Stevenson Under the Palm Trees [Paperback]

Alberto Manguel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 17, 2005

In the lush, uninhibited atmosphere of Samoa, Robert Louis Stevenson is languishing with the disease that will soon kill him; when a chance encounter with the mysterious Scottish missionary, Mr Baker, turns his thoughts back to his conservative, post-Reformation Edinburgh home. As Stevenson's meetings with the tantalizingly nebulous missionary become increasingly strange, a series of crimes against the native population sours the atmosphere. With its playful nod to Stevenson's life and work Manguel has woven an intoxicating tale in which fantasy infiltrates reality.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A deeply disturbed Robert Louis Stevenson, in the last year of his life, becomes embroiled in the investigation of the rape and murder of a Samoan woman, as well as a case of arson, in this intriguing, if slight, tale from Argentinean-born writer Manguel (A History of Reading). When the depressed Stevenson reveals the darkness of his mood to his wife through his latest fiction, she castigates him. He then burns the manuscript in a fireplace. Mr. Baker, a Scottish missionary of perhaps overzealous intent, makes Stevenson's acquaintance as the story begins and is there at the end to render an explanation for the mayhem—an explanation that won't come as much of a surprise to those familiar with one of Stevenson's best-known novels. A fine stylist, Manguel punctuates the story with hyper-real descriptions of Samoa and Stevenson's memories of Edinburgh. The woodcuts by Stevenson himself that decorate the text add visual appeal, but this novelette will appeal more to readers of historical fiction than to crime fans.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Book-lover Manguel, whose most recent tale of the reading life, A Reading Diary, is also reviewed in this issue (see p.194), indulges both his delight in detective stories and his love for the work of Robert Louis Stevenson in this cozy literary mystery. The setting is Samoa, where Stevenson, afflicted with tuberculosis, is living with his family in tropical splendor. The writer revels in the openness of the voluptuous island, but nonetheless he is homesick and consequently is pleased to meet a Mr. Baker on the beach. But his fellow Scotsman is a missionary disdainful of both the natives and Stevenson's work, and there is something strange about both gentlemen. Then things get even more mysterious when a young woman is raped and murdered. As Manguel spins a clever variation on the Jekyll and Hyde theme, he muses on the role of stories in culture and the impossibility of fully translating the beliefs of one land into the language of another. Accompanied by Stevenson's woodcuts, this is a delectable little volume. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Canongate Books Ltd (February 17, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841955981
• ISBN-13: 978-1841955988
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,918,855 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Internationally acclaimed as an anthologist, translator, essayist, novelist, and editor, Alberto Manguel is the bestselling author of several award-winning books, including A Dictionary of Imaginary Places and A History of Reading. He was born in Buenos Aires, moved to Canada in 1982 and now lives in France, where he was named a Chevalier de l'Ordre français des Arts et des Lettres.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars a fair doppelganger story, April 9, 2005

By 

A. C. Walter "awalter" (Lynnwood, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stevenson Under the Palm Trees (Hardcover)

This story is set during Robert Louis Stevenson's last days, as he attempts to continue writing while convalescing in Samoa. One day an Edinburgh missionary arrives on the island where Stevenson lives. He appears at chance moments to Stevenson and speaks in a manner both cryptic and threatening. Soon a series of terrible crimes occurs on the island, and the natives are certain that Stevenson is responsible.

As a story based on the "double" or "doppelganger" theme, Manguel's book can be located in the literary neighborhood of Poe's "William Wilson," Chekhov's "The Black Monk," and Dostoyevsky's "The Double." However, the story never does anything very unique to create an atmosphere of unease, nor does it travel deep enough into its characters or themes to rank with the best stories of this sort, such as Conrad's "The Secret Sharer" and "Heart of Darkness" or Gustav Meyrink's "The Golem" and "The Green Face"--let alone that masterwork of Stevenson's which Manguel obviously hopes to evoke, "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Perhaps it is the fact that this long story, or short-ish novella, is bound between hardcovers that one expects something of greater weight and significance.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars "nostalgia was the pain of missing places he had never seen before.", April 20, 2008

By 

J. Guild (Toronto,Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stevenson Under the Palm Trees (Hardcover)

I recently read and wrote a review on (December 3,2007) on "The Library at Night" by Alberto Manguel ;and was mesmerized with it. So,when I came across this little tome,I just had to pick it up. No question Manguel is a man who appreciates great literature and classics. He has spent his life in the pursuits of the writings of the people and books ,who and which,through the centuries ,are considered as the great men and books of literature.
Although I was subjected to this type of literature at school,as were most others,it was not something that enthralled me;and by no means contributed to my present love of books and reading. I was fortunate to have had a father who ,although he never had the opportunity to go to college,also had a great love of reading.He knew nothing of the classics,but had a great interest in politics and subscribed to "Hansard" the proceedings of the House of Commons of Canada. He read all these proceedings for about 40 years. Since there is a tremendous amount of information placed there,"for the record";he had acquired a vast amount of knowledge on many subjects. I doubt if Manguel ever read anthing from Hansard. My point is,that the love of reading is very personal, in what one reads.
This little tome about "Stevenson" was not particularly the type of thing I am attracted to ;so I ,in no way want to say it is good or bad.I am sure some will find it exceptionally good;but others ,like me,will just feel that it doesnt't "ring my bell".
It's been said "all novels fall into one of two themes;a man went on a journey or a stranger came to town".This seems to be the latter.
I don't want to make light of this little short story or novella;but if I were to think back on it a year or so from now ;I might be left with a couple of thoughts.Either,be careful of who you meet up with under a palm tree; or, make sure you know where your hat is.
As an aside; Alberto Manguel no longer resides in Canada,as stated on the dust jaket.He Now lives in France and was named an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters. Although I was less than enthused with this book;I will be anxiously anticipating more from him on "Books About Books" in the future.