Treasure Island (Annotated With Over 140 Illustrations)

As a kid I read an abridged Chinese version of Treasure Island. Even though I was not a boy, this story about pirates and treasures captivated my imagination. Later, after reading the full English version, I was able to better appreciate the literary merits of this novel and understand why it had become the most famous adventure story in the world.The plot of this novel is fantastic yet plausible. The twists and turns lead to a surprise ending, and the answer to a puzzling question is kept under wraps until near the end. The characters are people in blood and flesh, walking and talking the way they are supposed to in real life. From the coarse language and sea chants of the buccaneers, one can readily conjure up images of those rough and tough ruffians and visualize the brutality and violence that is part of their lives. By contrast, Dr. Livesey’s sagacity and kindness and Captain Smollett’s discipline and loyalty command the readers’ respect. The main character, a teenager named Jim, is also the main narrator of the story. Twice he leaves his group to embark on his own escapades, but who can blame him? Boys will be boys. Besides, had he stayed with the group, he would not have discovered the marooned Ben Gunn. Nor would he have fallen into the hands of the pirate chieftain, Long John Silver, who is the most sophisticated and intriguing character in this novel. When this cunning “seafaring man with one leg” smiles, one would wonder what treachery hides beneath his warm appearance. And when he speaks, one could almost hear the duplicitous thoughts churn in his evil mind. The image of this cruel and crafty pirate will be imprinted on the minds of the young and old readers and never be forgotten.The author also depicts the settings in great detail so that one can see clearly the backdrops against which the actions take place. The actual location of the buried treasures is roughly indicated on a hand sketched map, complete with riddle-like directions and enigmatic hints. I think it is clever for the author to include a parrot in the story, and the idea of letting it keep watch while the pirates sleep at night is nothing short of a stroke of genius. The only minor fault I could find with this novel is the lengthy account of how the high waves thrust Jim about while he was riding the coracle. Those pages do not help the story along, but they do serve to showcase the author’s mastery as a writer − The vivid descriptions nearly made me dizzy.I highly recommend this novel to middle school and high school students as well as anyone who appreciates excellent literature. The fact that the book was not written in contemporary English does not detract from its value but lends a special charm to the story. I chose to purchase this particular edition as a gift for a youngster because of the helpful annotations and illustrations as well as the nice layout and easy-to-read font. The information provided in the front matter of the book is also a big plus.

As a classic book, the story was well known. However, this particular book was very good as it was written in the original version and all the special terms were annotated and explained at the end of each chapter. Also had a few pages devoted to the terms and how sailing ships actually worked. Although I am a sailor myself, it still was helpful. Also there were a number of old illustrations that made everything even more enjoyable. Having just finished watching the Starz series Black Sails which is a precursor to Treasure Island and Captain Flint, found the book even more interesting.

Our family read this as a read-aloud and everyone enjoyed the story. I especially appreciated the annotations at the end of each chapter which made it quick and easy for me to explain jargon and antiquated phrases that could not be gleaned from context. A great addition to our family's shelves.

Looks good and my daughter loves it. It is one of our all time favorite stories.

Annotation very useful. Nicely bound paperback. Good size book.

That is all you need to know. Great for readers middle school to adult. More adventurous than Peter Pan.

This is a great book. We used this copy for our book club. I love having the little dictionary at the end of each chapter. I didn't find it disruptive at all but on the contrary rather helpful. Would recommend.

Arrived in pristine condition. Book itself has wonderful cover and illustrations.

註が参考になった会話の部分が難しく、註が欲しかった

Thought the pictures would be larger and in color as not real good to keep a young childs interest in the book.