A Footnote to History: Eight Years of Trouble in Samoa

by Robert Louis Stevenson

According to ""Robert Louis (Balfour) Stevenson ( 1850 - 1894), was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer, and a leading representative of Neo-romanticism in English literature. He was the man who ""seemed to pick the right word up on the point of his pen, like a man playing spillikins"", as G. K. Chesterton put it. He was also greatly admired by many authors, including Jorge Luis Borges, Ernest Hemingway, Rudyard Kipling, Vladimir Nabokov, and J. M. Barrie. Most modernist writers dismissed him, however, because he was popular and did not write within their definition of modernism. It is only recently that critics have begun to look beyond Stevenson's popularity and allow him a place in the canon.""

Genres: History, Nonfiction

340 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1892

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

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

RLS lived in Samoa for many years and wrote this report on its people and their then recent history. Most of it took place in the now independent country of Samoa, but I have chosen it for American Samoa because it shows the start of how it became American.
He wrote in a hurry to explain the situation and he took witness statements from people concerned. It is very readable and he sometimes has a tongue-in-cheek attitude when describing various schemes and machinations by the non-Samoans. He is generally sympathetic towards the natives and explains their actions in the context of their culture. I can't say the US come out of this particularly well, but neither do many others.

[Marianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating in detail, a snapshot of a particular corner of the world in tremendous focus. A must for a modern historian.

[L. M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good, with some striking set piece moments such as the description of the hurricane. As with his historical fiction, Stevenson is able to bring the events of long ago vividly to life.

[Meg Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was at times tedious, but overall was very insightful into a culture and the history of this region.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating! I want to travel to Samoa now.