Treasure Island Hardcover – Big Book, 1 October 2009

My 8 year old finished the book in 2 days!!

"YO-HO-HO AND A BOTTLE OF RUM"I could go about writing a long review about these delightful stories from the past. But, the idea of boring people right through the review isn't why reviews are written for, first of all. Trust me reading some books as these in the adulthood period of your life, is the best thing to do. For while you are young you are granted with forgetfulness, but being in this phase, it totally gives you a chance to go back to those memory lanes you walked past years ago. I love to cherish such moments. Don't have to think twice, get set going with this wondeful story by Robert Louis Stevenson, the journey about the Pirates and their hunt for the treasure won't disappoint you.

This review is specifically regarding the cloth-bound Penguin Classic edition, and is not about the content of the book itself. The story is fantastic, and I'm enjoying reading this with my son.I also can't fault the printing itself. The lettering is crisp, and have seen no errors in the text so far. The map is lovely (if a bit small), and the overall book is beautiful to look at.However, the central issue is the print on the cloth is awful. When we received the book, there was a sticker on the back, and when I removed it, quite a lot of the red print from the parrots on the back cover came off with it. I was annoyed, but thought perhaps it was just the glue from the sticker that did it.However, when I started reading to my son, simply holding the book was enough to remove the red printing. It comes off at the slightest touch, both front and back, no matter where I touch it or hold it. See the attached photos.The quality is so poor, that it's left me reconsidering any further purchases of the Penguin cloth-bound editions, because if they have the same problem, it feels like a complete waste.

I have reached 70 and yet have never read Treasure Island. Know the plot and all of the characters, and many of the sea shanties , but I have never read the whole book. It was well worth the wait. This is a good story, and well written though some of the seamen's speech is difficult to interpret, nonetheless it is a good tale, and has been a bench mark for children to read for the last 150 years. The story does finish rather abruptly and quickly, though it does provide a satisfactory conclusion. In the edition I read I think it would have been helpful to have a map of Treasure Island,as some of the geographical descriptions of the various journeys and locations were difficult to imagine and comprehend

Received this last week, and have just finished reading it. My parents had their own copy many years ago, and I always wanted my own copy. The story begins when Jim's father and the Captain die, but the Captain tells Jim before he dies about treasure and info written on a piece of paper. The adventures begin, and it is a really enjoyable read! Yes, the language is a bit dated, but when you think of the time the book was set in, this is understandable! A classic piece of literature! The book itself is pristine!

Such is the enduring appeal of Treasure island, that there seems to be few people who have not heard of either the story or some of the principal characters, Long John Silver being the best known. Although forming part of the BBC's range of children's audio dramatisations, this BBC radio full cast dramatisation, does not attempt to dilute the somtimes harsh nature of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic story. This may make it unsuitable for younger children, but it has, in my experience, wide family and age appeal, as i bought this on cassette, long before it became available on CD. All the classic scenes and characters are well presented here - Jim Hawkins and the Admiral Benbow inn. The visit of Billy Bones with his sea chest containing the map of treasure island. The visit of the sinister, Blind Pugh, The assault on the inn by the buccaneer's. The voyage is planned. Squire Trelawney, Dr Livesy, Captain Smollett and Long John Silver with his parrot, Captain Flint. The voyage. Jim Hawkin's overhears the mutiny plot whilst hiding in the apple barrel. Treasure island. The fight for the stockade. The treasure and Ben Gunn, the strange man of the island. This 1995 production has all the hallmarks of the best BBC radio dramatisations, with fine voice casting and sound effects. Some of the voice hilights include - Buster Merryfield (from tv's, Only fools and horses) is excellent in the role of Billy Bones. Ben Gunn's character is played with wonderful eccentricity. Long John Silver's character is played with a superb blend of murderous menace and friendly charm. In the island scenes, the atmosphere of the island and the tension between the rivals is well portrayed. The whole production has atmosphere and is a good example of how the sound world of an audio dramatisation can bring a classic story to life.