Treasure Island

First published as a book in 1883, Treasure Island is the adventure story that gave the world its picture of pirates: buried treasure, maps marked with an X, one-legged sea cooks, parrots squawking "Pieces of eight!", and the old sea song "Fifteen men on the dead man's chest — yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!"

The tale begins at the Admiral Benbow, a quiet seaside inn on the English coast, where young Jim Hawkins helps his parents. One day a scarred, rum-loving old sailor named Billy Bones takes a room, and with him comes trouble. Mysterious visitors appear, a blind man taps his way up the road, and a dreaded black spot is passed. When the old captain dies, Jim finds a treasure map in his sea chest showing where the notorious pirate Captain Flint buried his fortune.

Soon Jim sets sail aboard the Hispaniola with the kindly Dr. Livesey, the boastful Squire Trelawney, and the stern but honest Captain Smollett. The ship's cook is the friendly, clever, one-legged Long John Silver, who quickly wins Jim's trust. But hiding in an apple barrel one night, Jim overhears a secret that turns the voyage into a deadly struggle: much of the crew are Flint's old pirates, and Silver is their leader.

What follows is one of the greatest adventures ever told. There are mutiny, a stockade under siege, a marooned castaway named Ben Gunn, a daring escape aboard the drifting ship, and a final race for the treasure. At its center is the unforgettable bond between Jim and Long John Silver, one of literature's most fascinating characters. Silver is charming and ruthless, generous and treacherous, and Jim, like the reader, never quite knows whether to fear him or admire him.

Stevenson first imagined the story while drawing a map of an island with his young stepson, and he wrote it to delight a boy. That spirit shines through every page. It has been loved by readers of all ages ever since and adapted countless times for film, stage, and screen.

Why read it?

• The ultimate adventure story. It's fast-paced, suspenseful, and packed with unforgettable scenes.
• Where pirate legend began. Many of our best-loved pirate images come straight from these pages.
• A coming-of-age tale. Jim grows from a frightened boy into a brave, resourceful young man.
• Complex characters. Long John Silver shows that people aren't simply good or bad, which makes for rich conversation.
• Perfect for reading aloud. It's a natural family read-aloud that young and old will enjoy together.

Why the Comfortable Classics edition?

Comfortable Classics was created to help families build a library worth keeping. Each book in the series shares the same handsome design, a black cover with warm wood-grain bands and a parchment panel. Only the title lettering changes, chosen to suit each book's spirit. Together they make a matching collection that looks beautiful on a shelf and invites you to take the next one down.

Classics meant to be kept, studied, and handed down.