The Silverblogger Chronicles #43 ~ My Journey to Treasure Island

Hello Hello to all Hivians, Silver Bloggers and anyone else reading this.

This week's The Silver Bloggers Chronicles - Prompt 43 is ....

What was your absolute favourite story when you were a child??

Tell us the title, the memory of where you were when you heard it, and why that specific story was the one that stayed with you all these years.

First of all I have to say that it was me that chose that particular prompt for the Chronicles ... so it would have been down right bloody remiss of me not to participate, especially as I had this book in mind, and had just visited my old school after decades last Saturday!

The Edinburgh Academy connects it all....

Last Saturday Mrs T and I went to a fluffing yarn festival at my old school. A school that I had not visited for decades! Well it had to be done...

The Silverblogger Chronicles #43: My Journey to Treasure Island

There is a specific kind of magic that settles over a child when they first realize the ground beneath their feet was once trodden by giants of literature. For me, that realization didn’t come from a library shelf, but from the very halls where I spent my school days.

This is the library where I first read Treasure Island! And where the author used to sit too!

A Shared Heritage at The Edinburgh Academy

As a boy attending The Edinburgh Academy, the ghost of Robert Louis Stevenson was more than just a name on a syllabus ... he was a fluffing predecessor.

Knowing that "RLS" had walked those same corridors, perhaps gazing out at the same grey Edinburgh skies while dreaming of tropical mutiny, made his stories feel like a personal inheritance. Quite possibly it is where I got my imagination and faction writing!

While Stevenson’s life was often defined by his "civit of ill-health," which eventually drove him to the South Seas and his final resting place in Samoa (where he was known as Tusitala, the "Teller of Tales"), his imagination never lost its rugged Scottish edge.

This is the main hall where we had assembly and prayers every morning. To know that he was there before me is kinda cool!

But Why Treasure Island?

Well my first response is .... Well Why The Fluff Not!!!
When I first opened Treasure Island, I wasn't just reading a book, oh hell no, I was embarking on a voyage. To a "wee bairn," the world of Jim Hawkins, the terrifying tap-tap-tap of Blind Pew’s stick, and the morally ambiguous charisma of Long John Silver offered a masterclass in adventure.

Growing up around the coast and having the sea a big part of my life, couple that with my paternal great grandfather and his wayfaying antics all over the world, the book was a masterclass for me.

It captivated me because it wasn't a safe story as such. It was gritty, salt-stained, and dangerous. All the things I love hehe. It made me want to roam not just the Scottish countryside, but the whole fluffing world.

I could imagine every rocky outcrop was a lookout for pirates and every old chest held a map marked with a blood-red X. I still do lol, nothing like beachcombing or mudlarking to get your imagination working overtime.

A Legacy of Imagination

Of course, Stevenson gave us so much more than just pirates. His range was staggering:

• Kidnapped - A thrilling chase through the Highlands that felt like home.

• The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - A dark exploration of the duality within us all.

• A Child’s Garden of Verses - Capturing the simple, quiet whimsy of youth.

• The Master of Ballantrae - A tragic tale of sibling rivalry and honor.

Why It The Story Stays With Me

Even now, decades after leaving the Academy, Treasure Island remains my absolute favourite story. It stays with me because it represents the ultimate escape. Stevenson taught me that even if you are confined by four walls, or a cold classroom in Edinburgh, then your mind can navigate the high seas and find buried gold. Your imagination can run riot

It is a story of courage, the loss of innocence, and the enduring lure of the horizon. Every time I see a piece of heather or a rugged glen then I am reminded that adventure is only ever a page-turn away.

What about you, fellow Silverbloggers? Was there a story that made your world feel larger than life?

Thanks @tengolotodo for a fun and thoughtful prompt that brings some great memories

What about you? What do you remember from the first day of school?

Let me know in the comments! And why not join in with the fun and start your Chronicle!?

Thanks for visiting and enjoy the rest of your day!

My previous Chronicles ... are :-
1 Colour | 2 Joy | 3 Hometown | 4 Wheels | 6 Memory recipe | 7 summer holidays | 8 Moves | 9 back in time | 10 Life of an Object | 11 Childhood friend | 12 Childhood toys | 13 Autumn Solstice | 14 Unforgettable Character | 15 Grandparents | 16 Worry | 17 Tattoo | 18 Historical Moment | 19 Day to Remember | 20 Fads | 21 Pastimes | 22 Grow Up | 23 Fear | 24 Family Holiday | 25 Favourite Meal | 26 Inappropriate Laugh | 27 Soundtrack of your Decade | 28 Favourite person while growing up | 29 Learning this year | 30 Ideal Morning TBC | 31 Rainy Afternoon TBC | 32 1st day of school ~ my this one ...

All images and ramblings are from me, the mad Scotsman TengoLoTodo unless otherwise stated.. Note images today are from Grok with prompts by the author

DO WHAT YOU LOVE AND DO IT OFTEN

Haste Ye Back!

@tengolotodo
April 26th 2026