Experiencing a Classic Through Audiobook – Treasure Island

When I was a kid I was already reading something. The Baby-Sitters Club, The Boxcar Children , Nancy Drew and even Clifford the Big Red Dog were counted among my favorites. But I also began to read classic literature such as David Copperfield, Alice in Wonderland and Treasure Island. I used to sit up in the branches of a tree in our backyard and read about the adolescent adventures of characters that my parents had probably read about when they were my age.

A few months ago I found the audio book for Treasure Island

narrated by Neil Hunt. So I decided to give it a try and downloaded it. I finally got to listen to it this past week.

THE STORY

Treasure Island

by Robert Louis Stevenson is the tale of a young man who comes into contact with pirates and will forever be changed by his experiences.
The story opens at the Admiral Benbow Inn where a pirate who calls himself “The Captain” has taken to befriending the owner’s son, a young man named Jim Hawkins, while he lodges there. Not long after his arrival, another pirate comes to visit and presents The Captain with the Black Spot with the date/time of his death. The news is too much and The Captain, who had been weakened by a previous stroke, dies.
Jim and his mother raid the pirate’s quarters to get the money owed to the inn and in the process take a map as well. When Jim escapes from the inn, he takes the map to Dr. Livesey, a physician and magistrate, to figure out what needs to be done with it. Dr. LIvesey decides that they will put together a crew and go after Captain Flint’s treasure.

Aboard the ship, Jim meets the crew, including a one-legged cook named Long John Silver. Upon approaching the island, Silver turns the crew to mutiny and Jim overhears the plot to take Flint’s treasure and the ship. Jim tells the captain and Dr. Livesey when they land on the island so they can escape.

Here is where the real adventure begins. Jim, Captain Smollet, Dr. Livesey and a marooned pirate they meet on the island named Ben Gunn all work together to thwart the pirates in their ability to find the treasure and keep the ship hostage.

Captain Long John Silver is a stereotypical pirate – switching alliances whenever the wind shifted directions – only wanting to save himself. Jim takes advantage of this characteristic of Silver with savvy wit that even the most infamous pirate would be envious of.

AUDIO EXPERIENCE

If you ever get the chance to listen to an audio rendition of this novel, I highly recommend it. Hearing the words being spoken out and the voices of the characters come to life is amazing. The 1988 narration by Neil Hunt is especially fun to listen to. I love his Long John Silver voice. He does an excellent pirate accent and really brings to life the entire novel with his pauses and other theatrics.

As for the novel itself, kids of all ages (even us young at heart) will enjoy the adventures of young Jim Hawkins and his fellow sailors as they battle the group of mutineers for Captain Flint’s infamous treasure.

Have you ever listened to an audio book of a story you loved as a child? If so, what was your experience? Leave your comments below.