Selected Letters of Robert Louis StevensonMillions of readers throughout the world continue to enjoy Treasure Island, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, A Child's Garden of Verses, and other books by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894). A celebrated author in many different fields of literature, Stevenson is also recognized as a highly engaging and prolific correspondent: he penned over 2,800 letters, which are contained in eight critically acclaimed volumes published by Yale University Press. In this book, 317 of Stevenson's most interesting and revealing letters represent each stage of his mature life. With a linking narrative and full annotation, Ernest Mehew sets the letters in the context of Stevenson's remarkable life. Beginning with the days of his troubled youth in Edinburgh, Stevenson's letters go on to tell of his love for Frances Sitwell, a beautiful, older married woman; a reckless journey to California in pursuit of Fanny Osbourne, the woman who became his wife; their worldwide but vain search for a healthy place to live; and a period of adventure in the South Seas, where Stevenson wrote some of his best work and became passionately involved in Samoan life. The letters show the author's zest for living despite daunting illnesses, his struggles with his own writing, his literary tastes, and his affection for his friends. Stevenson writes in many moods, ranging from playful and witty to deeply serious. Better than any biography ever could, these letters in Stevenson's own words tell the real story of his life. |
Contents
Engineering | 1 |
Cockfield Rectory and New Friends | 35 |
Mentone | 52 |
Literature Law and Mrs Sitwell | 85 |
Progress | 119 |
America and Marriage | 147 |
Summers in Scotland and Winters at Davos | 172 |
Marseilles and Hyères | 211 |
The Quarrel with | 342 |
The Marquesas | 377 |
Five Months in Hawaii | 389 |
The Cruise of the Equator | 407 |
The First Two Years at Vailima | 429 |
The Last Two Years at Vailima | 522 |
The Death of Stevenson | 609 |
Three Years in Bournemouth | 266 |
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Common terms and phrases
affectionate Apia April arrived August Balfour believe Belle Bournemouth called Captain Charles Baxter cold damned David Balfour Davos dear Colvin December Edinburgh edition essay Fanny father February feel give Gosse hand happy hear heard heart Henry James Honolulu hope Hyères Island January Jerry Abershaw Joe Strong June kind Lady later letter live Lloyd Lloyd Osbourne London look Lord March married Master of Ballantrae Mataafa Mentone months morning mother never nice night novel November October perhaps play poem poor pretty published R.L. Stevenson remember RLS wrote RLS's Robert Louis Stevenson Samoa seems sent September Sidney Colvin Sitwell Skerryvore South Seas stay story strange suppose sure tell thing thought told Vailima verses W.E. Henley wife wish word write written