Treasure Island

Treasure Island – Robert Louis Stevenson

Evan’s ESS = 7 out of 10

Erin’s ESS = out of 10

Content = PG (Adult Content, Violence, Treachery, Marooning, Pirate Dialect)

“Sir, with no intention to take offence, I deny your right to put words into my mouth.”

“Let’s not get sloppy just because we’re singing.”

Why:  Imagine yourself on the deck of a massive pirate ship staring across a table at Long John Silver.  That delicious, golden tan, breaded, slightly questionable piece of seafood eyeing you into submission.  Calling your name, “eat me I’m…”  Wait, hold on a second, we’re being handed a sheet of paper...  Well, this is one of our more embarrassing intros.  Did anyone else know that Long John Silver was actually a Pirate?

Sorry for that, actually, Treasure Island is the inspiration for a whole lot more than just a chain of fast food restaurants.  Many modern day pirate stereotypes are taken from this novel – one legged pirates, parrot shoulder companions, and treasure maps marked with a fat big “X”.  The story itself follows young Jim Hawkins and his adventure as cabin boy aboard a ship in search of buried treasure.  Thanks to a wooden barrel of apples, Jim finds himself in the very center of the melee, which includes, but is not limited to; mutiny, drunkenness, marooning, and a little known sea cook named, Long John Silver. 

Treasure Island is wildly popular and has birthed countless prequels and sequels.  We enjoyed the novel immensely if for no other reason than to satisfy our endless need to understand pirate lour.  We were also very interested to read about the only man Captain Hook ever feared, as it is claimed within the pages of Peter Pan.  Don’t be afraid to unearth this literary treasure yourself...

Editor’s Note:  Regrettably, we found out after the final editorial review that one of the above quotes was in fact, not from Treasure Island, but from the equally impressive, Muppet Treasure Island.  Oops.