But Finally Awoke And Got Around To Reading A Classic!
For around 54 years I've deprived myself of an immense pleasure without being aware of it until the last couple of days. Back in the latter days of 1966 or the early part of 1967, my brother and myself were each gifted a book as a Christmas present by an aunt and uncle. (I no longer recall with certainty, but if we didn't receive the books before or on Christmas, they passed into our possession belatedly sometime in the New Year.)
The books were Kidnapped and Treasure Island, both authored by Robert Louis Stevenson, the same writer who penned the tale of Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. (Yup, that's right - no article before 'Strange'.) As recounted here, my brother was given Kidnapped, while Treasure Island was my half of the gift. It wasn't 'til around 10 years later that I finally read a replacement copy of the book I'd acquired, and I very much enjoyed it.
I say replacement, as I don't quite know what happened to my original copy, but somehow my brother's book survived and had passed into my hands. Yesterday I decided to start reading it, having just finished half an hour ago as I type, and it truly was an excellent, gripping, and enthralling read. To think that this treasure (allusion intended) has sat in a cupboard for lo those many years, patiently waiting to be read simply astounds me. What could I have been thinking in not embarking in this most pleasant undertaking before now?
Stevenson is indeed a masterful storyteller, and I'd be doing you a disservice if I neglected to commend this novel to your attention if you've not already read it. And even if you have, if it was many years ago when you were younger, I'm sure you'd certainly enjoy reading it again. And if you haven't read it before, don't be caught napping - do it soon, as a real treat awaits you!
Kidnapped was one damn good story. I can remember reading the book at school as well as watching the old BBC TV version in the 60s . Ian Cullen hoots mon played David Balfour and Roddy McMillan played Alan Breck Brilliant !!!! Naturally the BBC threw it out .Three cheers for the BBC.
ReplyDeleteI found the book utterly compelling, LH. I could hardly put it down. Couldn't say whether I ever saw the BBC version or not, but I might've seen some adaptation of it at one time.
ReplyDeleteHi Kid,
ReplyDeleteI haven't read Kidnapped but did read Treasure Island in my 30's and really enjoyed a rip roaring yarn. I remember my Dad calling me in from playing with my pals one summer early evening when I was 7 years old, to go and see Kidnapped at EK Cinema. He had read & enjoyed the book as a kid and noticed it was showing at the pictures and probably felt he needed one of his children to accompany him to a Disney movie. Anyway, I'll take your recommendation and get a copy from the library this weekend and let you know what I think.
Cheers,
Duncan
Hi Kid,
ReplyDeleteAn update to my earlier post, for the sake of accuracy - I had always assumed it was the 1960 Disney version of Kidnapped that my Dad took me to see at EK Cinema. However, after reviewing IMDB (great resource by the way) it must instead have been the film starring Michael Caine that had recently been released in UK in early summer of 1972. I now remember Donald Pleasance being very creepy as David's uncle, Ebenezer Balfour.
Cheers,
Duncan
I'll have to see that movie at some stage, D. My copy of the book is an abridged version, which I assume means that some gory bits have been toned down, not chapters excised, but it was a helluva good read. Three other books you should consider are The Ghosts by Antonia Barber, Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce, and especially Moonfleet by J. Meade Falkner.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kid,
ReplyDeleteI'll look out for those other recommendations when I visit the Library this weekend.
I seem to recall our class had Tom's Midnight Garden read to us by radio broadcast in primary school.
Cheers,
Duncan
If you liked Treasure Island (as did I, great book) then you're particularly bound to love Moonfleet, D. Read that one first, after Kidnapped. Or even before it, come to that.
ReplyDeleteKid, I'm surprised Moonfleet by J. Meade Falkner is on your must read list. It was a compulsory read at school when I was 12 and it fell far short of the R.L. Stevenson stories. It had a long boring section about a well.
ReplyDeleteEven Stewart Granger and George Sanders couldn't make the movie version a patch on Kidnapped.
Oh, pish-tush, T47 - Moonfleet is an excellent book, and the part about the well is riveting. The movie only covers about the first third (or so) of the book, and even creates a character for Granger to play that I don't recall from the novel. Your association of it with your school days must be colouring your opinion. Go back and re-read it. And do 200 lines - "I must not diss Moonfleet."
ReplyDeleteI haven't read Kidnapped but I've seen the film version with Michael Caine and there was a Radio 4 version not so long ago.
ReplyDeleteThe Radio 4 version will probably be on a cd, so I'll keep my eyes open for it, CJ.
ReplyDeleteTreasure Island is a brilliant book isn't it. I reread it about ten years ago thinking I would eventually get bored and put it down, after all it's just a boy's adventure story, but it is so we'll written and really it's an all age book I was finished it before I knew it. I picked up an old edition of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde last week in a charity shop and was surprised to see it was such a novella for some reason I thought it was a full novel
ReplyDeleteDefinitely an excellent book, McS. I think the only reason (well, there's a couple) that such books are considered children's books is because the main protagonist is usually a youth, and that there's no sex or swearing in them. The standard of writing is usually excellent, which, as you say, really makes them 'all-age' books. Also, considering that most of us old farts still think we're 18 (in our heads anyway), a story where the principal character is a youth shouldn't be a deterrent. I think because the movies based on Jekyll & Hyde are the same length as other movies, we naturally assume that the book is a full novel if we haven't previously read it.
ReplyDeleteAnother "children's" book that is worth rereading is Bridge to Terabithia. A very different type of book to Treasure Island looking and the relationship of 2 outcast kids rather than a ripping yarn, but it's a lovely book. Written in 1977 so after our childhood days I picked it up as my niece had it and was throwing it out. They made a film of it a few years ago that's also good.
ReplyDeleteI'll keep an eye out for it, McS. Read Moonfleet and Kidnapped when you have a chance. I'd be surprised if you didn't enjoy them as much as Treasure Island.
ReplyDelete1977 might have been after YOUR childhood days Paul but I was only 11 :)
ReplyDeleteEither way, it might be a book that you'd enjoy reading nowadays as well, CJ. (I'm still 11, but only in my head. Though my age changes depending what I'm thinking about at any given time.)
ReplyDeleteVery true Colin. I meant Kid and myself of course when I said that but I do realise that not all Crivins readers are old crumblies like myself -although your not that far behind me 🙂
ReplyDeleteOf course, we'll both be far superior physical specimens of manhood than CJ, McS, because we're hardy Scots who are used to rough weather conditions and therefore able to deal with anything the world throws at us. And it's a well-known fact that Scotsmen are irresistible to women, whereas Welshmen are only irresistible to sheep. Wha's like us?! (Have to go, here comes the nurse with my medication.)
ReplyDeleteJings crivens so help ma boab Kid yer fair right wi that
ReplyDeleteI know.
ReplyDelete(Now here comes the nurse with YOUR medication, McS.)
There have been comics versions of Kidnapped too, most notably one from a few years back by Alan Grant and Cam Kennedy. There was even a version of that adaptation in Lowland Scots, called Kidnappit. The same creators also adapted Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde.
ReplyDeleteThere have also been many adaptations of Treasure Island, some by such brilliant artists as Dudley Watkins and Hugo Pratt, although neither are that easy to get hold of. Watkins also adapted Kidnapped, Oliver Twist and Robinson Crusoe which, like Treasure Island, appeared in small hardback books. These adaptations first appeared in The Peoples Journal, along with other adaptations which didn't get the hardback collection. They were then reprinted in colour on the back page of The Topper. Jings, D C Thomson knew how to get value for money, didn't they?
They sure did, D. Until it came to the relaunched Dandy, which was very far from value for anybody's money. As for the classics, much as I love comic strips, I'd say that the books are better.
ReplyDelete