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Reader's Digest Best Loved Books for Young Readers Volume 1
Stories included are:
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
The Call of the Wild by Jack London
Madame Curie by Eve Curie
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
The Call of the Wild by Jack London
Madame Curie by Eve Curie
590 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1966
7 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
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The company was founded by DeWitt and Lila Wallace in 1922 with the first publication of Reader's Digest magazine, but has grown to include a diverse range of magazines, books, music, DVDs and online content.
The company was founded by DeWitt and Lila Wallace in 1922 with the first publication of Reader's Digest magazine, but has grown to include a diverse range of magazines, books, music, DVDs and online content.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 27, 2019
Great stories that can be read by all ages and also make great tales to read aloud as bedtime stories or just chapter by chapter for a family night.
December 31, 2025
For the overall book I thought it would be a brilliant idea to have multiple classics in a short form since I want to read more classics and I've been in a bit of a reading slump so this seemed like it'd be the perfect combination. But I noticed that some books seemed like they left out too much or you weren't able to sit in the essence for that long but other books seemed like they were a great length and didn't leave out anything. So more specifically I'll go into each book. Also, keep in mind that I have not read any of the original versions of these books before this.
Treasure Island 10/23/25- 11/6, 3/5 stars.
Started off really good and then I started waning a bit but I think it's me not you. Maybe the longer version would actually be better so that I can immerse myself even more into this great adventure book. As someone who loves pirtate stories, I think it's so fascinating learning about how the typical pirate story originated from this book. But I am a little greatful that it was cut down a little because, like I said, I started to lose interest in it a bit and I started dragging my feet to get to the end.
David Copperfield 11/8 -12/5, 2/5 stars.
Okay, this one took me SO long to finish and it is the longest one even cut down so it makes sense. And this is one that I think benefits a lot by being cut down because it is a HUGE book regularly and I didn't feel like I was missing anything reading this version. I like stories about the 1800's and it was really cool learning about what Charles Dickens' life looked like more or less. This one also started off good and then it started to slow down by the end.
Call of the wild start 12/5-12/23, 3/5 stars.
This book is the whole reason why I got this in the first place and this is the main one I think I could have read the full version of because the original is short on its own let alone when you cut it down even more. And I felt like it was leaving behind some details or just the relationship between the dog and the owner didn't hit as hard and I think it's because I spent so little time with them. But it was still interesting to learn more about what this time period looked like and how the poor doggos were treated.
Madame Curie 12/24- 12/30. 4/5 stars
Now this book I throughly enjoyed. I knew a bit about Madame Curie but it was really cool diving into her life with more detail. This is the first book in a while to make me actually feel something and I think it brought me out of the slump a little because I want to read more now after it. It was so fascinating how a woman of her time was able to do so much and it seemed so modern. I loved her and Pierre's relationship and it was so heartbreaking and shocking how it ended. It was a really wonderful read and I think it was a great length and it didn't seem like it was leaving out details or anything.
Treasure Island 10/23/25- 11/6, 3/5 stars.
Started off really good and then I started waning a bit but I think it's me not you. Maybe the longer version would actually be better so that I can immerse myself even more into this great adventure book. As someone who loves pirtate stories, I think it's so fascinating learning about how the typical pirate story originated from this book. But I am a little greatful that it was cut down a little because, like I said, I started to lose interest in it a bit and I started dragging my feet to get to the end.
David Copperfield 11/8 -12/5, 2/5 stars.
Okay, this one took me SO long to finish and it is the longest one even cut down so it makes sense. And this is one that I think benefits a lot by being cut down because it is a HUGE book regularly and I didn't feel like I was missing anything reading this version. I like stories about the 1800's and it was really cool learning about what Charles Dickens' life looked like more or less. This one also started off good and then it started to slow down by the end.
Call of the wild start 12/5-12/23, 3/5 stars.
This book is the whole reason why I got this in the first place and this is the main one I think I could have read the full version of because the original is short on its own let alone when you cut it down even more. And I felt like it was leaving behind some details or just the relationship between the dog and the owner didn't hit as hard and I think it's because I spent so little time with them. But it was still interesting to learn more about what this time period looked like and how the poor doggos were treated.
Madame Curie 12/24- 12/30. 4/5 stars
Now this book I throughly enjoyed. I knew a bit about Madame Curie but it was really cool diving into her life with more detail. This is the first book in a while to make me actually feel something and I think it brought me out of the slump a little because I want to read more now after it. It was so fascinating how a woman of her time was able to do so much and it seemed so modern. I loved her and Pierre's relationship and it was so heartbreaking and shocking how it ended. It was a really wonderful read and I think it was a great length and it didn't seem like it was leaving out details or anything.
December 14, 2020
I had already read Treasure Island and Call of the Wild. But I was happy to have found this because it was a 300 page version of the normally 800 page novel, David Copperfield. This was a much more manageable size! I had actually never heard of Marie Curie, but found the biography fascinating. When I mentioned it to my husband who is an engineer, he was very familiar with her and surprised I had never heard of her!
This may sound strange, but my main take away from reading both stories (David Copperfield and Marie Curie) is that a good marriage is a partnership, not a marriage where one dominates the other, but two people who are equals and hold each other in mutual esteem and respect. In David Copperfield, his mother was dominated by Mr. Murdstone and it crushed her spirit. Also, David’s marriage to Dora was not a good match and he was unfulfilled. He contrasted it with his marriage to Agnes at the end of the story and how it brought him so much joy to have someone he could really talk to. Same with Pierre and Marie Curie. They were equals and comrades and that was the success of their marriage. They shared the same passion. Together, they changed the world and it was a thrilling life! I didn’t think I was reading a book on marriage and gender roles, but it wound up being really relevant!!
This may sound strange, but my main take away from reading both stories (David Copperfield and Marie Curie) is that a good marriage is a partnership, not a marriage where one dominates the other, but two people who are equals and hold each other in mutual esteem and respect. In David Copperfield, his mother was dominated by Mr. Murdstone and it crushed her spirit. Also, David’s marriage to Dora was not a good match and he was unfulfilled. He contrasted it with his marriage to Agnes at the end of the story and how it brought him so much joy to have someone he could really talk to. Same with Pierre and Marie Curie. They were equals and comrades and that was the success of their marriage. They shared the same passion. Together, they changed the world and it was a thrilling life! I didn’t think I was reading a book on marriage and gender roles, but it wound up being really relevant!!
October 18, 2023
Treasure Island - the shortened version presented here loses some of the flavor and excitement of the full novel, but remains an accessible and exciting read.
David Copperfield - an enjoyable bildungsroman here shorted to the "ahh, just right" length of being complete enough to experience and short enough to remain refreshing. If plodding through the lengthy original left you downcast, this abridged version should be your cup of tea.
The Call of the Wild - here, too short to be complete. It becomes a sort of vignette of events. Still enjoyable, but lacks the emotional build-up to be truly satisfying at the end.
Madame Curie - informative but occasionally dry. A good presentation of the biographical facts in a manner that makes the subject seem human and approachable.
David Copperfield - an enjoyable bildungsroman here shorted to the "ahh, just right" length of being complete enough to experience and short enough to remain refreshing. If plodding through the lengthy original left you downcast, this abridged version should be your cup of tea.
The Call of the Wild - here, too short to be complete. It becomes a sort of vignette of events. Still enjoyable, but lacks the emotional build-up to be truly satisfying at the end.
Madame Curie - informative but occasionally dry. A good presentation of the biographical facts in a manner that makes the subject seem human and approachable.
Want to read
June 1, 2015Treasure Island: 2/5
There is no denying how influential this novella is. It's a big deal book. There have been so many adaptations and so many stories inspired by it.
That being said, I was raised on those adaptations (and spoiled by them), and honestly find them so much more entertaining. Stevenson's prose and Jim, the protagonist, just didn't click with me. I much prefer Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde over this. If the book were 80% Long John Silver being his one-legged, badass self and murdering everyone in all the ways, this review would be going differently...'cause those scenes rocked.
If you haven't seen every adaptation of Treasure Island under the sun (unlike me), you may enjoy this just fine.
If you have seen every adaptation of Treasure Island under the sun (like me), just watch the Muppets version again. That's all I wanted to do while I was reading.
It has:
- MOTHER FUCKING Muppets
- Hans MOTHER FUCKING Zimmer's score
- Tim MOTHER FUCKING Curry
You know you want it.
There is no denying how influential this novella is. It's a big deal book. There have been so many adaptations and so many stories inspired by it.
That being said, I was raised on those adaptations (and spoiled by them), and honestly find them so much more entertaining. Stevenson's prose and Jim, the protagonist, just didn't click with me. I much prefer Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde over this. If the book were 80% Long John Silver being his one-legged, badass self and murdering everyone in all the ways, this review would be going differently...'cause those scenes rocked.
If you haven't seen every adaptation of Treasure Island under the sun (unlike me), you may enjoy this just fine.
If you have seen every adaptation of Treasure Island under the sun (like me), just watch the Muppets version again. That's all I wanted to do while I was reading.
It has:
- MOTHER FUCKING Muppets
- Hans MOTHER FUCKING Zimmer's score
- Tim MOTHER FUCKING Curry
You know you want it.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews