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    Treasure Island
    Treasure Island
    Treasure Island
    Audiobook5 hours

    Treasure Island

    Written by Robert Louis Stevenson

    Narrated by Ralph Cosham

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    This performance was awarded Audio Best of the Year.-- Publishers Weekly

    Jim Hawkins and his mother unlock a sea chest belonging to Billy Bones, an old sea captain who died while staying at their inn. Inside the chest was a logbook and map. Thus begins one of the greatest adventures of all time. Once again come aboard the Hispaniola in search of treasure with young Jim Hawkins, Dr. Livesey and Long John Silver.

    In the summer of 1881 Stevenson's first novel was inspired when he was helping his wife's son learn how to draw. He explained, "...I made the map of an Island; it was elaborately and (I thought) beautifully coloured. The shape of it took my fancy beyond expression...I ticketed my performance Treasure Island."

    Narrator Ralph Cosham has recorded more InAudio titles by far than any other narrator, and he has received numerous awards to include several Audio Best of the Year awards & Earphone awards.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSpotify Audiobooks
    Release dateJan 1, 1998
    ISBN9781467610599
    Author

    Robert Louis Stevenson

    Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson was born on 13 November 1850, changing his second name to ‘Louis’ at the age of eighteen. He has always been loved and admired by countless readers and critics for ‘the excitement, the fierce joy, the delight in strangeness, the pleasure in deep and dark adventures’ found in his classic stories and, without doubt, he created some of the most horribly unforgettable characters in literature and, above all, Mr. Edward Hyde.

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    Reviews for Treasure Island

    4/5

    208 ratings177 reviews

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    • 5/5
      A re-read of a favorite from my childhood. It held up beautifully and filled me with nostalgia.
    • 2/5
      It was exciting story and sometimes thrilled me. A boy, Jim goes to find the tresure whichi is on the map he has got accidentaly with pirates. He risks his life but finally he successes to get the tresure. He says he never want to go again but he will never forget the adventure he had.
    • 3/5
      Treasure Island was one of my first boys' adventure books - last read in the 1960s! I had fun re-reading the book after all these years. The young hero, working with adults, but always one step ahead in dealing with the bad guys, seems to be the model for so many other young heroes - leading to Tin Tin and Harry Potter, for example. I don't know if Stevenson was the first to create to wiser-than-adults child hero - I can't think of any earlier versions, but he certainly popularised the concept. Great reading. Read in e-format August 2013.
    • 5/5
      This book contains everything you could expect from a story like this. Although this is one of the well-known classics, I had not read it yet. I am very happy that I have done so now.

      The story follows Jim Hawkins who lives with his mother in the "Admiral Benbow" inn in a seaside town. When pirate Bill, who is a client at the inn, leaves a treasure map after his death, Jim sets off on an adventure to find the treasure. It is written in short chapters and after each chapter you want to know what Stevenson has in store for Hawkins and co. Because of the interesting story and the short chapters I read this fairly quickly.

      If you have not yet become acquainted with this classic, it is highly recommended.



    • 3/5
      This is an adult novel, but due to having a child as a POV character, it has become a children's book. But it does remain a great adventure story with wonderful characters and a well crafted plot. Oh, a group of ill-assorted people struggle over the disposition of a hoard of pirate treasure.
    • 5/5
      this book is awsome its about a boy named jim his dad dies at the resterant his mom and dad own and affter hes gone a while in the book some pirates come and kidnap jim well thats all i can say but this is an awsome book about adventure
    • 5/5
      Treasure IslandTreasure Island is a great book and like many great books, grew out of a small act. Stevenson's step-son was drawing one day and his step-father looking over his shoulder, saw that he was drawing a map. They spent the day naming the places and colouring it. And from the map came the book.It is a simple story told by a boy on the cusp of manhood and therein lies its power. Jim Hawkins is a boy telling a story to other boys and his nature is reflected in the telling. There is no navel gazing or reflection in him, he doesn't agonize over killing or worry about the morality of taking buried treasure. Unlike his contemporaries in Victorian fiction, whose scruples often verge on the priggish, Jim's moral compass is personal, his loyalty to his mother and to his friends. His is a conscience rooted in the eighteenth century, his goals are clear and their simplicity and single mindedness drive the story forward.But even in this celebration of the 18th century love affair withlaissez faire capitalism, Stephenson finds a place for evil. It is a grinning, grubby, chatty evil, far removed from the starkly painted moral monsters of children's fiction. Long John Silver is a murderer, a pirate and a scoundrel, but he is also charming, capable and a leader of men. Jim enjoys his company despite himself. Though Jim hates Silver for his cruelty, he admires him for his daring as all boys admire those who defy parental or scholastic authority with panache. In some ways there is little to choose between Long John andJim, both pursue the treasure, Long John is simply willing to use brutal means to obtain it.The Jim we meet at the beginning of the novel is a boy, bound to his mother and weighed down by childish things. By the end, he has encountered dangers, both moral and physical, and survived. He has mastered new skills and entered man's estate. For the rest of us, reading Treasure Island could be considered a vital part of that passage.
    • 4/5
      YAAARR. This be a tale of scallywags and high seas. Adventure be at it's finest, and the rum flows like water me lads.
    • 4/5
      Definitiv ein Klassiker des Abenteuerromans ist „Die Schatzinsel“ und zu Recht ist R.L. Stevenson ein mittlerweile wieder anerkannter Autor. Dieser Erstlingsroman des damals 30-jährigen entstand, als er mit seinem Stiefsohn zum Zeitvertreib eine Schatzkarte zeichnete. Zunächst erschien die Geschichte als Fortsetzungsroman und dann- das war der endgültige Durchbruch- als kompletter Roman. Bis heute prägt dieses Buch unsere Bilder von Piraten: Holzbein, Papagei auf der Schulter, Schatzkarte. Die Namen der Protagonisten sind auch ohne Kenntnis des Buches bekannt: Jim Hawkins, Ben Gunn, Captain Flint und natürlich vor allem Long John Silver. Vor allem der letztgenannte entspricht ganz dem zwiespältigen Bild des Piraten und trägt zu den vielen Wendungen des Buches bei: Einerseits erscheint er fleißig, humorvoll und jovial, andererseits verschlagen, grausam und rücksichtslos. Für jugendliche Leser ist der junge Jim Hawkins die Identifikationsfigur. Jim fand die Schatzkarte bei einem verstorbenen Gast im Gasthaus eines Vaters und fährt als Schiffsjunge mit. Er ist mutig, findet immer wieder interessante Informationen heraus und rettet letztendlich seine Freunde und den Schatz.„Die Schatzinsel“ ist ein auch heute noch lesbarer Abenteuerroman - erstaunlich unterhaltsam und spannend.
    • 1/5

      Five out of ten.

      Stevenson's novel is narrated by the teenage Jim Hawkins, who outwits a gang of murderous pirates led by that unforgettable avatar of amorality, Long John Silver.

    • 4/5
      One of those books I can't believe I've never read - but this is my first encounter with Treasure Island. Narrated by Jim Hawkins, it follows the adventures of a young boy as he encounters a former Pirate, then gets involved in a chase for hidden treasure and battle with mutinous pirates. It's exciting, but has some serious consideration as well. Well worth reading.
    • 3/5
      Finished reading this book aloud to the kids TODAY! Hooray- it took all of 6 months.. with *many* breaks in between.. But it was a great read aloud. We had to look up many of the nautical terms and lingo, but it was a good story over all. I think I said in my original post that I wouldn't have picked this book up on my own. It's an adventure story about seafaring pirates.. And that is not something that grabs me, but nevertheless I did enjoy reading it to the kids. And now we can say we've read Treasure Island!
    • 4/5
      Rereading Treasure Island for the first time since adolescence, I was struck by how tightly plotted the story is, and also how much of the story I had missed as a young reader. Stevenson writes with what is surely deadpan humor - for example, an over-the-top passage where the Squire begs forgiveness from his mortally-wounded gamekeeper for having dragged him on a wild-goose chase for buried treasure, only to have the servant (1) reply that it wouldn't be proper for him to forgive his master, (2) forgive him, and (3) promptly die. When the young protagonist kills a pirate in self-defense, Stevenson wastes no time on the notion that a good character must throw up or feel paralyzed by the knowledge they have taken a life; instead he describes, coolly, the way the pirate sinks to the bottom of the crystal clear bay. The story moves at a steady clip, is totally unsentimental, and lets the protagonist drive all the main action of the story through his choices, wise and otherwise. This book has aged well.
    • 5/5
      One of my favorite books of all time. This is the standard in adventure novels and for good reason. Every young boy and girl should read this book.
    • 5/5
      So there I was, drifting in Pandemic Land, wondering what to read next, when the soft dulcet voice of Lou Reed drifted into my sullen consciousness: "I wish that I'd sailed the darkened seasOn a great big clipper shipGoing from this land here to thatOn a sailor's suit and cap..." And, then, right after that, this early Dylan lyric came crashing through the Pandemic Mayhem: "Haul on the bowline, we sang that melody...like all tough sailors do, when they're far away at sea!" In a moment, the die was cast. I knew that the next book I would read, or reread rather, would be Treasure Island, one that I read some, what, forty years ago, as a mere child? It was a great idea! What a treat! What pleasure! And the fact that the back cover said, "For children, aged 10-14," discouraged me not a whit! To make matters even better, it so happened that my edition was a facsimile of a 1911 one, illustrated by one NC Wyeth, the father of the very Andrew (Mansplain Alert!), who painted Christina's World (and not to forget the voluptuous Helga). But I digress. This adventure story was an unalloyed delight, a story of intrigue, treachery, courage, and a cast of characters right out of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland! I can say no more save this: English literature is awash (as we pirates say) with secondary characters of the highest order: Holmes' Dr Watson, Dickens Madame Defarge, King Arthur's Merlin, Alice's Cheshire Cat, and so on...so allow me to introduce another one, the charismatic Long John Silver, the humble, affable ship's cook in this gripping yarn...or was he only a cook? Read it to find out!
    • 5/5
      Read it along with Cassidy this summer. Never read it before. Enjoyed it very much.
    • 4/5
      The classic tale of pirates and English gentleman, and a boy. Going back and reading this as an adult, I can't believe how predictable it was. I honestly couldn't remember all of the plot points from reading it as a child, but you could see most of the events coming a mile away none the less. This is one of those classic pieces of British work that wraps up all too neatly, and all of the pieces fall right into place without too much fuss. The words are well chosen, and the novel well written, but I'm sad to say that for me it doesn't stand the test of time.
    • 1/5
      I listened to the audio and read the book. It never got any better. My eyes went over the words but I do not know what really happens in the book. I used wikipedia to try and separate the characters but there were just too many. The only thing I really remember is about the apple barrell.
      But I gave it all I had.
    • 4/5
      Stevenson’s taut and fast-paced adventure still entertains. From this stirring tale originates much of the language and icons of pirates we know so well: old sea-dogs, grog, pieces of eight, parrots, sea chests. Young Jim Hawkins, a mere lad, is both repelled and invigorated by the rugged old seamen of fortune, bent on treasure or vengeance, and their blundering misadventures in the Caribbean. Should the narrative briefly slacken, Jim takes on some reckless or daring initiative to move it on. Long John Silver, the arch villain, is also somehow the star of the show, bristling with charisma and cunning. Characters and motives sometimes blur, but the story’s energy and spirit prevail. Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
    • 4/5
      I thought this book was pretty neat. I read a super old edition my dad had when he was in school. It totally made me want to watch Muppet treasure island, one of my favorite movies growing up. After reading the book i am better able to appreciate some of the humor in the movie, like "you killed dead tom" and the talking crab that is supposed to be the parrot captain flint.
    • 5/5
      You just have to read this book if you like anything about pirates. Great salty sea talk throughout. This edition has a handy seafaring glossary at the back.
    • 4/5
      Think I read this at primary school, though it may have been early days at secondary school, so will say circa 1986 as a guess. Certainly enjoyed it at the time, as I was always into this type of tale, along with watching several adaptations of this book. Unsure whether I'd appreciate it as much if I read this as an adult, but either way it deserves at least four stars.
    • 2/5
      Title: Treasure IslandAuthor: Robert Louis StevensonRelease Date: February 25, 2006 [EBook #120][Last Updated: November 10, 2010]Language: EnglishCharacter set encoding: ASCIIPROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TREASURE ISLAND Produced by Judy Boss, John Hamm and David Widger
    • 4/5
      It's slow starting, but once I got to about the middle of the book, I couldn't put it down. It's pretty much a straight-up adventure novel, with action and pirates and everything you could ever want, really.
    • 5/5
      I came to this book early in my career as a reader and value it along with so much of Stevenson's work. A wonderful adventure story, this book is truly a classic for readers of all ages.
    • 4/5
      Stevenson is an all-time classic author, and this book is rightfully held in the front rank of the Stevenson canon. It is often cited as a classic of young adult literature, and it clearly works as such, superbly so. But I would like to cite Mr. Stevenson's sophisticated and subtle portayal of his characters. The motivations are shaded, knowing, understandable, and realistic. We have the evolving, by turns treacherous and ingratiating, journey of Long John Silver. We have the captain of the vessel, and while not as subtle a character, certainly has his depths. And of course, the classic first-person Jim Hawkins, whose courage and resourcefulness are really the entree to this delicious meal.There are some works which seem to carry all in the genre after it. This is one of those. In the words of Jorge Luis Borges: "I like antique maps, 18th-century type styles, the origins of words, the smell of coffee, and the prose of Stevenson." Amen.
    • 3/5
      My 3rd of the 4 Stevenson books on the combined 1001 books list. And this one is my favorite of the 3. A solid adventure with a pre-teen narrator. This really is a great classic for middle graders (and younger advanced readers).Jim Hawkins's mom runs an inn in England (the standard bar/restaurant/rooms inn). An old seaman comes to stay, and runs out of money but does not leave. He is afraid of someone. And Someone comes. The seaman dies (heart attack?), and Jim and his mom quickly go through his stuff to get any payment before the Someone comes back. They get some cash and a map.The doctor sends them to the squire, who decide to mount an expedition to Treasure Island. Jim gets to go along (yes, he's young, but this is England 200 years ago, so he's more like an apprentice). And what adventures they have.
    • 3/5
      This is a fun adventure book, and introduced all our pirate stereotypes. For adults, its a good lighthearted jaunt, for younger reader it would be very exciting. Hidden treasure, pirates, the sea..what's not to like?
    • 5/5
      Action adventure story of Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver. I enjoyed this classic. I'm not sure that it is for children but I had a good time reading it. It was fun reading the phrases that come to mind when thinking of pirates of days gone by (Shiver my timbers, Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of rum.) It's also nice to know that the classic Mr. Magoo Illustrated Classics cartoon followed the book very well. This is a fun read.
    • 5/5
      Adventure can rely on character. Robert Lewis Stevenson demonstrates this in his classic novel Treasure Island. There's plenty of adventure in Treasure Island: mysterious strangers arrive on stormy nights; innocent people survive savage attacks; abandoned ships drift out to sea; pirates climb the walls of forts under the cover of darkness to attack sleeping innocents; castaways, marooned for years, are rescued; fortunes are found and lost again.But what the reader walks away from Treasure Island remembering is the books characters. Long John Silver is the best known, but there are plenty of others, pirates and non-pirates alike. It's these characters that have kept readers coming back to Treasure Island generation after generation. They continue to frighten, to intrigue and to entertain.Illustration by N.C. WyethIn fact, most of what we know about pirates, we learned from Treasure Island. Pirates have wooden legs and wear eye patches. They walk with a crutch, but in a pinch, they can transform their crutch into a deadly spear. They keep parrots as pets and teach them to say "pieces of eight." When they get together, they can't help but sing "Sixteen men on a dead man's chest/ Yo, ho, ho, and a bottle of rum!" They are charmers, but they cannot be trusted. They terrify us, but we can't help but want to be like them. And we're always a little bit relieved when they get away in the end.Illustration by N.C. WyethThe menace and magic of Robert Lewis Stevenson's pirates are both captured by N.C. Wyeth's illustrations. The elder Wyeth has been admired by illustrators for generations, and many consider his artwork for Treasure Island to be his best. I don't know enough about the art of illustration to effectively judge N.C. Wyeth, but C.J. and I have developed a few standards in almost 15 years of shared museum going. One is do we believe the figures in the painting existed before the moment of the artwork and will they continue to exist afterwards. I think Wyeth's do. His illustrations capture parts of a larger moment. N.C. Wyeth is also a master of composition. Notice this group of three pirates climbing the walls of the fort. The viewer sees the two on the wall right away, but did you notice the third one who has already entered the fort's shadow? And look at the angle of the mast and the yard arm in the illustration above. There is no steady, level place for Jim to hide in as he climbs the ship's rigging to escape the pirate. Everything is sharp angles and dangerous slanted beams. The only solid right angle in the picture is the horizon off in the distance. Beyond that horizon, the safety of home.I can see why N.C. Wyeth is considered one of the best. His illustrations create characters with lives outside the paintings just as a good author creates characters with lives outside the book they inhabit. Wyeth and Stevenson are wonderful together.