and there I barely paid attention to--paragraphs that were filled with boatswains and coxswains and larboards and mizzenmasts and other such words that mean nothing to me (hypothesis 1: Stevenson was paranoid about being "unauthentic" so he had to throw this stuff in to...more

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Aug 16, 2008 Michele rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'd never actually read this book before. I think I'd only seen movie versions of the story - which meant that I heard Tim Curry's voice every time Long John Silver opened his mouth to speak.

Despite this distraction (and yes, I loved the Muppet version of the story), I was able to get into the story for its own sake. I found the first person narration by Jim the best part of the book because of the perspective it gave the whole adventure - after all, Jim's in it for the glory, as a boy would be,...more

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Feb 09, 2008 Melissa Rudder rated it 3 of 5 stars

Even though Treasure Island might be Robert Louis Stevenson's most famous work (it's in a close race with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), it is my least favorite of the three I've read. It is, of course, full of adventure and extremely significant in the way that it's influenced the cultural representation of pirates, but, while I wanted to know what was going to happen next, I never really felt for the characters. It was curiosity, not suspense, that kept me reading. Which is ultimately less fulfilli...more

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Mar 05, 2008 Jeanette rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: classics, all-fiction

This is just a good old-fashioned tale of adventure and pirates and mutiny and double- and triple-crossers, and of course, buried treasure. Sometimes I have trouble with old books because the authors used five sentences where one would do, but this book moves very swiftly, only 200 pages or so. It was originally intended as a story for youngsters, so it doesn't include useless details. I can't help but wonder about the youngsters of those days as compared to today, though! It doesn't read like a...more

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Dec 05, 2007 Eyebright rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone

Treasure Island is the story of young Jim Hawkins. When an old pirate dies in the inn owned by his parents, he finds a treasure map. Dr. Livesey and Squire Trelawney join Jim, along with a crew of mutinous pirates, to sail and find the treasure.

The trouble they find themselves in seems to have them finished several times, if it hadn't been Jim.

One thing that I lamented in this book, was the fact that Jim never really redeemed himself in the eyes of his shipmates, after he deserts them at one po...more

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Aug 28, 2008 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone who loves adventure stories

I read this book when I was very young and the memory of it has lingered for ages. It has a very unique feeling in it - you really feel like you're THERE. It's quite amazing and fascinating. But I only gave it three stars because it is a bit of a 'dry' read - great for young boys and adventurous girls. There are no girls in it, by the way, unless you count Jim's mother in the beginning. But I really enjoyed this book. Very interesting and realisic feeling. It's about a young boy who goes off to...more

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Sep 24, 2009 Craig rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A thrilling tale of adventure and coming-of-age. Stevenson's yarn of pirates, treasure, and survival gives us Long John Silver -- the archetypal dastardly pirate, but interestingly enough, not in the flat, stock caricature of the modern swashbuckler. Treasure Island is a perfect example of the heroic quest, where the young protagonist sets out to discover the world and himself -- and the truth about good men and evil men, and ultimately how even those who least deserve it should receive our comp...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Ian rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: action, classics, young-adult

Read and re-read as a boy. Re-reading yet again!

---

Always a delightful adventure, i was fascinated by the details I noticed this time around. In particular that "bit the dust" has a longer history than I realized!

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Feb 05, 2013 Talya rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: روايات-عالمية-للناشئة

قصة أخرى من القصص التي عرفتها ورأيتها حينما كنت طفلة في المسلسل الكارتوني الشهير جزيرة الكنز.. ولا أزال في داخلي كلما شاهدته أو قرأت الرواية أرى نفسي تلك الطفلة الصغيرة التي تندمج مع أحداثه بسرعة، أخاف على جيم من كل كارثة، يغيظني سيلفر بهدوءه وبروده، أرثى لحاله نعم لكني أيضا أخافه وأكرهه، شخصية غريبة هذا القرصان لكنه يجذب المرء نحوه وأعترف أن صوت المبدع وحيد جلال قد أسبغ عليه رونقا فريدا من نوعه.

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Sep 03, 2008 Homeschoolmama rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: families for read alouds, boys who like stories about the sea

Finished reading this book aloud to the kids TODAY! Hooray- it took all of 6 months.. with *many* breaks in between.. But it was a great read aloud. We had to look up many of the nautical terms and lingo, but it was a good story over all. I think I said in my original post that I wouldn't have picked this book up on my own. It's an adventure story about seafaring pirates.. And that is not something that grabs me, but nevertheless I did enjoy reading it to the kids. And now we can say we've read...more

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Aug 08, 2011 Sam Woodfield added it · review of another edition

In a modern day context, I wasn't very keen on this book. It is apparent that it is written for young boys at a time when sailing the seven seas was every young boys dream, and this novel certinly reflects that as it relies upon a certain degree of sailing knowledge because of the language used, which I found hard to follow at times. However, I can understand why this novel is rated so highly in literary polls as it really is the ultimate pirate adventure story and sets the benchmark for all tho...more

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Feb 23, 2009 Ace rated it 5 of 5 stars

Murderous pirates, a wild man, a malarial swamp, and a mutinous ship...all appear to be dangers in the book Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. The actual island, with its strange inhabitants, sturdy structures and disgusting swamps, and which only appears to be a pointless rock, becomes an ally to Jim Hawkins and his frineds. It helps them evade the pirates and other menaces.

Marooned on the island is the helpful Ben Gunn. He built the goatskin dingy that Jim deemed the Coracle. The Corac...more

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Feb 17, 2009 yellowbird rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read books more than once, and it's strange sometimes how my opinion of the book will change as I get older. I reread this book recently (twenty-something years after reading it the first time) and expected to feel nostalgic and ho-hum about the whole thing. Instead, I got sucked into the story just like I did the first time.
The main character, Jim, is a very believable person. Unlike characters in a lot of modern fiction, Jim doesn't have any major flaws that he has to work through in the cou...more

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May 15, 2013 Jeremy Kitchens rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is also a really good book.Treasure Island is narrated by Jim Hawkins, the son of the owners of the inn, the Admiral Benbow. In the first pages, Billy Bones, a mysterious and ragged old seaman, appears at the doorstep of the inn, dragging a large sea chest. Bones decides to stay at the inn and asks Hawkins to warn him if he ever sees a one-legged man. One day, while visiting Hawkins' father whose health has deteriorated, Dr. Livesey, local doctor and magistrate, inadvertently disregards Bon...more

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About Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis (Balfour) Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer, and a leading representative of Neo-romanticism in English literature. He was greatly admired by many authors, including Jorge Luis Borges, Ernest Hemingway, Rudyard Kipling and Vladimir Nabokov.

Most modernist writers dismissed him, however, because he was popular and did not write within their narrow definition of...more

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Trivia About Treasure Island

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Quotes from Treasure Island

“Sir, with no intention to take offence, I deny your right to put words into my mouth.” — 45 people liked it

“Fifteen men on the Dead Man's Chest Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum! Drink and the devil had done for the rest Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!” — 30 people liked it

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