"Dooty is dooty, to be sure."

When I first picked up this book, I immediately liked it, for it offered a mix of mystery, adventure and combat, but unfortunately for me, that feeling got lost somewhere in the middle. To be specific, it was during Jim's ship maneuvering part that I found the story to drift away from the pace it maintained up to that. For me, the story hardly made up for it in the latter half of the book. By no means this is a poor story, for it offers quite a long story in a considerably shorter narrative, but I found the certain sections were over-described, resulting in a break in the flow of story.

كم أعشق هذه الرواية كانت أول مسلسل كرتوني أتابعه (مانجا ياباني) و أنا دون السادسة من عمري .. بعد ذلك قرأتها .............. مازلت أتذكرها و مازالت ترن في أذني كلمات ستيفنسون
(خمسة عشر رجلاً ماتوا من أجل صندوق)

..............................................

وقعت أحداث القصة في القرن 18 في منطقة ساحلية إنجليزية. جيم هوكينز صبي صغير له نمر أليف اسمه بنبو

كان جيم وأمه يديران شؤون نزل الأميرال (بنبو ) منذ أن توفي أبوه في تحطم سفينته. يقرر الإقامة هناك بحار يسمي نفسه القبطان يدعى (بيلي بونز) .


و بعد سلسلة من الأحداث المروعة تؤدي إلى وفاة القبطان، تاركاً لجيم خريطة تقود إلى كنز القبطان (فلينت) الأسطوري.



بمساعدة الدكتور ليفزي (( القاضي ))والسيد تريلوني، يستطيع جيم



إيجاد سفينة شراعية وطاقم بحري للذهاب وراء الكنز.....
وفي مدينة بريستول القريبة، يضمون إليهم الطباخ ذو الساق الواحدة جون سيلفر، والقبطان سمولت وغيرهم......

لكن مع بداية الرحلة يدرك جيم أن الأمور ليست كما تبدو...خصوصاً عندما يلتقي بجون سيلفر و ببغاؤه الذي كان غالباً ما يجلس على كتفه والذي يكتشف جيم بعد ذلك أنه زعيم القراصنة و كان يبحث عن بيلي ليسرق منه خريطة الكنز...و أدّعى أنه طباخ ليستولي على الخريطة برفقة باقي القراصنة الذين أدعوا أنهم بحارة...

English (Treasure Island) / Italiano

«Squire Trelawney, Dr. Livesey, and the rest of these gentlemen having asked me to write down the whole particulars about Treasure Island, from the beginning to the end, keeping nothing back but the bearings of the island, and that only because there is still treasure not yet lifted, I take up my pen in the year of grace 17_ and go back to the time when my father kept the Admiral Benbow inn and the brown old seaman with the sabre cut first took up his lodging under our roof»

Perfect incipit for an adventure novel, able to introduce the whole story in a few lines and, at the same time, generate in the reader that tantalizing curiosity that invites you to read quickly the pages, thinking "let's settle down, you're going to see some things".

However, I confess that for me the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, reread years later (this time is a bedtime reading for my daughter), has lost part of its appeal. Nevertheless, my daughter appreciated it, probably it's a novel that best suits the tastes of children and young people. In fact, Stevenson has never hidden that the inspiration to the novel came frome his adopted son, Lloyd, with whom in a rainy afternoon drew an island for fun, fantasizing with him on the places about the places map and on future characters. The novel that was taking shape for the 12-year-olds boy's amusement changed in a really fun adventure. Well, then let's all sing it together:

«Fifteen men on a dead man's chest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!»

Vote: 7,5

«Sollecitato dal conte Trelawney, dal dottor Livesey e dal resto della brigata di scrivere la storia della nostra avventura all’Isola del Tesoro, con tutti i suoi particolari, nessun escluso, salvo la posizione dell’isola. e ciò perché una parte del tesoro ci è ancora nascosta, io prendo la penna nell’anno di grazia 17… e mi rifaccio al tempo in cui mio padre teneva la locanda dell’ “Ammiraglio Benbow” e il vecchio uomo di mare dal viso sfregiato da un colpo di sciabola prese per la prima volta alloggio presso di noi»

L'incipit è di quelli perfetti per un romanzo d'avventura, in grado di introdurre in poche righe tutta la vicenda e contemporaneamente generare nel lettore quella stuzzicante curiosità che invoglia a divorare le pagine. Per la serie "mettetevi a sedere che ora ne vedrete delle belle".

Confesso però che per me il romanzo di Robert Louis Stevenson, riletto a distanza di anni (lettura serale per mia figlia), ha perso un pò del suo fascino. Mia figlia ha comunque apprezzato, probabilmente è un romanzo che meglio si adatta ai gusti di bambini e ragazzi. D'altronde Stevenson non ha mai nascosto che l'ispirazione per il romanzo gliela ha data il figlio adottivo Lloyd, con il quale in un pomeriggio di pioggia disegnò per gioco un'isola, fantasticando assieme a lui sui luoghi della mappa e sui futuri personaggi. Il racconto che prendeva forma per il divertimento di un ragazzo dodicenne si è poi trasformato in una gran bella avventura. E allora cantiamo tutti insieme:

«Quindici uomini sulla cassa del morto,
yo-ho-ho, e una bottiglia di rum!»

Voto: 7,5

Robert Louis Stevenson has become one of my favorite authors. The past few months I have reread "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and "Kidnapped". I read these as a kid (the Great Illustrated Classics versions to be exact). They were good then but even better now as an adult.

"Treasure Island" is a simple story and the plot is not complicated. The imagery, the dialogue, and the interaction of the characters make a classic story. The story moves quickly and there's never a dull moment. I would definitely recommend this one with his other works. Thanks!

Shiver me timbers! I've been saving this book for Fiji, and here I now am and what better place to read Treasure Island than on a island in the Pacific.

I am always moaning that classics are over descriptive and wordy, not this one, which was a bit of a shame as I was looking forward to being able to envision the island in my head but that wasn't the case. This is an action lead plot so the surroundings dont get a lot of air play at all.

I had no idea what this book was going to be like other than there would be treasure on a island and it wasnt what I was expecting at all, in my head it was going to be a bit Secret Seven but it was actually a bit more grown up than that.

A quick read at less than 200 pages which I found perfect for island reading.

Ahoy pirates!

„Безкрайната балада най-после беше свършила и малкото хора около огъня бяха подели в хор добре познатата ми песен:
„Петнайсет души във ковчега на мъртвеца, йо-хо-хо, и бутилка ром! А дявола и спирта другите довърши! Йо-хо-хо, и бутилка ром!“


С голямо удоволствие си препрочетох „Островът на съкровищата“. Тази незабравима приключенска книга определено е непреходна история, която притежава силни послания за хора на всякаква възраст! Пренасяйки се в приказната атмосфера на романа, читателите могат да се поучат от грешките на абсолютно всички персонажи - от младия авантюрист Джим Хокинс, до стария пияница Били Бонс; от честните златотърсачи, до страховитите пирати... Бен Гън винаги ми е бил любимият герой от страхотната творба на Робърт Стивънсън, като при този прочит ми стана още по-симпатичен. Не съм почитател на Джон Силвър, но и не го осъждам твърде строго... той е изключително сложен и колоритен образ, та съвсем логично се е превърнал в най-популярния литературен „джентълмен на сполуката“.





„Поведението на хората, което ме тревожеше в лодката, стана наистина застрашително, когато се върнаха на кораба. Те лежаха на групички по палубата и си мърмореха нещо. И най-незначителната заповед се приемаше с недоволство и се изпълняваше неохотно и небрежно. Дори и честните хора, изглежда се бяха заразили от лошото настроение. По всичко личеше, че над главите ни като буреносен облак е надвиснал бунт.“


„Щом Бен Гън видя знамето, той спря, хвана ме за ръката и седна.
— Сигурно — каза той — твоите приятели са там.
— Много по-вероятно е да са пиратите — отговорих аз.
— Тъй ли? — извика той. — На остров като този, дето не стъпва никой друг, освен джентълмените на сполуката, Силвър щеше да развее черното пиратско знаме, няма защо да се съмняваш. Не, това са твоите хора. Навярно е имало бой и твоите приятели са надвили и ето на, настанили са се в старата крепост, която Флинт изгради преди много години. А-а, умна глава беше Флинт! Да не беше пиянството, нямаше да има друг като него.“


„— Ще запомня — каза Силвър с такъв странен тон, че за нищо на света не бих могъл да кажа дали той се подиграваше на молбата ми, или моята смелост му хареса.“

Never trust a pirate.

I really love pirates… even though they might not be the nicest of people they do have a lotta charm. Plus, since it’s summer it seems fitting, goes with the theme.

After reading… and reading… and reading some more I decided that this wasn’t what I expected. I was looking for more adventure and the book was lacking it. I decided to finish it though because it’s a classic, and we all must read your classics!, but boy was it boring.

As Indiana Jones once, rather astutely pointed out, when it comes to treasure "X never, ever marks the spot". Well, it does if you're a pirate, which basically means that as a pirate you have a statistically much higher chance of finding treasure than any archaeologist ever would. I find this a bit unfortunate and if someone had presented me with this hard and fast evidence I would have ticked the pirate box and not the archaeologist box on my careers worksheet at school. Instead, I have to make do with reading Treasure Island and fantasising about my ideal bespoke treasure island (emeralds growing on trees- I know this is an arboreal unlikelihood but it's my fantasy so back off; lagoons filled with sapphires, gold dubloons in huge heapy piles at the foot of azure blue waterfalls and knuckle sized diamonds to be chipped off the walls of underground caverns).

Stevenson's Treasure Island is much less of a Disney-esque fantasy and Jim Hawkins, narrator and salty sea dog in the making, is forced to pit his wits against the wiliest of all pirates, Long John Silver in a race to retrieve the booty. After finding an oil-skin map in a dead mans chest (nice Robert, very nice) Jim sets off to find some trustworthy (or gullible) adults. Jim must be in possession of some serious powers of persuasion because within minutes the good squire and his associates are rustling up a ship (no mean feat when a schooner could set you back £6000 and your chance of surviving the voyage was slim), tightening their buckanneering belts and getting ready to hit the high seas. It turns out the ships cook is more than he seems though and not to be underestimated (I wonder if JF Lawton, the writer of Under Siege was a Treasure Island fan, after all he served up Casey Rybeck, the most underestimated ships cook of all time).

Caribbean capers ensue as Long John Silver serves up a melting pot of mendacity in an attempt to get his hand on Captain Flint's treasure. Jim Hawkins proves he's tougher than a soused herring that's been at the bottom of a barrel for a year and successfully repels the Island siege before hoisting the main sail, jibing -ho and heading for Britain. The other pirates are left marooned as a punishment and their skeletons will be unearthed 250 years from the time of telling during the construction of a Sandals adult holiday resort. Personally I think I'd rather be marooned than go to Sandals.

It's been decades since I last read this treasured classic (see what I did there? :P ) and thought it would be perfect summer reading. I devoured it in 2 sittings. Stevenson pulls you into the journey and for those few hours magically transports you back in time to the swashbuckling decks of the Hispaniola. But thats not all. By telling the adventure through the eyes of young Jim, you also get that wonderful feeling that usually escapes us adults, that life is an adventure and anything is possible.

If you haven't ever read this do yourself a favour and pick it up, and for those like me who had forgotten that wonderful feeling and wish to recapture it, this won't disappoint.

Treasure Island is a treasure for the young… If it is read in one’s childhood, it is irresistible and with age its magic doesn’t wear out for me but now it shines differently…

Now, if I can’t get away nohow, and they tip me the black spot, mind you, it’s my old sea-chest they’re after; you get on a horse – you can, can’t you? Well, then, you get on a horse, and go to – well, yes, I will! – to that eternal doctor swab, and tell him to pipe all hands – magistrates and sich – and he’ll lay ‘em aboard at the Admiral Benbow – all old Flint’s crew, man and boy, all on ‘em that’s left. I was first mate, I was, old Flint’s first mate, and I’m the on’y one as knows the place. He gave it me at Savannah, when he lay a-dying, like as if I was to now, you see. But you won’t peach unless they get the black spot on me, or unless you see that Black Dog again or a seafaring man with one leg, Jim – him above all.”

It’s awesome! The great adventure lies ahead… Goose bumps are guaranteed…
Now I see a lot of irony in the tale and even a bit of mockery – a funny quirk with cheese belongs rather to a subtle ridicule than to the romantic treasure hunting…

At the foot of a pretty big pine and involved in a green creeper, which had even partly lifted some of the smaller bones, a human skeleton lay, with a few shreds of clothing, on the ground. I believe a chill struck for a moment to every heart.
“He was a seaman,” said George Merry, who, bolder than the rest, had gone up close and was examining the rags of clothing. “Leastways, this is good sea-cloth.”
“Aye, aye,” said Silver; “like enough; you wouldn’t look to find a bishop here, I reckon. But what sort of a way is that for bones to lie? ‘Tain’t in natur’.”
Indeed, on a second glance, it seemed impossible to fancy that the body was in a natural position. But for some disarray (the work, perhaps, of the birds that had fed upon him or of the slow-growing creeper that had gradually enveloped his remains) the man lay perfectly straight—his feet pointing in one direction, his hands, raised above his head like a diver’s, pointing directly in the opposite.
“I’ve taken a notion into my old numbskull,” observed Silver. “Here’s the compass; there’s the tip-top p’int o’ Skeleton Island, stickin’ out like a tooth. Just take a bearing, will you, along the line of them bones.”

At different ages we believe in different treasures and they keep luring us.

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“Fifteen men on the dead man's chest—Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!”

3.5 stars

This book started many well-known sayings, nods and tributes towards pirates and the sea life - the love pirates have of rum, Long John Silver, treasure maps with the X marking the spot, the bird on the shoulder of the pirate, some of the songs...it all had to start somewhere, and apparently Treasure Island hit the spot.

It's filled with well-rounded, enjoyable characters - Jim as the main, a mere child, was easy to enjoy as he led most of the story through his viewpoint. Long John Silver was twisted but fascinating and, having not read the story before, I was surprised with some of the faces he showed. Yes, I've been living under a rock in that regard.

Stevenson is a good writer - his words make a smooth sailing experience, talented and pretty but keeping on point to hold up pacing.

Despite perks, the story itself is only average to me since I wanted a full fledged adventure and felt more could have been included. Skeleton Island had a personality we didn't get to fully explore, and most of what happened was predictable with little surprise. Sure, I didn't see some of the small twists, but overall the surprises weren't strong.

The book shines brightest at the beginning at the inn, but I thought it would keep going strong when they set sail. Instead sea travel is abbreviated and the rest of the book focuses mainly on the internal fighting of the men. While this was interesting, I'd like to see other things thrown in to shake things up. Keeping it a little basic makes it clear to me he was writing this more with young readers in mind.

Overall it was a book that started much and deserves its place as a classic treasure. The writing is well done, the characters rich, although the story is a little bare bones.