Treasure Island and the Pirates of the 18th Century

Published in 1883, Treasure Island became an enormous success for author Robert L. Stevenson. The horrors of piracy were fresh in the public mind, and Stevenson’s work remained faithful to the common perception at the time of pirates as wily and bloodthirsty. Using primary source images, as well as excerpts from the novel, this book shows how this classic story provides insight into the time period and the history behind the literature.