The Amateur Emigrant / The Silverado Squatters / The Silverado Diary

Works of Robert Louis Stevenson. South Seas ed.

by Robert Louis Stevenson

1925. Volume IV of the South Seas Edition. Stevenson is best remembered for Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Here is a real American book. Stevenson comes to our shores as an emigrant, crosses the country with observing eyes, and delights us with pictures of days as a squatter in Silverado. Here are nameless characters we cannot forget, bits of nature description we like to read again and again, and touches of humanity that reveal the author as one gifted with rare sympathy and understanding. If we were compelled to relinquish any of Stevenson's books this would be one of the last we should give up Contents: The Amateur Emigrant; The Old and New Pacific Capitals; The Silverado Squatters; and The Silverado Diary. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.

Genres: Travel

332 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1895

About the author

Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer, and a leading representative of 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 literature. It is only recently that critics have begun to look beyond Stevenson's popularity and allow him a place in the Western canon.

Reviews

[Joshua]

(I read the 1923 edition containg only the Amateur Emigrant & The Silverado Squatters)...while on my way to spend a long weekend in Calistoga where the second part takes place, and including a visit to the petrified forest mentioned in the book (and they love RLS over there, let me tell you!) Personally I thought Amateur Emigrant was better, both are moderately entertaining and not complete cliche, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend these novellas to anyone.

[Peter Perhac]

i liked the amateur emigrant, across the plains was ok, the silverado squatters just about readable and the last few pages titled silverado diary i could not get myself to read. The Amateur Emigrant (and Across the Plains) is what brings the star rating i give up to three stars, otherwise the book was just OK - 2*.

[Steve Shilstone]

Stevenson's memoir of crossing the USA by train and settling for a while with wife and stepson in Northern California. Fascinating.

[Kathryn Pritchett]

Terrific first person account of travel in the late 19th century. Made me want to read Stevenson's better known works.

[Elena]

Interesting to read about the Bay Area and Sonoma area back in the day....