Episode Overview

Podcast: The History of Literature
Episode: 774 – Robert Louis Stevenson (with Leo Damrosch)
Host: Jacke Wilson
Guest: Leo Damrosch, Professor Emeritus of Literature, Harvard
Original Airdate: February 9, 2026

This episode delves into the life and legacy of Robert Louis Stevenson, the inventive and adventurous 19th-century writer whose works include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and A Child’s Garden of Verses. Jacke Wilson interviews acclaimed biographer Leo Damrosch, discussing Stevenson's vitality, stylistic innovations, overlooked depth, and the myths surrounding the man and his art. The episode also reflects on the importance of imagination, reality, and joy in literature and life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introducing Stevenson: Renowned and Misunderstood

• Summary of Stevenson’s Legacy (02:25–04:00)

  • Born in 1850, died at 44, Stevenson had a strikingly adventurous life: writing classics, traveling the world, and marrying the free-spirited American Fanny.
  • Admired not just for children’s stories but also for his adult literary talents and creativity.

• On the Misconceptions about Stevenson

  • Damrosch notes Stevenson is often simplistically remembered as a children’s writer, yet his works are sophisticated and varied, appealing to readers of all ages.
  • Damrosch aims to fill gaps left by prior biographies, especially via Stevenson’s extensive correspondence and neglected reminiscences.

"The idea of a definitive biography is long gone. Each person brings something fresh, some new perspective."
— Leo Damrosch (04:30)

The Writer and the Man: Charisma, Health, and Personality

• Charisma and First Impressions (07:26–09:37)

  • Multiple firsthand accounts describe Stevenson’s "extraordinary vitality," particularly striking given his chronic ill health.
  • John Singer Sargent’s dynamic portrait captures Stevenson’s restless energy: “He was never at rest.”
  • Mark Twain on his “hypnotic eyes” (10:00): “the thing you carried away was those hypnotic eyes.”

• Joy Despite Hardship

  • G.K. Chesterton marveled at Stevenson’s joyfulness despite his debilitating condition.

"It's just amazing that Stevenson was just so full of joyfulness. And everybody caught that from him."
— Leo Damrosch (09:37)

Public and Critical Reception

• Popularity and Style (11:03–13:52)
  • Stevenson succeeded as both a “writer’s writer” and popular author—praised for storytelling, clarity, and style.
  • Victorians longed for escapist adventure, which Stevenson provided, stripping away unnecessary detail for brisk narrative momentum.
  • Modernists like Nabokov, Borges, and Proust admired him, even when the literary establishment (e.g., Bloomsbury) did not.

“He was a great narrative writer... the clarity and skill with which he cut out everything unnecessary and made the story just move irresistibly forward.”
— Leo Damrosch (11:44)

• Stevenson’s Approach to Writing
  • "If I could just learn the art to omit." Stevenson labored over revisions, striving for vivid immediacy and emotional, not just visual, description.
  • He resisted being typecast as a children’s author; works like Kidnapped reveal substantial adult themes cloaked in youthful adventure.

“Death to the optic nerve. He didn’t want any adjectives... He wanted you to feel it as if it was happening to you in the actual moment that you’re reading.”
— Leo Damrosch (13:23)

The Roots of Imagination and Storytelling

• Stevenson’s Innate Drive (17:38–19:10)
  • Storytelling was fundamental to Stevenson’s being from an early age.
  • Not about fame or money: “It was a vocation, you know, a calling. He just needed to tell stories. It was who he was.” (17:38)
  • Inspired by diverse literary traditions, especially French, yet fundamentally sought his own experimental voice.

Memorable Quotes and Moments

• On Stevenson’s Narrative Appeal:

  “Borges called Stevenson's stories one of the forms of happiness.”
  — Jacke Wilson (02:25)

• Evoking the Transformative Power of Literature:

  “Reading... should be absorbing and voluptuous. We should gloat over a book, be rapt clean out of ourselves.”
  — Robert Louis Stevenson, quoted by Jacke Wilson (27:55)

• Philosophy of Joy and Imagination:

  “All life that is not merely mechanical is spun out of two strands, seeking for that bird [the nightingale] and hearing him.”
  — Stevenson, "The Lantern Bearer," quoted by Jacke Wilson (22:46)

• On Seeing the World Through a Child’s Eyes:

  “The world is so full of a number of things, I’m sure we should all be as happy as kings.”
  — Stevenson, “Happy Thought,” quoted by Jacke Wilson (27:21)

Important Segments with Timestamps

• Introduction to Stevenson and his Reputation: 02:25–07:26
• Stevenson's Charisma and Physicality: 07:26–10:23
• Public and Critical Views; Modernist Admiration: 11:03–13:52
• Style, Revision, and Children’s Literature Label: 13:52–16:35
• Stevenson’s Motivation and Early Life: 17:24–19:10
• (Host Interlude) The Imagination–Reality Paradox in Stevenson’s Work: 20:08–32:18
  • Includes readings from poems and essays demonstrating Stevenson’s embrace of life’s joys and marvels.
• Family Roots and Breaking from Lighthouse Legacy: 36:00–38:31
• Chronic Illness, Mortality, and Drive: 38:59–40:53
• Marriage to Fanny and Creative Partnership: 41:02–44:57
• Pacific Travels and Anti-Colonial Advocacy: 44:57–45:25
• Discussion on Biography’s Relevance to the Work: 45:25–46:07
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Origins and Influence of Calvinist Upbringing: 46:21–49:40
• Recommended Stevenson Reading for Adults: 50:50–52:20
• Discussing Lesser-Known Works (Travels with a Donkey): 52:20–53:26
• Stevenson’s Feelings About Fame and Success: 53:37–54:38
• Damrosch’s Final Takeaways on Stevenson’s Character: 55:19–55:43

Notable Reflections and Recommendations

On Stevenson’s Essential Humanity

• Leo Damrosch emphasizes Stevenson’s magnetic personality and zest for life, his ability to inspire devotion and affection, and his resilience in the face of illness and adversity.

“A person who lived life with all his might, in spite of the handicaps that he had, and who kind of engaged the loyalty and affection of everybody who got to know him.”
— Leo Damrosch (55:19)

Reading Recommendations

• For Adults New to Stevenson:
  • Start with Kidnapped (50:50).
  • For a less-known gem, Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes offers insight into Stevenson’s introspective and adventurous sides (52:20).

Tone and Style

The conversation is warm, enthusiastic, and deeply appreciative—part literary biography, part celebration of literature’s power to animate and elevate everyday experience. Both Wilson and Damrosch express a palpable admiration for Stevenson’s artistry and personhood, framing him as more than just an artifact of Victorian adventure, but as an enduring voice on joy, imagination, and storytelling.

Conclusion

This episode provides a nuanced and affectionate portrait of Robert Louis Stevenson—emphasizing his dynamism, the breadth of his literary artistry, his fascinating life and partnerships, and the ongoing relevance of his work. Damrosch’s biography, The Life of Robert Louis Stevenson, is recommended as an engaging entry point for readers seeking both the man and the myth, while Wilson’s reflections remind us why Stevenson’s stories, full of vitality, adventure, and wonder, continue to matter.