Treasure Island by Stevenson

 

Treasure Island

   By

Robert Louis Stevenson

My eldest granddaughter is practicing for her part in a musical version of Treasure Island so, I downloaded a copy, which I had not read since childhood. It's been called a boy's adventure story but nowadays, that stereotype no longer applies. Following is a summary and a description of the key characters.

Treasure Island is a children's novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, first published in 1883. Set in the 1780s, it tells the story of Jim Hawkins, a young boy who finds a treasure map while working at his parents' inn. With the help of his friends, he sets out to find the treasure, which is hidden on a remote island. Along the way, they encounter a variety of obstacles, including pirates, mutiny, and the natural dangers of the island. In the end, Jim and his friends are successful in finding the treasure, but they must also learn to deal with the consequences of their actions.

 The main characters in Treasure Island are:

 Jim Hawkins: The protagonist of the novel, Jim is a young boy who is eager to go to sea and find adventure. He is brave and resourceful, but he is also impulsive and sometimes reckless.

Long John Silver: The cook on the voyage to Treasure Island, Silver is the secret leader of the pirates. He is a complex character, capable of both great kindness and great cruelty.

Doctor Livesey: A local doctor and friend of Squire Trelawney, Livesey is a wise and compassionate man. He is also a skilled sailor and navigator.

Squire Trelawney: A wealthy landowner who finances the voyage to Treasure Island, Trelawney is a flamboyant and eccentric man. He is also a skilled sailor and navigator.

Captain Smollett: The captain of the Hispaniola, Smollett is a strict and demanding man. He is also a skilled sailor and navigator.

Billy Bones: An old seaman who resides at Jim's parents' inn, Bones is a mysterious man with a dark past. He is also a skilled sailor and navigator.

Black Dog: A pirate and enemy of Bones, Black Dog is a vicious and cruel man.

The characters in Treasure Island are all well-developed and believable. They are also well-suited to the story, which is a fast-paced and exciting adventure. The novel is a classic of children's literature but is sure to entertain readers of all ages.

Availability

Several versions can be found on AMAZON. This illustrated copies has high ratings. 

Treasure Island with over 140 Illustrations.

This is a product of Geoffrey Sutton and Bard. Please comment if there are corrections.

The World at War Restored Edition

 

The World at War

The Ultimate Restored Edition

The World at War is a popular documentary of World War II produced by Thames Television in 1973. The war is presented as a series of stories in 26 episodes with narration by Laurence Olivier.

The World at War is more than a collection of combat scenes. Interviews with soldiers and civilians offer a glimpse of the effects of war on the people who lived through it in the cities and villages of Europe and Asia. Of course there are interviews with high level American, British, German and Japanese leaders. Some of the featured interviewees include:

Mark Clark

Jock Colville

Karl Donitz

Karl Wolff

James “Jimmy” Doolittle

Lord Eden of Avon

Averell Harriman

Toshikazu Kase

Vera Lynn

Lord Mountbatten

Albert Speer

James Stewart

Paul Tibbets

Takeo Yoshikawa

Stephen Ambrose

Of particular note are the insights of Gertraud “Traudl” Junge who served as a personal secretary to Adolf Hitler. She remained in his bunker until his death in 1945.

 The World at War is a British production. Given the origins of the war in Europe and the later entry into the war by the US, it is not surprising to see the emphasis on Europe. The interviews are presented without criticism thus we viewers get to consider the truthfulness of their claims. For example, was it really possible that Albert Speer did not know of the Nazi death camps?

The United States has produced many documentaries on WWII, The World at War offers a Eurocentric perspective. I found it particularly meaningful since my parents and grandparents survived the German blitz of London and many relatives fought the Germans and Italians in Europe as well as the Japanese in the Pacific. Thus, for those of us whose parents lived through the war in Britain and other parts of Europe, it is a particularly helpful context to appreciate their experiences. 

 The World at War is available on AMAZON.

 Disc and Episodes

1

A new Germany

Distant War

France Falls

Alone

2

Barbarossa

Banzai!

On Our Way

The Desert

Stalingrad

3

Wolf Pack

Red Star

Whirlwind

Tough Old Gut

It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow

4

Home Fires

Inside the Reich

Morning

Occupation

Pincers

5

Genocide

Nemesis

Japan

Pacific

The Bomb

6

Reckoning

Remember

Extra Features

7

Hitler's Germany

Two deaths of Adolph Hitler

8

The Final Solution

9

Making of the series

Experiences of War

Restoring the World at War

 

Details

Producer: Jeremy Isaacs

Some footage and video is in colour.

Blue-ray with 5.1 DTS in 16:9 format

9 Disc Collector’s Set by Freemantle Media

Running time about 1408 minutes + extra features 769 minutes

 

Jurassic Park Series

 The Jurassic Park film series began in 1993 and ended in 2022. There are six major films in the series.

1. Jurassic Park 1993

2. The Lost World: Jurassic Park 1997

3. Jurassic Park III 2001

4. Jurassic World 2015

5. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 2018

6. Jurassic World: Dominion 2022

About the Series

Box Sets Available

Six Movie Collection 4K Blu-Ray ON AMAZON

Six Movie Collection Blu-Ray DVD and Digital    on AMAZON

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Origins: Jurassic Park is a novel created by Michael Crichton. John Hammon is a wealthy investor whose company, InGen, owns Jurassic Park, which is a theme park on a beautiful island with dinosaurs created by geneticist, Dr. Henry Wu. Crichton's second book is Jurassic World. The film series is based on the characters created by Michael Crichton.

Jurassic Park Trilogy

  1. Jurassic Park 1993

Novelist: Michael Crichton (1990) wrote the first of two books available - on AMAZON

Film Director: Steven Spielberg

Some lead Characters: Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neil). Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), John Hammond (Richard Attenborough), Dr. Henry Wu (BD Wong)

Location: Isla Nublar - T-Rexes and velociraptors escape their enclosures.

  2. The Lost World: Jurassic Park 1997

Novelist: Michael Crichton (1995) wrote the second of two books - on AMAZON.

Director: Steven Spielberg

Some Characters: Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), John Hammond (Richard Attenborough), Dr. Sarah Harding (Julianne Moore)

Location: Isla Sorna - a family vacations on the dinosaur breeding grounds

  3. Jurassic Park III 2001

Director: Joe Johnston

Some Characters: Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neil). Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), Paul Kirby (William . Macy), Amanda Kirby (Tea Leoni)

Location: Isla Sorna - rescuing a boy trapped among roaming dinosaurs

Jurassic World Trilogy

  4. Jurassic World 2015

Director: Colin Trevorrow

Some Characters: Dr. Henry Wu (BD Wong), Owen Grady (Chris Piatt), Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard)

Location: Isla Nublar - a new theme park and a newly created dinosaur has been added to attract new guests

  5. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 2018

Director: J. A. Bayona

Some Characters: Dr. Henry Wu (BD Wong), Owen Grady (Chris Piatt), Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard)

Location: Isla Nublar - rescuing the animals from extinction from an active volcano.

 

  6. Jurassic World: Dominion 2022

Director: Colin Trevorrow

Some Characters: Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neil). Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), Dr. Henry Wu (BD Wong), Owen Grady (Chris Piatt), Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard)

Location: The world- humans and dinosaurs are living together but there are problems linked to a DNA error.

Video Trailers for the Series

1. Jurassic Park 1993

2. The Lost World: Jurassic Park 1997

3. Jurassic Park III 2001

4. Jurassic World 2015

5. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 2018

6. Jurassic World: Dominion 2022

Sources: I've read the two books by Crichton and watched the six films.

Post by

Geoffrey W. Sutton suttong.com

Code name: Lise - A True Spy Story

 

Code Name: Lise: 

The True Story of the Spy Who Became WWII's Most Highly Decorated Woman

By Larry Loftis

Reviewed by

Geoffrey W. Sutton

Lise was the code name for Odette Samson. She's living in Somerset England with her children at the outset of World War II. Her husband is off at war. Because she was raised in France, her language and experience make her a potential candidate to help the resistance organised by Britain's War Office referred to as SOE (Special Operations Executive).

The story moves quickly from training to deployment. Relying on a trove of records that include interviews and official communications, Loftis creates a vivid thriller of a determined young woman focused on carrying out her risky responsibilities as a courier under threat of the Nazi boot. As the story progresses, she falls in love with her commanding officer, Peter Churchill.

Despite many thrilling escapes, she and Peter are eventually captured by Hugo, Germany's master spy catcher. Disgusting accounts of excruciating torture challenge us as we sink into the depths of Nazi prison cells. Will she and Peter survive? 

**********

Code Name: Lise is a well-written spy story that reads like a thriller as the heroes face near death experiences bolstered by loyalty and love. After the World War II story ends, Loftis fills us in on what happened to the legacy of this woman who eventually appeared on a UK postage stamp. I recommend the book to anyone who enjoys reading true stories about courageous women in times of war.

What's missing? As a psychologist, I wonder if all the interviews and reports would offer us insights into the character of this woman who survived so much before, during, and after World War II. She was in her sixth year when her father died. She survived some serious health challenges during childhood. Like many in Britain, she was alone with her children when her husband headed to war. Then there's was the separation from her children during her war service and horrific torture along with exposure to the multiple severe traumatic events of others. She was a witness after the war. And there were two divorces plus postwar public battles.

**********

About Odette

Odette Marie Léonie Céline Brailly was born in Amiens France 28 April 1912. Her father died at the battle of Verdun in 1918. She married Roy Sansom in 1931. They had three daughters. Her World War II service was recognised by the British awards of the George Cross and an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire). France awarded her the Chevalier de la Legion d'honneur. Odette and Roy divorced. She married and divorced Peter Churchill and later married Geoffrey Hallowed. (Wikipedia)

Code Name: Lise is available on AMAZON