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Treasure Island


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(1883)



To this wonderful book I owe the confirmation of my imagination. As a child I must have heard or read some pirate stories and we played pirate games often. Then in the last year of primary school some muse prompted our teacher to read this book to us last class every Friday. It was wonderful! I could imagine that steamy island, those skeletons, Flint, Long John Silver, the parrot, and Ben Gunn who had survived on his own for years there. I even dreamt about this story. Such an imaginative yarn. I have read it at intervals throughout my life and it gets better each time.What a story teller Stevenson was! --Submitted by Brendan

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In an age of declining literacy standards, it is instructive to revisit a work of literature which has done more than almost any other to promote reading amongst boys. Whether revisiting it or discovering it for the first time, adults will also be enchanted by Stevenson's consummate skills as a story-teller. Treasure Island is a gripping pirate story, fast-paced by the standards of its time and full of action. For this reason, it has been a staple of school reading lists, at least until the stultifying hand of political correctness started to remove it from the curriculum. Unlike modern attempts to inculcate children with a love of reading through the use of action-packed and exciting stories (think Harry Potter), Treasure Island has the merit of being written in faultless and elegant English prose. True, a few expressions sound a little stilted to the modern ear--"If you do not put that knife this instant in your pocket..."--but the language is wholly accessible to a competent reader in Year 6 or above, and the occasional archaic formulation adds to the old-world charm of the work. Treasure Island also provides a gentle introduction to the genre of nautical adventure stories set in the age of the sail (e.g. Patrick O'Brien's Jack Aubrey novels, now popularised in the Russell Crowe movie 'Master and Commander', and C.S Forester's Hornblower stories, the subject of a 1951 Gregory Peck movie and the recent Ioan Gruffud mini-series). Adults who have not read this wonderful book will do themselves a favour by trying it. They will do an even bigger favour for their school-age boys by introducing them to it. --Submitted by Alan Anderson

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Recent Forum Posts on Treasure Island

Finished it

I just got done reading it,I liked it even though it is quite hard to understand.With a little help from sparknotes i could understand what was going on.I really liked this book what about you?

Posted By Tyking at Thu 24 Jan 2008, 4:52 PM in Treasure Island || 0 Replies

I need help wit an essey i have to do tommorrow (ASAP)

i have to write and essey at least 5 paragraphes or more answering the following Why does Stevenson choose to portray Long John Silver in a positive light, considering he is a villain? i dont need the essey i can right that myself all i need is the answer to that question cause ima use it as my thesis? and it would help if u can quote the book with concrete details to answer the question to. plz ppl i really need help i read the book but i didnt get it fo nothing and i have to have the the question answered by tonight

Posted By eriland91 at Tue 18 Sep 2007, 9:14 PM in Treasure Island || 0 Replies

Treasure island Help

This is the assignment: In a Composition of at least 5 paragraphs, respond to the following essay questionBe sure to respond to the entire question, citiong examples from the novel- when appropriate - which support your argument and conclusion. Remeber to proofread your final draft for omission or mistakes. This is the question, Who do you freel is the strongest leader, Captain Smollett or Long John Silver? List details from the story to justify your choice. I need this Essay ASAP it is 8:52 pm I need it by the morning Pleaseeeeeeeee!!! If I do not have this by the morning I will FAIL!! :(:(:( So please please please helpp me!!!!!!!!!

Posted By skeet-skeet at Tue 31 Oct 2006, 9:00 PM in Treasure Island || 1 Reply

Horrible!

How can anybody possibly like this book? This could be the worse book I've read in a long time. The language has is as interesting and colorful as a rock. The ending was beyond horrible. I would not recommend this book; actually I would say to stay away from it.

Posted By bubbaroo at Sat 10 Dec 2005, 5:04 PM in Treasure Island || 17 Replies

Treasure Island

This is my favorite book, and I read it at least once a month. The fantastic writing and thrilling plotline makes this book a real page-turner! Fans of this book should read "Long John Silver" by Bjorn Larsson.

Posted By Alex Rowe at Tue 24 May 2005, 5:07 PM in Treasure Island || 0 Replies

AWSOME!!!

I LOVE THE BOOK TREASURE ISLAND!!!!

this year we are doing the play and i got to be the character " Israel Hands" ^_^

He talkd funny....but hey there suppose to.

I love it when he says " I donn't recon his body is ornimental now...do you?" ~ Israel.

this book is the best thing i have ever read! It is my Favorite!

If your wanting to read a awsome book...read Treasure Island, It will open your eyes to a world of adventure!

Well...in the words of Israel Hands " To luck!" and to Rober Louis Stevenson for writing such an awsome book!

~ Shai ^_~

Posted By Shai at Tue 24 May 2005, 5:07 PM in Treasure Island || 0 Replies

what I thought...

Dont get me wrong, the idea and the story is a great work(why wouldnt it be, several FAMOUS movies have been successfully made after it), but its just the vocabulary. It was written around 1885, or something like that, but books that have imcomprehendable words should be adapted to the current language. It is a good book, except for that.

Posted By sentinelred at Tue 24 May 2005, 5:07 PM in Treasure Island || 1 Reply

Captain Kidd

Does Captain Kidd actually appear in Treasure Island? I'm doing some research and I need an answer.

Posted By Johann Schmut at Thu 19 Dec 2002, 12:00 AM in Treasure Island || 2 Replies

No Subject

great novell, makes you dream.

Posted By mohamed at Tue 24 May 2005, 5:07 PM in Treasure Island || 0 Replies

No Subject

I find the book very exiting! I don`t understend all those opinions above, that it is very boring or for children. Stevenson has a unique style of writing and created something very special and exceptional. He has influenced on the whole literature. Later there were only weak remakes. I am looking forward to similar opinions.

Posted By matthew at Tue 24 May 2005, 5:07 PM in Treasure Island || 0 Replies

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