Can anyone identify this story.

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  • #198662
    Weird Jim
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      Tonight I was doing some research when I came across the statement that the book, Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, dealt with a stranded family living in a tree house. Of course it doesn’t, but I’ve heard of a story like that. Does anyone know the book and have the name, please?

      #208881
      adora2012
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        Swiss family Robinson is about a family who got stranded on an island when they’re boat was about to sink. I think that’s the novel you’re looking for. By the same author.

        #208894
        jhmcmullen
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          Right book (that treehouse and the word “family” is a giveaway), wrong author. (EDIT: That sounds kind of abrupt, doesn’t it? I didn’t mean it that way. Please, take no offense and substitute, “The information I have says differently.”)

          Written by Swiss pastor Johann David Wyss, published in German in 1812. There are lots of English (and French and, well, you know) translations, some of which include extra stuff from other translations. Project Gutenberg should have some.

          Swiss Family Robinson was intended as a moral tale, but it clearly takes its English name from Robinson Crusoe, by Daniel Defoe (or Dafoe; I’ve seen both), originally inspired by the story of, em, Alexander Selkirk? (Darn it, they did a Things You Missed In History Class podcast on him…)

          Treasure Island, on the other hand, is of course by Robert Louis Stevenson, and was first published in 1883 in English.

          Swiss Family Robinson is probably best known for the 1960 Disney movie.

          Great at theory, terrible at practice.

          #208882
          Weird Jim
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            Thanks to both of you. Swiss Family is at Gutenberg in several versions. I took it out, but put it back, so to speak. The shipwreck was too funny. It’s traditional for sailors to call out ‘Land’ when land is sighted, but for the call to be followed by a heavy thump when the land is hit…well.

            Somehow it’s the stern of the ship that gets stuck between two rocks and that’s where the family have their quarters. The rest of the ship is in tatters. The storm rages, but mother says she going to prepare some food because thy need to keep their strength up. I suppose they could have brought food with them.

            All very interesting because the story has stood the test of time.

            To me it is what it started out to be, a story written by a father for his children.

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