Treasure Island

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) may have traveled more than the characters in some of his critically acclaimed and world renowned novels. Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, and traveling writer who wore classics like Kidnapped and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Stevenson was so accomplished that he was a celebrity during his lifetime, and he left an influence on great writers who followed him, including Hemingway and Kipling. At the same time, his works are easy enough to read that they can be taught in classrooms across the world to teenagers. One of his most popular books is Treasure Island, which all but created every stereotype now associated with pirates. The book is a coming of age adventure that mixes character studies, action, a vivid setting, and commentary on the ambiguity of morality, as embodied by the memorable Long John Silver. Its influence on the popularity of historical pirates is unmistakable, with its inclusion of treasure maps where X marks the spot, schooners, tropical islands, and one legged pirates with parrots on their shoulders.