Robert Louis Stevenson

Bio

A brief biography of Robert Louis Stevenson

Born November 13, 1850 in Edinburgh, Scotland, Robert Louis Stevenson was an eminent Scottish novelist known for his works such as Treasure Island and Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Robert endured the challenges of bronchial issues as a child and often sought the perfect place to live to help with his condition. One of the many places he traveled to was California in the United States. Oddly enough, he fell extremely ill and was brought back to good health in the French Hotel on Houston Street in Monterey. Today, the French Hotel still stands, but has been renamed Stevenson House, and stands as a memorium and museum for the cherished writer.

At the age of 16, Stevenson published his first work, The Pentland Rising: A Page in History, 1666. Though it was courtesy of his father, Stevenson was once told, “Give up such nonsense and, mind your business,” even after expressing interest in his son’s passion. Once Stevenson was 18, he changed the spelling of his middle name from “Lewis” to “Louis.” Fraternizing in London with other well-known writers, he received encouragement and the inspiration to pursue his dreams. Later on, one of his literary chums, W.E. Henley, would become the mold for a beloved character, Long John Silver, in one of Stevenson’s most famous works, Treasure Island.

Unfortunately, as years went on, Robert Louis Stevenson became very depressed. He believed his creativity was depleted and that he could produce nothing better than what he dubbed, “ditch water.” The day Stevenson died, he was striving to open a bottle of wine when he called out to his wife, “What’s that!?” following with, “Does my face look strange?” Stevenson died a few hours later from a cerebral hemorrhage. After his death, the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica published several of his articles, designated by his initials, RLS.