Treasure Island

About the book

Jim Hawkins helps his family at an inn until a mysterious seaman brings danger to its doorstep. A map opens the prospect of buried treasure, and Jim joins an expedition whose apparent respectability does not guarantee the honesty of its crew. Stevenson gives the voyage urgency through overheard conversations, sudden decisions, and the difficulty of knowing whom to trust. Long John Silver's persuasive warmth makes that difficulty especially memorable. The island promises wealth and adventure, but survival demands a more exact attention to motives and shifting circumstances. Jim is resourceful without being protected from the consequences of acting alone. The story's appeal lies in its swift movement between discovery and danger, and in the uneasy mixture of admiration and suspicion that adventurous experience can produce.

• Trust and betrayal
• Adventure
• Greed

Why read it

For tightly paced suspense and a charismatic antagonist whose friendliness is part of the danger.

English text