Treasure Island is a classic coming-of-age and adventure novel by the Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894). Stevenson released what would become Treasure Island as a series of short stories in Young Folks magazine in 1881 and 1882, writing under the pen name Captain George North. In 1883, the stories were collected into a book, originally named The Sea Cook: A Story for Boys. The novel quickly became a best seller.
The story follows Jim Hawkins, a boy whose father owns the Admiral Benbow Inn in the port town of Bristol, England. Jim meets many people at the inn, including Billy Bones, a pirate who sailed with the legendary Captain Flint. Jim’s ill father and Bones both die shortly before pirates ransack the inn. Jim and his mother escape with money Bones owed for staying at the inn and a packet of papers from his sea chest. Jim asks Dr. Livesey, who cared for his father, and Squire John Trelawney, a nobleman and friend of Dr. Livesey, for guidance. The papers turn out to be a map to Captain Flint’s treasure. Squire Trelawney buys the ship Hispaniola and hires a crew. Jim, Dr. Livesey, and Squire Trelawney sail the Caribbean Sea to Skeleton Island to look for the treasure. The ship’s one-legged cook, named Long John Silver, and other pirates from Captain Flint’s original crew stage a mutiny aboard the Hispaniola. Jim and Dr. Livesey outsmart the mutinous crew as they reach Skeleton Island, hoping to secure the treasure.
Treasure Island has inspired many books, comics, films, plays, television shows, and video games. It is largely credited with establishing how pirates are portrayed in popular culture.
See also Literature for children.
