Treasure Island
by Robert Louis Stevenson · first published 1880
54% recommend44% neutral2% critical
Why HN recommends it
Short, fast-moving pirate adventure that reads easily despite its age. Readers enjoy the dread, the bloodthirsty pirates, and the source of many pirate tropes. Suits kids, young adults, and those put off by classics.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Traditionally considered a coming-of-age story, Treasure Island is an adventure tale known for its atmosphere, characters and action, and also as a wry commentary on the ambiguity of morality — as seen in Long John Silver — unusual for children's literature then and now. It is one of the most frequently dramatized of all novels. The influence of Treasure Island on popular perceptions of pirates is enormous, including treasure maps marked with an "X", schooners, the Black Spot, tropical islands, and one-legged seamen carrying parrots on their shoulders
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…few suggestions: - Read historical fiction, or fiction that is extremely well-researched. I like James Michener. - Read travel and adventure type stories. Personal favorites in this category are The Treasure Island by R L Stevenson, and The Coral Island by R M Ballantyne. Both are not particularly long, and the original is still suprisingly readable in this day and age. Bonus: these are extremely well-regarded classics.…
on “Ask HN: I don't read fiction, how much am I missing out on?” ↗…Kamikaze L'Amour (Richard Kadrey) - Lightpaths (Howard V. Hendrix) - A Canticle For Leibowitz (Walter M. Miller, Jr.) - Moonwar, Venus (Ben Bova) - the Stainless Steel Rat series (Harry Harrison) - Treasure Island (Robert Louis Stevenson) - Ringworld (Larry Niven) - Cthon (Piers Anthony) -- Trippiness level approaching Philip Jose Farmer ;-) - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series (Douglas Adams) - The…
on “Ask YC: favorite books” ↗Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson. Alice in Wonderland iff still young enough not to think girls are gross. Otherwise you must sneak up on him with the poetry, then introduce the book. (I've had success with reciting…
on “What are great books for boys?” ↗This is why I recommend "Treasure Island" by Robert Louis Stephenson every chance I get. They're all "Walk the plank, me hearties" but they're also blood-thirsty scumbags.
on “Kids Were Terrified of Getting MRIs. Then One Man Figured Out a Better Way” ↗…whats going on in different levels - Some PG Wodehouse stuff because it ages well (specifically the bibilical references) - Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie which is absolute verbal wizardry - Treasure Island by RLS which is a kids favorite for adventurism
on “Ask HN: Which books have you read more than once?” ↗He stresses the strong impression Treasure Island left on him: “… frightening but in a positive way.” I must have read it when I was 11 or 12 and that’s a great way to summarize the feelings it evoked. In fact, I still can feel the dread of trading Jim’s…
on “J.G. Ballard: My Favorite Books” ↗…"Starship Troopers" by Heinlein - "Rendezvous with Rama" by Arthur C. Clarke - "Ubik" by Philip K. Dick - "Mickey 7" by Edward Ashton - "Fugitive Telemetry" and "System Collapse" by Martha Wells - "Treasure Island" by Robert Louis Stevenson (I was surprisingly into it) - "Glass Houses" by Madeline Ashby - "Cover Her Face" by P.D.James - "The Crystal Shard" by R.A.Salvatore (I needed to see what Drizzt is all…
on “Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?” ↗Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stephenson. Sometimes it is good to go back to the classics. The copy which I read was illustrated by N.C. Wyeth which made it especially fun to read.
on “Ask HN: Books Recommendations?” ↗Treasure Island - Stevenson
on “What's your favorite children's book?” ↗…you're fit to be a slave for an Englishman. [and, even the addition of a live-in servant to his already well-appointed cave, doesn't stop Crusoe endlessly bemoaning the terrible fate life has given him]. TREASURE ISLAND [1883] Another great adventure story. It's got pirates and buried treasure. What's not to like?! As with the previous two I've mentioned, Jim Hawkins, the hero character is annoyingly pious and good.…
on “Ask HN: Good books written before ~1900?” ↗…Dunces by John Kennedy Toole Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison Unfuk Yourself by Gary John Bishop The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho Iron John by Robert Bly The Call of the Wild and White Fang by Jack London Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari White Teeth by Zadie Smith Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus by John Gray Moby Dick by Herman Melville
on “Show HN: I've compiled a list of the top books for men according to 56 blogs” ↗…offer some tips) Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke - Liked it, but unsure that I'll continue. 3.5/5. White Fang by Jack London - Enjoyable and descriptive. Had to power through, though. 3.5/5 Treasure Island by RLS - Absolutely loved it. Now I need to power through the 800ish episodes of One Piece. 4/5 King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green - The story moves pretty fast. 4/5…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2018?” ↗Re-read a classic fiction, Treasure Island by Stephenson. Of the non-fiction I read, and completed, this year, Endurance: Shackelton's Incredible Voyage by Lansing.
on “Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011” ↗I also enjoy his books, especially Treasure Island is a book I go back and read again once in a while. Funny enough, I just realized I hardly know anything about the author, reading up about his life now.
on “How Robert Louis Stevenson came to live, die, and be buried in Samoa (2018)” ↗…you’ve read as a child is interesting as well. You no doubt see the world very differently now – observing the difference in one’s perception is fascinating. Don’t be afraid of the seemingly trivial. Treasure Island is the source of every single pirate trope. That realisation alone was worth it for me. Pay attention to the language. It matters so much. I often re-read passages in LotR for the imagery alone. It is…
on “Ask HN: What are the best books for professional effectiveness?” ↗