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The original and ultimate pirate adventure classic. Join young Jim Hawkins on the high seas in his terrifying attempt to outwit a fearsome band of pirates
Robert Louis Stevenson was born in Edinburgh in 1850. Chronically
ill with bronchitis and possibly tuberculosis, Stevenson withdrew
from Engineering at Edinburgh University in favour of Studying Law.
Although he passed the bar and became an advocate in 1875, he knew
that his true work was as a writer.
Between 1876 and his death in 1894, Stevenson wrote prolifically.
His published essays, short stories, fiction, travel books, plays,
letters and poetry number in dozens. The most famous of his works
include Travels With A Donkey in the Cevennes (1879), New Arabian
Nights (1882), Treasure Island (1883), The Strange Case of Doctor
Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1887), Thrawn Janet (1887) and Kidnapped
(1893).
After marrying Fanny Osbourne in 1880 Stevenson continued to travel
and to write about his experiences. His poor health led him and his
family to Valima in Samoa, where they settled. During his days
there Stevenson was known as 'Tusitala' or 'The Story Teller'. His
love of telling romantic and adventure stories allowed him to
connect easily with the universal child in all of us. 'Fiction is
to grown men what play is to the child,' he said.
Robert Louis Stevenson died in Valima in 1894 of a brain
haemorrhage.
It is a breathless journey and the closest thing to a real pirate
adventure without an eye patch and a time machine... It is a unique
work of genius
*Eoin Colfer, author of Artemis Fowl*
There are few novels which grip so thrillingly as those first read
in childhood, and for me none which has quite matched the
excitement of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island
*P.D. James*
Who can think of a pirate without conjuring up the image of Long
John Silver?
*Daily Mail*
So what makes these different to any other set of classics? In a
moment of inspiration Random House had the bright idea of actually
asking Key stage 2 children what extra ingredients they could add
to make children want to read. And does it work? Well, put it this
way...my 13-year-old daughter announced that she had to read a book
over the summer holiday and, without any prompting, spotted The Boy
in the Striped Pyjamas...and proceeded to read it! Now, if you knew
my 13-year-old daughter, you would realise that this is quite
remarkable. She reads texts, blogs and tags by the thousand - but
this is the first book she has read since going to high school, so
all hail Vintage Classics!
*National Association for the Teaching of English*
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