This is the final instalment in Spike Milligan's series of reworkings of classic novels. All the familiar faces from Robert Louis Stevenson's classic pirate adventure story join in the fun - but this time they are accompanied by Groucho Marx.
Terence Alan Patrick Seán Milligan, known as Spike, was a comedian, writer and musician. He was of Irish descent, but spent most of his childhood in India and lived most of his later life in England, moving to Australia after retirement. He is famous for his work in The Goon Show, children's poetry and a series of comical autobiographical novels about his experiences serving in the British Army in WWII. Spike Milligan suffered from bipolar disorder, which led to depression and frequent breakdowns, but he will be remembered as a comic genius. His tombstone reads 'I told you I was ill' in Gaelic.
I enjoyed this more than I enjoyed the original Treasure Island, although that’s not saying much because I didn’t think much of Stevenson’s book. It just kind of grated on me after we left the inn at the start. This one is filled with wit and wisdom and features a bunch of cameos from Groucho Marx, but other than that it was just so so.
I have tried reading this a couple of times, but just couldn't get into it. I'm not sure why this one, of all the 'according to' books was the one I didn't like. Maybe it was just the mood I was in at the time!!
What a waste of paper and time. I have been given to understand there are more “According To (Spike Milligan)” books, but it is safe to assume that this parody of Treasure Island was the first and last I read. In my opinion it was not funny, not good and definitely not worth reading.