Robert Louis StevensonTreasure Island Robert Louis Stevenson was born in 1850, into a family oflighthouse builders: thus coastlines and the sea held a particular interest forhim. He wrote Treasure Island (which he first called The Sea Cook) to entertainhis thirteen-year-old stepson, during a wet family holiday in Scotland in 1881.He wrote it very quickly, completing a chapter a day, and soon all the family,including Stevenson’s father, would wait expectantly for the next chapter. The book first appeared in serial form in a periodicalcalled Young Folks, under the pseudonym of Captain James North. Strangely theserial was not particularly successful and when Stevenson wanted to publish thestory in book form, several people tried to dissuade him, arguing that the bookwas inferior and would do nothing for his reputation. Wisely Stevensonpersisted and answered his critics: “Let them write their damn masterpieces forthemselves...and let me alone.” Until this time Stevenson had onlywritten essays and short stories, and he was delighted when the manuscript wasfinally accepted and published as a book by Cassell & Co. for one hundredpounds. He wrote to his parents: “A hundred jingling, tingling, golden, mintedquid. Is not this wonderful?” The book was published on November 14, 1883,became a Christmas bestseller, has sold ever since and has become one of themost famous children’s classics. It is always difficult to pinpoint exactly why some bookscapture the public imagination and live on throughout the generations, but inTreasure Island we find that rare blend of narrative pace and superbcharacterization. Long John Silver has become an archetype, and even those whohave not read the book will be familiar with the one-legged pirate, withCaptain Flint on his shoulder, squawking “pieces of eight”. Indeed every schoolfancy dress parade will have at least one Long John Silver. He is a superbinvention: terrifying, charming, utterly plausible, and calculating his escaperight to the end. There was some concern at the time of publication that the “arch-scoundrel”should be allowed to survive, but the fact that Stevenson let him off to joinhis wife ensured that he would live on beyond the confines of the book, andhence take his place as one of the most memorable characters in children’sfiction. Notes by Heather Godwin Jasper Britton Jasper Britton played the lead in the Regents Park Open AirTheatre production of Richard III and has also worked for the Royal NationalTheatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. His television appearances includeThe Bill and Peak Practice.