Very nice edition of a wonderful classic.

books:


	• Treasure Island Robert Louis Stevenson Harvill Press, 2000 - 320 pages average customer review:based on 260 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Tense, Readable Adventure

This is a solid condensed version of the classic search for buried treasure in the late 1700's. Author Robert Louis Stevenson draws readers in early as the Captain arrives at the Benbow Inn in Britain, focused on incoming ships, and warning young Jim Hawkins of one-legged visitors. The story picks up as Billy Bones arrives, bringing danger and discovery of the treasure map, a discovery that leads Jim and his companions to risk the long trip in search of riches. I felt the suspense as Jim's group boards ship with a hardened sea crew that includes Long John Silver and other tough cookies. Then the ship finally arrives at the Island, where Jim and his companions must survive treachery and deadly struggles at the fort - before they even see the treasure.

I just taught this abridged version to English-literate students at a high school in Latin America; most liked it although some wanted even more action. This is a solid read for adventure fans, capable young readers, and those that desire a good story.

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Very nice edition of a wonderful classic.

The book has nice pen and ink illustrations throughout and includes the original Treasure Island map illustration from the original edition. The cover art is by a different artist who has clearly adapted the image from the very familiar publicity photo of Jim and Long John Silver from the Disney film--kind of humorous.

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Misfiled classic

Cracking good pirate tale hits all the high points of treachery, adventure, narrow escapes, and treasure hunting, usually misfiled in the Juvenile section.

"Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!"

See my review of the new novel Silver: My Own Tale As Written by Me with a Goodly Amount of Murder that tells more of the story behind Long John Silver.

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Maybe I'll be a pirate someday! Aye?

My dad and I are reading this book, and we think it's totally awesome! If you are 11 or 12, you may want to read this book with an adult, but you'll love the adventure and pirates, the treasure map and the Hispanola. I think I am going to start learning pirate lingo now, so I'll be ready if Long John shows up at my door! If you read this book you'll have to rate it a five star because of the adventure. Kids, hope you can get YOUR dad to read it with you!!

"Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!"

TREASURE ISLAND is quite simply *the* classic pirate story. It is a supremely enjoyable read, an adventure tale with danger, mystery, suspense, and travel to exotic places--not to mention pirates!

Robert Louis Stevenson's TREASURE ISLAND tells of the coming of age of the boy Jim Hawkins, the son of innkeepers. One day, Jim's parents take on a strange boarder, the "captain," later revealed to be a pirate mate, Billy Bones. The "captain" kept in his room a chest within which, it is revealed after his death, there is a treasure map indicating gold and silver buried on a deserted island. Jim takes the map to the local physician, Doctor Livesey, and the squire John Trelawney. Spurred to action, Trelawney secures a ship, the Hispaniola, which is captained by Alexander Smolletts. He invites Livesey to serve as ship's surgeon and Jim as cabin boy. Trelawney also hires the crew--most of whom turn out to be pirates associated with the treasure map's original owner, Captain Flint. The pirates are led by the ship's cook, Long John Silver, a wily, one-legged, parrot-bedecked, opportunistic pirate chief. (Stevenson's Long John Silver profoundly shaped later popular pirate lore.) The pirates intend to kill the captain, squire, doctor, and Jim on the return voyage after having found the buried treasure. What follows is Jim's adventure of a lifetime.

Though intended to be a story for youth, TREASURE ISLAND's nineteenth-century language, particularly the patois of the sea dogs, will challenge readers under ten. Amusingly, it sometimes also challenges Jim Hawkins, who can't always follow what the pirates are saying. Though the language at times may be difficult, the suspense of the tale will keep propelling readers forward to its exciting and satisfying end.

This "Whole Story" edition is lavishly illustrated with color drawings based on the story. There are also pages devoted to types of sailing vessels, sails, knots, compasses and other nautical stuff. The book also includes a number of sidebar-like illustrated fun facts about pirates and other things only tangentially related to the story. In fact, I often found the additional material not terribly germane and sometimes intrusive and distracting. Still, it makes for a handsome gift book. One simply interested in reading this ripping yarn might choose an edition with simple illustrations or no illustrations at all, save for Stevenson's treasure map.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Tor Classics are affordably-priced editions designed to attract the young reader. Original dynamic cover art enthusiastically represents the excitement of each story. Appropriate "reader friendly" type sizes have been chosen for each title?offering clear, accurate, and readable text. All editions are complete and unabridged, and feature Introductions and Afterwords.

This edition of Treasure Island includes a Foreword, Biographical Note, and Afterword by Jane Yolen.

A mysterious seaman hides at a country inn; cut-throats raid a sleepy English village; suddenly, young Jim Hawkins becomes the owner of a map leading to a lost tropical island and a fortune in stolen gold. Three adventures--Jim, Squire Trelawney, and Dr. Livesey--set out to find the treasure.

But they trust the one they should most fear, Long John Silver. Charming, brave ruthless, murderous, Silver fills the squire's ship with pirates. And on the desolate, fever-infested island, the quest for gold becomes a deadly war of hide and seek. Desperate defenders against merciless killers battling over a cursed treasure won with blood, buried with blood, sought with blood. Incredible wealth that Jim and his friends can only claim...

If they survive!

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