Kidnapped

by Robert Louis Stevenson

Overview

Kidnapped was published in 1886 amid one of the most productive periods of Robert Louis Stevenson’s career. Although it was immediately met with popular success and critical acclaim, the novel was derided for decades as a story for children before being recognized as a major work of English literature.

Set in the aftermath of the Jacobite uprising of 1745, and full of a rich blend of English and Scots, Kidnapped is a powerful work with strong Scottish ties. The narrative follows David Balfour, a 17-year-old orphan whose uncle, the wretched and disturbed Ebenezer, conspires to steal the family estate, David’s rightful inheritance. When David discovers his uncle’s plan, Ebenezer tricks the boy and sells him to Captain Hoseason, a slaver embarking for the Carolinas. Blindsided by a blow to the head, David awakes in the hold of the Covenant, bound with rope and helpless as the ship bears him toward the terrors of slavery. By a stroke of faith, however, the ship gets lost in fog and strikes a smaller boat near the west coast of Scotland. In the ensuing chaos, David and one of the wreck’s survivors, Jacobite rebel Alan Breck Stewart, gain control of the ship and force Captain Hoseason to turn the Covenant toward the mainland. When the ship runs up against rocks, David finds himself alone on shore, and bravely begins his landward journey to regain his inheritance. Swept up in political circumstances far beyond his control, and faced with the danger awaiting him at home, David must do all he can to survive.

To read Robert Louis Stevenson’s Kidnapped is to enter a world fully formed by the mind of one of history’s greatest storytellers. David Balfour’s story is gripping not just because it is a tale of survival, but because his struggle to overcome the merciless turns of fate is, to its core, unbearably and beautifully human. Kidnapped is a historical adventure novel adored by readers, critics, and writers alike. It is a story for children and adults who refuse to accept that hope is a thing to outgrow.

With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this new edition of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Kidnapped is a classic of English literature reimagined for modern readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781420976052
Publisher:	Neeland Media
Publication date:	09/15/2021
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.37(d)
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

About the Author

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) was a Scottish poet, novelist, and travel writer. Born the son of a lighthouse engineer, Stevenson suffered from a lifelong lung ailment that forced him to travel constantly in search of warmer climates. Rather than follow his father’s footsteps, Stevenson pursued a love of literature and adventure that would inspire such works as Treasure Island (1883), Kidnapped (1886), Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886), and Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes (1879).

Date of Birth:

November 13, 1850

Date of Death:

December 3, 1894

Place of Birth:

Edinburgh, Scotland

Place of Death:

Vailima, Samoa

Education:

Edinburgh University, 1875

Read an Excerpt

Introduction by Margot Livesey
(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Kidnapped"
by .
Copyright © 2007 Robert Louis Stevenson.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Title Page,
Bibliographical Note,
Copyright Page,
Dedication,
Kidnapped,
1. I Set Off upon My Journey to the House of Shaws,
2. I Come to My Journey's End,
3. I Make Acquaintance of My Uncle,
4. I Run a Great Danger in the House of Shaws,
5. I Go to the Queen's Ferry,
6. What Befell at the Queen's Ferry,
7. I Go to Sea in the Brig Covenant of Dysart,
8. The Roundhouse,
9. The Man with the Belt of Gold,
10. The Siege of the Roundhouse,
11. The Captain Knuckles Under,
12. I Hear of the "Red Fox",
13. The Loss of the Brig,
14. The Islet,
15. The Lad with the Silver Button: Through the Isle of Mull,
16. The Lad with the Silver Button: Across Morven,
17. The Death of the Red Fox,
18. I Talk with Alan in the Wood of Lettermore,
19. The House of Fear,
20. The Flight in the Heather: The Rocks,
21. The Flight in the Heather: The Heugh of Corrynakiegh,
22. The Flight in the Heather: The Moor,
23. Cluny's Cage,
24. The Flight in the Heather: The Quarrel,
25. In Balquhidder,
26. End of the Flight: We Pass the Forth,
27. I Come to Mr. Rankeillor,
28. I Go in Quest of My Inheritance,
29. I come into My Kingdom,
30. Good-bye,

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Crossley reads this tale as its author might have. Adept at the language of the region and times, Crossley deftly brings one of literature's best-known stories to the ears of contemporary listeners." —-AudioFile

Editorial Reviews

[Kidnapped] compelled me from the first words and has not let go to this day… It implanted an image of how a novel should work. I think a lot of my ambitions as a writer, and many of my own persisting themes, originate there: friendship, courage, the need to go out into the world and make your fate. I reread it every couple of years, and get more interested in it, not less.” —Hilary Mantel

From the Publisher

Gr 5 Up—Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 classic, a timeless tale of betrayal and friendship, comes to life through the brilliant narration of Steven Crossley. His Scottish accent draws listeners in as he weaves the story of David Balfour's kidnapping, escape, and battle for his inheritance. Teens may be confused by the Scottish historic references, particularly those relating to the Jacobite rebellions. Scottish words like "ken" are used frequently, but are usually understandable in context. A searchable PDF ebook of the novel is included on the first CD. A swashbuckling adventure story.—Samantha Larsen Hasting, Riverton Library, South Riverton, UT

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