One of the most enduringly popular adventure tales,
Treasure Island
began in 1881 as a serialized adventure entitled "The Sea-Cook"
in the periodical
Young Folks.
Completed during a stay at Davos, Switzerland, where Stevenson had gone for his health, it was published in 1883 in the form we know today.
Set in the eighteenth century,
spins a heady tale of piracy, a mysterious treasure map, and a host of sinister characters charged with diabolical intentions. Seen through the eyes of Jim Hawkins, the cabin boy of the
Hispaniola,
the action-packed adventure tells of a perilous sea journey across the Spanish Main, a mutiny led by the infamous Long John Silver, and a lethal scramble for buried treasure on an exotic isle.
Rich in atmosphere and character,
continues to mesmerize readers with its perceptive views of the changing nature of human motives.