Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer, and a leading representative of English literature. He was greatly admired by many authors, including Jorge Luis Borges, Ernest Hemingway, Rudyard Kipling and Vladimir Nabokov.
Most modernist writers dismissed him, however, because he was popular and did not write within their narrow definition of literature. It is only recently that critics have begun to look beyond Stevenson's popularity and allow him a place in the Western canon.
Treasure Island (only) - Started off really well. Loved all the on land stuff and characters, but once on the island just got very boring. Struggled to read much after the 25% point so eventually gave up on this one. Too many other better books to read!
On holiday this year, when he heard I was Scottish, an Argentinian man was telling me how much he loved Robert Louis Stevenson's writing. It made me dig out this old book I got as a school prize and re-read some of his stories for the first time in an age. I absolutely loved Kidnapped, the classic adventure yarn. The characters of David Balfour and Alan Breck are so well written that you are cheering them on all the way, even when things look very bleak. An absolute classic.
I forgot how good this story was. I had a visual copy of this book as a kid. The story transported me to another time and place like all good stories do. There were times I was sitting at Cafe Ventana reading this book I actually laughed out loud at a witty line. I recommend this book to all!
This is the first book I remember reading because of wanting to. I even owned it on a lp album and wore the record player out. I will read it again maybe parts of my childhood dreams will return.