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How can anybody possibly like this book? This could be the worse book I've read in a long time. The language has is as interesting and colorful as a rock. The ending was beyond horrible. I would not recommend this book; actually I would say to stay away from it.
I'm not a fan of R. L. Stevenson, either. Aside from his obtuse writing style, he once called Henry David Thoreau a "skulker" because Thoreau refused to be a slave to social customs. Stevenson moved to Samoa where as a white man he could be at the top of the social anthill.Quote:
Originally Posted by bubbaroo
You know, I don't know how anyone reads this book, there are so many movies out now that I can't even consider myself reading it for the first time anymore. I like "Treasure Island" but I try not to read too much into it. Just go for the story. Maybe the details are more attractive to men for the most part.
I loved Kidnapped. Still do. I have no idea why Treasure Island is more popular, its very boreing by comparison. Has anyone read kidnapped?
Maybe its morepopular because its the only accessible fiction about pirates ... maybe thats why theres so many movies about it too. I don't know.
I don't usually care for Stevenson, and I don't think he was an admirable man. But Treasure Island's exciting I think. I might even go so far as to say that it opened a whole to genre to writers.
I read both Treasure Island and Kidnapped. Although I would say that I enjoyed Kidnapped more, I have a soft spot for pirates and did enjoy Treasure Island. I was around 13 when i read both and I think it was Stevenson drew me to Classics sections of bookstores - and then I found Dickens......
That's it, Charles Darnay. That's what it was. Treasure Island is a good, easy introduction to classics. I was 12 or so when I read it, and though it wasn't my first classic, it was probably the first one that had me wanting to read classics. Before it was the inevitable want that all preteens have to impress their friends. You know the idea of it. I was considered a brain-iac, so I let them think so. I read classics. I liked a lot of them, but Treasure Island had me wanting to go to more of them, simply because I wanted to.
Despite bubbaroo's dislike of the language and the ending - this book remains a classic for a number of reasons. I feel sorry for those posting on this forum who have not appreciated the magic of Stevenson's characters and been captivated by the adventure found in this enchanting narrative. Easily one of my favourite books of all time, I would read it at least twice or three times a year. Read it again - it's worth it!Quote:
Originally Posted by bubbaroo
Actually, I found Treasure Island to be a good read as well. As a teacher, I've found it does grab the interest of readers better than most "classic" literature--indeed the fact that "pirates" are very much in vogue hasn't hurt it any either. With regard to Stevenson's life/personality, I suppose were we to judge all literature with such scrutiny, an awful lot of classics would bear the "horrible" lable as well. Fortunately, this is not the case.
I had also later read Kidnapped, and while I found it a bit more cumbersome, at first, I did enjoy the story.
Of course my personal favorite should be obvious by the name--whom I also "discovered", albeit in a different manner.
Boz
I love both!
Everything can be summed up into one word:
This book: :flare: terrible
Your angry posts: :lol: funny
You posters: :crash: Nerdy
Your reaction to reading this: :yawnb: :( ;) :alien: :bawling: :blush: :idea: Priceless!
The first classical book I remember reading was Great Expectations by Charles Dickens when I was about 12 or 13 years old. I've never read Treasure Island, or if I have, I don't remember.
I'm a huge fan of Jane Austen, so I've already read Pride and Prejudice, and I am currently reading Sense and Sensibility.
Anyone have any suggestions of great classical books I could read?
I'm new here, as of today.
So, I'll just say hello to everyone while I'm here! :D
*Heather*
Well, I found that this book had a good storyline, but the wording is incomprehensible. I couldn't figure out what they were trying to say and what the plots were until we went over them in class. This book introduces too many characters with too many names for them. Overall, I found this book rather dull and hard to understand. I'm sure it's a good book, but I don't think it's worth reading.
I DO LIKE THIS BOOK AND VERY MUCH. HOW CANīT YOU APRECIATE THE DEEP SEA AND SEAFERING MEN ATMOSPHERE THAT INVOLVES THE WHOLE STORY FROM THE BEGINING TO THE END. THE CHARACTERS AND THE WAY THEY SPEAK ARE ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!! SPECIALLY WHEN JOHN SILVER UNCOVERS HIMSELF WHILE JIM IS HEARING INSIDE THE APPLE BARRELL.Quote:
Originally Posted by bubbaroo
THE PLOT IS PERFECTLY ESTRUCTURATED AND THE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PLACES VERY GOOD TOO.
YOU DONīT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. IF I WERE YOU IīD TRY TO READ IT AGAIN AND RELEASE YOUR IMAGINATION.
VERY RECOMMENDED BOOK!!!!!
HE WAS CALLED, IN THOSE LANDS OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN, "TUSITALA" WHICH MEANS: HE, WHO TELLS STORIES AND HE WAS ALSO LOVED BY THE POPULATION THERE.Quote:
Originally Posted by starrwriter
FUTHERMORE HE WAS VERY FRIENDLY AND NICE IN SPITE OF HIS ILLNESS.
I DONīT UNDERSTAND YOUR XENOPHOBIC COMMENTARY, I FEEL ASHAMED OF IT.
I DID READ KIDNAPPED AND NOT SO LONG AGO. ITīS A GOOD STORY AND INTERESTING TOO. THERE IS SOME TRUTH IN WHAT YOU SAY, THAT THE CLASSIC STORY OF PIRATES MAYBE HAS SOME MORE ATRACTION. IN FACT THERE HAVE BBEN MORE MOVIES ABOUT THE TOPIC.Quote:
Originally Posted by IrishCanadian
How can you dismiss this work as "horrible" ? Are you yourself a distinguished writer? Can you create a work of fiction as popular and well known? I highly doubt it! Are you as pretentious to assume so? Your sheer ignorance and disrespect show you to be. I favour letting everyone have their opinion, but the way you have expressed yours is idiotic if not outrageous. Do you come up with some argument other than the language is as "interesting and colorful as a rock"? That similie doesn't even make any sense. Rocks are very interesting, and they range in many different colours. Your terrible comparison and lack of creativity leads me to further believe that you are too incompetent to write a work of fiction NEARLY worthy of someone like yourself to brand as "horrible".
Perhaps you did not understand that the book is a children's book. Perhaps your imagination is so short that you cannot take what Stevenson has given you and run away with it like so many others have. This book was written for children to use and then to dwell upon with their imagination for a long time.
Noting that you have only two posts, and that one of them is the creation of this topic, I can assume that you joined this forum simply to post this topic. Now, why would you join a forum just to bash a book that you didn't give a chance? Oh, maybe because you have to read it for school! Am I right? Perhaps you did a book report on it? Your incompetence, poor analytical skills, and book choice (lovely book, low reading level) for a book report imply that you must be either uneducated and / or very young. Which is it?
Back to the book: I love this book. I think that it is the perfect romantic (in the traditional sense) adventure story that enables the reader to add on to it with their own imagination and creativity. Long John Silver is the perfect example of a cunning, manipulative, eccentric, and ingenious man and Robert Stevenson created him with the utmost care just like all of the other characters.
Excellent book, I remember reading it as a child, being a typical boy I became totally engrossed with the pirates and the search for buried treasure.
I found Treasure Island and a love for literature near the end of Elementary school. The themes in this book may seem childish at times, but the fact is that it opened up so many doors to my imagination. I think that many of you will find it hard to "read it for the first time" because you were not able to enjoy it during the innocent times of your life. I think those of us that received it at a young age and see it as "looking back"
I loved this book.
Though it's easy to think that the story is about a group of pirates after
their treasure, in my opinion, it's beyond just that. I thought it's about a
person's life. About a young and innocent boy named Jim Hawkins growing
into a mature man. If you paid attention to the titles of the chapters, you
would have noticed they go like [My shore adventure], and then to
[My sea adventure], which illustrates boy Jim's gradual approach into this
tough life. Jim's taking charge of the ship by himself symbolizes that he is
now dependent on his own in his life.
Now, Long John Silver plays a very important role in all this. It is safe to say
that he is the devil. Every time he says anything, he lies. Only lies come out
of his mouth, but those lies are very persuasive that people get tricked by
them. Yet, he cannot physically harm Jim, which reminded me of the same
evil in the book of Job in the Bible. When I was reading, I was amazed at
R.L.Stevenson's genius ability to created such a character. The best part
was when Jim and the group brought L.J.Silver on board with them on their
way back home. Devil within them! It was the best to see L.J.Silver putting
an angel's mask until they got home. Then he disappears, because he figured
that Jim was now mature enough that he cannot fool him anymore.
I personally think that it is a beautiful Chrisitan ending. Life on earth is just
an adventure, where we have to fight against evil spirit and learn to stand
on our own feet. Yet, when we are back to where we once belonged, evil will
no longer exist.
So, what is the 'treasure' they are after??