The Complete Stories of Robert Louis Stevenson: Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Nineteen Other Tales (Modern Library Classics)

Book Description

The complexity and range of Robert Louis Stevenson’s short fiction reveals his genius perhaps more than any other medium. Here, leading Stevenson scholar Barry Menikoff arranges and introduces the complete selection of Stevenson’s brilliant stories, including the famed masterpiece Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, as well as “The Beach of Falesá” and Stevenson’s previously uncollected stories. Arthur Conan Doyle has written that “[Stevenson’s] short stories are certain to retain their position in English literature. His serious rivals are few indeed.”

This Modern Library Paperback Classics edition includes explanatory notes, a Scots’ Glossary, and a unique appendix dedicated to Stevenson’s influence on the Oxford English Dictionary.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent purchase.......2007-07-03

2 sides of the review:
Stevenson: a genius. Very engaging, very smart. If you're new to Stevenson, start with Jekyll & Hyde.
The book: Good paper quality, and binding. Not the best in the world, but very good value for the money.
I bought it as a present, and liked it so much I bought it for myself too :)
In short, a must if you're interested in 19th century fiction.

the NOT SO COMPLETE Stories of RLS.......2007-05-23

Maybe I've misunderstood the meaning of "COMPLETE", but this collection does NOT contain KIDNAPPED or TREASURE ISLAND...so if you thought your were getting ALL of Stevenson's stories in this "The Complete Stories of...", think again...

This book deserves a review.......2006-10-30

I'm currently reading this book and I've really enjoyed it so far. I thought I'd take a look on here to see what other people thought, and to my surprise, there were no reviews. Well, I'm here to fix that.

I picked this up mainly because I wanted to read Jeckyll & Hyde, which turned out to be an entertaining (and also thought provoking) tale. I've read several of the other short stories over the past few weeks, and they're all well done. If you're even a little interested in Stevenson, I recommend taking a look at this edition. You get a great price, plenty of stories, and a cool-looking cover to boot--can't beat it!

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: And Other Tales of Terror (Penguin Classics)

Average customer rating:

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: The Dual Nature of Man.
A Short Masterpiece
Excellent edition of a classic tale
Interesting horror/study
A Great Horror Story

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: And Other Tales of Terror (Penguin Classics)
Robert Louis Stevenson , and Robert Mighall
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0141439734
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Book Description

tevenson's famous exploration of humanity's basest capacity for evil, "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," has become synonymous with the idea of a split personality. More than a morality tale, this dark psychological fantasy is also a product of its time, drawing on contemporary theories of class, evolution, criminality, and secret lives. Also in this volume are "The Body Snatcher," which charts the murky underside of Victorian medical practice, and "Olalla," a tale of vampirism and "the beast within," with a beautiful woman at its center.

Download Description

"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" Stevenson's famous exploration of humanity's basest capacity for evil, has become synonymous with the idea of a split personality. More than a moral tale, this dark psychological fantasy is also a product of its time, drawing on contemporary theories of class, evolution, criminality, and secret lives. Also in this volume are "The Body Snatcher," which charts the murky underside of Victorian medical practice, and "Olalla," a tale of vampirism and "The Beast Within" which features a beautiful woman at its center. This new edition features a critical introduction, chronology, suggestions for further reading, explanatory notes, and appendixes, including an abridged extract from "A Chapter on Dreams" and an essay on the scientific context of Jekyll and Hyde.

Customer Reviews:

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: The Dual Nature of Man........2006-10-11

_The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Tales of Terror_, in the Penguin Classics series, consists of three tales by Robert Louis Stevenson, an essay by Stevenson, as well as an introduction and "diagnosis of Dr. Jekyll" by the editor Robert Mighall. Stevenson (1850-1894) was a Scottish writer in the Victorian period who grew up to a strict Presbyterian upbringing which would lead him to become obsessed with sin, the nature of evil, and death throughout much of his life. Originally Stevenson wrote adventure tales and stories of pirates (_Treasure Island_ for example); however, he was to turn his writing talents to tales of horror and the supernatural, particularly with the stories seen here. Stevenson wrote these stories to be read during the Christmas season (one traditionally associated with the supernatural and tales of dread). While Stevenson was much influenced by his own strict upbringing, he also was influenced by the various evolutionary theories of criminology then popular in the Victorian period. In particular, the eugenic theories of Francis Galton and the criminological theories of Caesare Lombroso (who claimed to have found the source of the "atavistic criminal type") were then popular. Stevenson also may have been interested in sexual pathology (a taboo topic during the Victorian era). In particular, many of his stories hint at homosexuality or possibly sexual sadism (and the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was to influence the writing of Oscar Wilde who was convicted of sodomy in his time). Stevenson's stories reveal the dark side of man and the hypocrisy of the "respectable" during the Victorian period.

This book contains the following tales (and essay):

_Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde_ (1886) - This is the classic tale of a double consciousness. The respectable Dr. Jekyll, an upright citizen of a higher status, begins to develop a secret nature (to become a "secret sinner") which eventually leads him to construct the personality of a Mr. Edward Hyde as an alter. Mr. Hyde is a repulsive figure to behold, uniformly despised by those who see him, short in stature, possibly deformed, and bearing some resemblance to the simian. Mr. Hyde is also the classic atavistic criminal type, believed to be lower on the evolutionary ladder than the righteous Dr. Jekyll. Dr. Jekyll concocts a potion which he intakes and becomes the sinister Mr. Hyde. Thus, begins a classic conflict between the good and evil natures within man. While Dr. Jekyll leads an upright life, his alter Mr. Hyde engages in brutal activities, nearly plows over a child on the street, and eventually murders a man. The story unfolds as Dr. Jekyll's lawyer and friend tries to understand why Dr. Jekyll should choose such a repulsive individual as Hyde as his benefactor to his will and the ensuing transformation in Jekyll. Eventually the transformation begins to occur in Jekyll without the use of the potion, so Jekyll vows to stop taking it. However, he returns to the potion again eventually (perhaps hinting at the horrors of alcoholism or other addiction) and becomes Mr. Hyde again. Eventually the personality of Mr. Hyde is to overcome completely Dr. Jekyll (as his potion runs out). Thus is revealed the dual nature of man.

"The Body Snatcher" (1884) - This tale involves the procurement of bodies to be dissected by medical students. At the time, the bodies used by medical students were in short supply. These bodies are supplied to a Dr. K__ (perhaps, Robert Knox, a real life physician who was implicated in a similar scandal); however, it soon becomes apparent that they have been murdered. The story ends with a bizarre twist. This story was a precursor to _Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde_, and it features many of the same surroundings.

"Olalla" (1885) - This is a classic Gothic tale featuring a voyage by a man suffering from tuberculosis (which Stevenson himself was to suffer from) to Catholic Spain. There he stays with an ancient family which is under a horrifying curse - degeneracy of the blood. Stevenson based this story on many of the evolutionary beliefs popular at the time, including the hereditary nature of madness and "bad blood". The family described in this story, though of noble birth, has a history of this "taint of the blood" brought about by too much inbreeding. The story involves vampirism (the longing for blood, which perhaps influenced the later writings of Bram Stoker, whose Dracula was also an atavistic criminal type of a tainted heritage) and the narrator falls in love with Olalla, a daughter of the family.

"A Chapter on Dreams" (Abridged) (1888) - This is an essay written by Stevenson in which he discusses his dreams (the role of the "Brownies" (elfin creatures) in their creation) and the source of his inspiration for _Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde_.

The final section of this book is an essay by the editor Robert Mighall, entitled "Diagnosing Jekyll: The Scientific Context of Dr Jekyll's Experiment and Mr Hyde's Embodiment". This essay discusses the role of double-consciousness (the possibility of multiple personality), moral insanity, criminal responsibility, and sexual perversion in the character of Dr. Jekyll. It is most interesting for its remarks on the evolutionary theories of criminology popular at the time and the possible sexual perversion of Dr. Jekyll. This essay also discusses the case of "Jack the Ripper", which played out in London at the same time as _Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde_ was appearing on the stage, and its relationship to this story.

This book includes several interesting stories by Stevenson which reveal his continuing obsessions, the dual nature of man and the evolutionary taint of "bad blood". They show us how even the most respectable, upright individuals may have a dual nature (a dark side), though it is often hidden. They also have much to say about the societal hypocrisy which makes such a thing possible to begin with. The need to "keep up appearances" often betrays a darker side.

A Short Masterpiece.......2006-07-17

I will not give away the plot, and I encourage all to read this literary masterpiece. The author's technique in this novel is to use an independent observer, a Mr. Utterson, who re-tells what has happened to his friend Dr. Jekyll. The story is short: just 70 pages.

I would have never picked this book to read without some guidance. It was on Nabokov's books to read list from his Cornell teaching notes on European Literature (circa 1950) now available in book form: Lectures on Literature (Paperback) by Vladimir Nabokov.

His seven books or novels are:

Jane Austen - Mansfield Park
Charles Dickens - Bleak House
Gustave Flaubert - Madame Bovary
Robert Louis Stevenson - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Marcel Proust - The Walk by Swann's Place
Franz Kafka - The Metamorphosis
James Joyce - Ulysses

Why is the present book on that list? The reason - without giving away the plot - is that it is not a simple science fiction or similar story. It is about human failings and about obsession, compulsion, and human weakness. The story is the battle between a doctor and the counter character that he has created. Who will win this battle: good or evil?

This is a terrific but short novella just 70 pages long. The present Penguin classic contains a good analysis of the story by Robert Mighall, plus two other short stories: "The Body Snatcher" and "Olalla." These have similar macabre themes but on different subjects and they are not as deep as "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." The latter is a literary work of art similar in spirit to "Lolita," another book about human failings and compulsions. The plot details are obviously very different as is the London setting here.

Excellent edition of a classic tale.......2005-06-24

Stevenson's famous "shilling shocker" from 1886 has almost been distilled into a diagnostic commonplace. The notion of the "Jekyll & Hyde" personality has become a shorthand description for someone who leads a psychological double-life. Stevenson's tale dwells on the dangers of duplicity and addiction, and the unpredictable consequences of starting down the slippery slope: once you start giving in to the darker half of your nature, it isn't always possible to go back. The idea is well known, generally from the numerous screen adaptations, but the original story isn't. It's well worth reading, especially in this fine edition from Penguin. Apart from including some lesser known tales from Stevenson, editor Robert Mighall provides detailed notes, an excellent introduction, and a fascinating final essay entitled, "Diagnosing Jekyll: the Scientific Context to Dr Jekyll's Experiment and Mr Hyde's Embodiment". This essay situates Stevenson's tale in the context of nineteenth-century London society, considers the likely contemporary medico-scientific explanations for Jekyll's "case" (including the memorably named condition of "masturbatic insanity"), and also reveals the impact Stevenson's work had on the public's interpretation of the real-life criminal case of Jack the Ripper. Mighall's commentary will also appeal to literary-critical readers who'll want to think about the narrative device of presenting a supernatural tale through the testimony of doctors, lawyers and written documents. Mighall also identifies some slip-ups in Jekyll's final confession which suggest he isn't quite as neatly divided as he claims. This is an excellent edition for student readers, or for those who like to read so-called classics in context.

Interesting horror/study.......2004-08-17

This is an interesting book to read, although since pretty much everyone know's what's going to happen, that takes some of the fun out of it.
Other than that, it has some good points to think about, good for provoking ruminations on what your own ideas about the goodness/evilness of your own self!

A Great Horror Story.......2004-07-27

This was the first of three Victorian horror novels I read this summer. This is a great story of how Dr. Henry Jekyll becomes obsessed with his alter ego, Edward Hyde, and continues to turn himself into Hyde. Hyde kills people and people get angry and put a bounty on Hyde's head. Dr. Jekyll vows not to drink his potion again, but one day his friend Gabriel Utterson and his butler Poole hear strange noises in Jekyll's study and have their suspicions who it is...

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Collected Works of Robert Louis Stevenson)

Average customer rating:

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Collected Works of Robert Louis Stevenson)
Robert Louis Stevenson
Manufacturer: Edinburgh University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0748615180

Book Description

Edinburgh University Press is delighted to announce a new scholarly edition of Robert Louis Stevenson's popular novel, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

First published as a 'shilling shocker' it became an instant classic in 1886. The protagonist lives a double-life, by day working as a respectable doctor and by night roaming the back alleys of old-town London. In the first six months of publication 40,000 copies were sold, and it remains one of the best tales ever written about the divided self.

This new edition contains a substantial introduction, with the story of composition (amid difficulties), first publication and early reception. A survey of the main critical interpretations is followed by a brief study of its language and an overview of important derivative works: stage plays, films, comic books, graphic novels, and retellings of various kinds.

Key Features:*The most complete, scholarly edition of Jekyll and Hyde-with full introduction, notes, etc.*The story of the composition and publication reveals new details of interest to RLS biographers*Summarizes the various critical approaches to Jekyll and Hyde*Explanatory notes cover archaic and Scots language, the origins and meanings of characters' names, and comment on cultural and literary allusions

Customer Reviews:

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.......2007-07-26

Mariam Silverio

Honors 150

Analysis Paper

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a terror tale written in the Victorian era. It is counted as one of Stevenson's gothic tales. It is a classic. This tale tells us about a man that unintentionally has a double life. The author of this book is using fallacies, and a really good characterization. This book explains the bad and good parts of human beings. It tells us about an internal fight that Dr. Jekyll has against his bad self. This book also explains the potential that every human being has to do good or evil, according to their decisions.

"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" is written with an inductive logic, giving us the facts first, and the reasons why things happened at the end. It is the atrocities that are going on close to Mr. Utterson, a respected lawyer, and that are related to his friend, Dr. Jekyll, what makes him to try to find out who the criminal is, and at the end finding guilty the person that he suspected the least.

This book has mainly three characters. The first one is Mr. Utterson, a lawyer who is a good friend; he is intelligent, and persistent. A person with selected and few friends, "a man of a rugged countenance, that was never lighted by a smile; cold, scanty and embarrassed in discourse; backward in sentiment; lean, long, dusty, dreary, and yet somehow lovable" as described on page five, paragraph one. This character is a loyal friend, who is not going to judge his friend Dr. Jekyll, until he can be able to find out the reasons why he is protecting a criminal (Mr. Hyde). It is the curiosity, and the desire of look after his friends what brings Mr. Utterson to solve this mystery.

Dr. Jekyll is a rich lonely person, he only has a couple friends as described on page twelve "After a little rambling talk, the lawyer led up to the subject which so disagreeably preoccupied his mind. `I suppose, Lanyon' said he, `you and I must be the two oldest friends that Henry Jekyll has?' `I wish the friends were younger', chuckled Dr. Lanyon . `But I suppose we are. And what of that? I see little of him now" .His name is very well known, and often printed (page 8). He is a gentleman, and people trusted him. This character represents good values such ad honor. He is the protagonist and antagonist at the same time. He has the ability to become someone else with bad feelings, someone representing repressed feelings. He decides to name this new person Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll is having an internal fight, he is trying to conquer, and totally destroy Mr. Hyde. Robert Louis Stevenson is representing the good feelings of human beings in Dr. Jekyll character.

Mr. Hyde is "A man with a kind of black, sneering, coolness" (page 8). This character represents the anger, and irrational part of human beings. Mr. Utterson had been looking forward to meet Mr. Hyde, and when he finally meets him, he assumes that MR. Hyde is a bad person, because of his appearance, "Mr. Hyde was pale and dwarfish, he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation, he had a displeasing smile, he had borne himself to the lawyer with a sort of murderous mixture of timidity and boldness, an he spoke with a husky, whispering and somewhat broken voice; all these were points against him, but not all of these together could explain the hitherto unknown disgust , loathing and fear with which Mr. Utterson regarded him" ( page 16) Also this fragment is an example of a false analogy used by Stevenson, contrary to "The portrait of Dorian Gray" where Oscar Wild is describing a really good looking person doing evil.

Finally, this book let us analyze the difference of good from evil. For example warm, and comfortable places becoming places where few people go, "at the door of this, which wore a great air of wealth and comfort, though it was now plunged in darkness" (page 16). This book also mentions the rupture of friendships because of a man who let anger domain him, "`Jekyll is ill too,' observed Utterson. `Have you seen him?' But Lanyon's face changed, and he held up a trembling hand. `I wish to see or hear no more of Doctor Jekyll,' he said in a loud, unsteady voice. `I am quite done with that person; and I beg that you will spare me any allusion o one whom I regard as dead'" (page 32)

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Norton Critical Editions)

Average customer rating:

Greatest work of Sci-fi.
Good Book
Some Points to Consider
Soooooo Boring!!!!!
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Norton Critical Editions)
Robert Louis Stevenson
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Literature & Fiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0393974650

Book Description

The text of Stevenson's novella is that of the 1886 First British Edition, the only edition which was set directly from the author's manuscript and for which he read proofs. It has been rigorously annotated for undergraduate readers and is accompanied by a textual appendix. "Backgrounds and Contexts" includes a wealth of materials on the story and its relevance to Victorian culture. "Performance Adaptations" shows the versatility with which the plot of Jekyll and Hyde has been reworked over more than a century as an outlet for modern psychological and social concerns. "Criticism" collects five essays on the novella, centering on its allegorical dimensions (Chesterton, Brantlinger, and Linehan) and its narrative technique (Nabokov, Garrett). A Chronology and Selected Bibliography are also included.

About the series: No other series of classic texts equals the caliber of the Norton Critical Editions. Each volume combines the most authoritative text available with the comprehensive pedagogical apparatus necessary to appreciate the work fully. Careful editing, first-rate translation, and thorough explanatory annotations allow each text to meet the highest literary standards while remaining accessible to students. Each edition is printed on acid-free paper and every text in the series remains in print. Norton Critical Editions are the choice for excellence in scholarship for students at more than 2,000 universities worldwide.

Customer Reviews:

Greatest work of Sci-fi........2007-08-31

Here this book goes deep in the realm of psychology and Science fiction. Very short. But not for the short attention span. You mustn't get lost in the extremely intense personification and imagery for this will make the book monotonous.

I am a new but HUGE fan or R.L. Stevenson but this is not his best work of his stories I would suggest getting a complete tales of R.L. Stevenson collection because this would include his best work in my opinion the suicide club and rajah's diamond.

Enjoy but I suggest getting a different print of this story one that includes his greatest short stories.

Good Book.......2007-05-17

Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde was a very good book filled of suspence. For example when the laywer goes to talk to Dr.Jekyll the Doctor gives him an a letter he got from Mr.Hyde but was not thinking and burned the envolope but did say there was no return adress. After the lawyer left the room and asked the door man if there has been any letters droped off and he said no. Then he asked if anyone personly droped off a letter and the door man said no.

Some Points to Consider.......2004-11-03

Since I am a contributor to this volume, I will not offer a "review" in a conventional sense, but I will offer a list of contents, which this website otherwise does not offer. As there are a number of competing paperback editions of Stevenson's novella and the text of the story is essentially the same (allowing for minor editorial variants), readers should consider the issue of what else besides the main text they will be getting for their money, and this edition is unusually rich in supplementary features, so that the original story makes up only 55 of its 222 pages.

In addition to the text of Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," with explanatory notes by the editor, this volume also contains:

A preface by the editor, a "textual appendix" about textual variants in the manuscripts, a map of 19th century London marking places mentioned in the story, a timeline of the major events in the life of author Robert Louis Stevenson, and a bibliography. Plus...

An excerpt from a biography about Stevenson by Graham Balfour about the circumstances of the story's authorship...

A brief excerpt from Stevenson's "A Chapter on Dreams," which discusses the influence of his dreams on the story...

12 letters by Stevenson that discuss aspects of the "Dr. Jekyll" story...

10 contemporary reviews and comments about "Dr. Jekyll" that show how the story was originally received...

Another horror-oriented short story by Stevenson entitled "Markheim"...

A brief non-fiction piece by Stevenson, "How I Came to be such a student of our Penny Press," together with some examples of 19th century book advertising...

Three essays about the literary context of "Dr. Jekyll": Karl Miller, "The Modern Double": Jenni Calder, "Stevenson's Scottish Devil Tales"; and Judith Halberstam, "An Introduction to Gothic Monstrosity"...

Four essays about the scientific context of Stevenson's story: Stephen Jay Gould, "Post-Darwinist Theories of the Ape Within"; Frederic W. H. Myers, "Multiple Personality"; Norman Kerr, "Abject Slaves to the Narcotic"; John Addington Symonds, "This Aberrant Inclination in Myself"...

Two essays about the socio-historical context of Stevenson's story: Judith R. Walkowitz, "London in the 1880s"; and Walter Houghton, "Hypocrisy"...

Three essays and a filmography about theatrical and film adaptations of "Dr. Jekyll": C. Alex Pinkston, Jr., "The Stage Premiere of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"; Charles King, "Themes and Variations" (about film); Scott Allen Nollen, "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Paramount, 1931)"; and Katherine Linehan, "A Checklist of Major Performance Adaptations"...

And five additional critical essays: G. K. Chesterton, "The Real Stab of the Story"; Vladimir Nabokov, "The Phenomenon of Style"; Peter K. Garrett, "Instabilities of Meaning, Morality, and Narration"; Patrick Brantlinger, "An Unconscious Allegory about the Masses and Mass Literacy"; and Katherine Linehan, "Sex, Secrecy and Self-Alienation in Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde".

For sheer range of commentary, I do not think that you could point to a comparable volume.

Soooooo Boring!!!!!.......2003-12-28

This is one of the hardest and boring books in life! It deals with strict men of Science, for instance, Dr. Hastie Lanyon. This book, like the Invisible Man, is a novel that has WAY too many details and should be strictly enforced not to be read. Who wants to read a book about science-fiction and not to mention the cuss words on every page? Who likes minor details around every corner. But, I must admit, there are fabulous descriptions of the characters and them themselves are quite interesting! But, this book is not good.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.......2003-03-21

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
By: Robert Louis Stevenson
Reviewed by: E. ...
Period:6

This book is about a man that has somehow brought out an evil side of him. He is a scientist and he makes a concoction that has brought out the evil part. At first the man is able to be somewhat aware of what the other person does, but it gets worse and he looses control. He has few conscious moments and often wakes up not knowing what has happened. His friend learns about the evil side, but has no idea that both of the men are the same. As the friend learns more, he becomes closer and closer to the horrible truth. Then the evil side kills a man and he hides by becoming the good man and hiding in his house. The friend thinks the evil man has killed the good one, but he soon finds out something is very strange about the whole situation. Then the friend receives a letter from the man and he gets the supplies asked in the letter. A man meets the friend and makes a concoction. Then he drinks it and all of a sudden the man turns into his friend that seems to have been revived from the evil side. The whole story is a mystery as the friend finds more clues.

The thing I liked was how the story was set up and how the whole thing was a mystery so that it kept you interested in finding out the answer. It got confusing at times and I had to re-read parts to find out the clues and truly understand it. "pale and shaken, and half fainting, and groping before him with his hands, like a man restored from death-there stood Henry Jekyll! " The good man had only a little power left and he needed the concoction to make himself regular again. The person that his friend saw was a mixture of evil and good with the good barely holding out. After that, the friend was told everything and he listened in shock. This part didn't come until near the end so that it was a twist in the story that is unexpected.

The book may have been good for its story line, but parts of the story got to be repetitive and it got to the point where it was boring and it was hard to keep going. The end really disappointed me, because the story was pretty decent and then the end came and it was bad. The end was supposed to be a letter written from the last words of the good man that was losing his power to stay in control. The letter was at least twenty pages and was filled with confusing sentences and the same information being repeated over and over. It got tiring and boring very quickly, so that I struggled to keep reading. I finally made it through and the end of the letter said that the good man was saying he was going to end his miserable life. "Here, then, as I lay down the pen, and proceed to seal up my confession, I bring the life of that unhappy Henry Jekyll to an end. That ending would have been good if it wasn't after the most boring part in the book.

Amazon.com

The young Robert Louis Stevenson suffered from repeated nightmares of living a double life, in which by day he worked as a respectable doctor and by night he roamed the back alleys of old-town Edinburgh. In three days of furious writing, he produced a story about his dream existence. His wife found it too gruesome, so he promptly burned the manuscript. In another three days, he wrote it again. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was published as a "shilling shocker" in 1886, and became an instant classic. In the first six months, 40,000 copies were sold. Queen Victoria read it. Sermons and editorials were written about it. When Stevenson and his family visited America a year later, they were mobbed by reporters at the dock in New York City. Compulsively readable from its opening pages, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is still one of the best tales ever written about the divided self.

This University of Nebraska Press edition is a small, exquisitely produced paperback. The book design, based on the original first edition of 1886, includes wide margins, decorative capitals on the title page and first page of each chapter, and a clean, readable font that is 19th-century in style. Joyce Carol Oates contributes a foreword in which she calls Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde a "mythopoetic figure" like Frankenstein, Dracula, and Alice in Wonderland, and compares Stevenson's creation to doubled selves in the works of Plato, Poe, Wilde, and Dickens.

This edition also features 12 full-page wood engravings by renowned illustrator Barry Moser. Moser is a skillful reader and interpreter as well as artist, and his afterword to the book, in which he explains the process by which he chose a self-portrait motif for the suite of engravings, is fascinating. For the image of Edward Hyde, he writes, "I went so far as to have my dentist fit me out with a carefully sculpted prosthetic of evil-looking teeth. But in the final moments I had to abandon the idea as being inappropriate. It was more important to stay in keeping with the text and, like Stevenson, not show Hyde's face." (Also recommended: the edition of Frankenstein illustrated by Barry Moser) --Fiona Webster

Book Description

This intriguing combination of fantasy thriller and moral allegory depicts the gripping struggle of two opposing personalities — one essentially good, the other evil — for the soul of one man. Its tingling suspense and intelligent and sensitive portrayal of man's dual nature reveal Stevenson as a novelist of great skill and originality.

Customer Reviews:

Super Reader.......2007-08-31

A scientist invents a formula that can bring out man's dual nature. His opposite number, in this case, is somewhat of super-powered wanton, who does whatever he likes. Free of the social restraint of his other half, he happily commits any crime that comes to mind as he feels like it.

Eventually, investigators begin to suspect something, and a hunt is on for who is behind it.

The Amazing book.......2007-04-25

This book was very interesting. It had its ups and downs and at time was hard to understand. I like the suspence and the mystery. For example I liked the part when out of no were Mr.Hyde lashed out and killed another man. I also liked the part were the lawyer went to go see Dr.Jekyll and there was a letter that the Doctor gave to the lawyer which was from Mr.Hyde the scary part was that there was no retern address and the door worker said that no one had hand delivered it. That is why i liked the book.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.......2006-10-24

I thought this was a very challenging book, and it was hard to understand. I couldn't understand alot of the words since it is so old. But once you start understanding it, it really is a great story. Even though I already knew before I started reading it that they were the same person, I didn't know the rest of the story, and it was very interesting how Jekyll had written his will to Mr. Hyde. I like how he had the potion to stop and he was doing a good job, but then he finally gave in. I like this book, but it was challenging.

Classics for your school aged children& children at heart!.......2006-08-19

"Great Illustrated Classics" series of classic books such as The Strange Case of DR. Jekyll and MR. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson are perfect books for children (and adults) of all reading ages.

The text is large and easy to read. They all come bound in a glossy hard cover.

These books are fantastic for book reports and general reading for your school aged children. They will also put up with almost any type of abuse your child can put them trough and still look great.

Perfect for use in book report requirements of any school in the US. They are of course the classics and this title is no exception.

These titles are perfect for the class room, to the school library or simply at home. The pricing on the new ones alone make this series obtainable in any home with school aged children.

Whether they are new to reading or nearly graduating - this is a must own series! There are not many illustrations (about 2-3 per chapter) so older children would not be put off.

I cannot say enough about these books - reading is so important, to have all the classics in such a hardy book binding, laid out in easy to read text at such great prices should make every parent want to purchase the entire collection!

19TH CENTURY CLASSIC .......2006-07-22

I never thought I'd say this about a book, but the movie was better - the one starring Spencer Tracey. I appreciate the subdued style of 19th century literature, but this offered little in the way of memorable descriptions of or insights into either Hyde's or Jekyll's mental state. It really seems like Stevenson put little thought or effort into writing this one. I also get irritated when authors ignore such fundamental scientific concepts as the conservation of mass - Jekyll shrinks when he becomes Hyde. Comic-book science fiction does it all the time, but I expect better from a serious author.

According to the "About the author" at the end of the book, Stevenson won international fame from this book. Perhaps for the time, the insight that we have an evil personality within us was so new that this story deserves this fame. Since it is short, it is worth reading.
(Peter Payne, author of CAPTAIN CALIFORNIA: A YOUNG MAN'S ENCOUNTER WITH THE EVIL WITHIN HIMSELF)

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (Broadview Edition)

Average customer rating:

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (Broadview Edition)
Robert Louis Stevenson
Manufacturer: Broadview Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1551116553

Book Description

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, second edition By Robert Louis Stevenson Edited by Martin A. Danahay

First published in 1886 as a "shilling shocker," Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde takes the basic struggle between good and evil and adds to the mix bourgeois respectability, urban violence, and class conflict. The result is a tale that has taken on the force of myth in the popular imagination. This Broadview edition provides a fascinating selection of contextual material, including contemporary reviews of the novel, Stevenson's essay "A Chapter on Dreams," and excerpts from the 1887 stage version of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Also included are historical documents on criminality and degeneracy, the "Jack the Ripper" murders, and London in the 1880s.

New to this second edition are an updated critical introduction and, in the appendices, writings on Victorian psychology by Thomas Carlyle, Richard Krafft-Ebing, and Henry Maudsley, among others.

Average customer rating:
The Essential Dr. Jekyll: The Definitive Annotated Edition of Robert Louis Stevenson's Classic Novel
Leonard Wolf
Manufacturer: IBooks, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Wolf, Leonard | ( W ) | Authors, A-Z | Horror | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Horror | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Essential Dracula

The Essential Frankenstein

Entire Tales & Poems of Edgar Allan Poe: Photographic & Annotated Edition

ASIN: 1596871059

Book Description

The Essential Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is the most comprehensive edition of one of the world's greatest horror stories. Here is the complete, authoritative edition of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of duality, fully annotated with thousands of fascinating facts and legends--everything you ever wanted to know about literature's most famous split personality. The volume also includes a selection of Stevenson's short fiction, including Thrawn Janet, Body Snatcher, Merry Men, and Markheim, and there is a selected filmography of the various film versions of Jekyll and Hyde.

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Weir of Hermiston (Oxford World's Classics)

Average customer rating:

Two faced man
Leaves the 'great' Victorians flailing.

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Weir of Hermiston (Oxford World's Classics)
Robert Louis Stevenson
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Classics | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0192834312

Book Description

This volume includes Stevenson's famous spine-chilling thriller Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as well as Weir of Hermiston, a brilliant autobiographical portrayal of a father-son relationship.

Customer Reviews:

Two faced man.......2003-04-06

This is a great book for all sorts of people, It is great how Robert Louis Stevenson describes Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. It is great on how the author uses both sides as a twisted sence of human. Mr Hyde a high hung man, Wants to cause havok every where he goes, Brutal murders etc, Dr Jekyll, Kind of a mad sientist, Wants to create a cure for the mentally ill. This is a great book, I would recommend this to anyone.

Leaves the 'great' Victorians flailing........2001-01-25

The first half of this novella can be counted among the most remarkable writing I have ever read. its sense of unstated terror and crisp, nightmarish atmosphere; its portentous introduction and proliferation of the double theme; its destabilising of its own narrative, where the violence of the language and the force of the metaphors makes the abstract material, and the material abstract; its evocation of London as a menacing organism, a miasma-wheezing labyrinth, with an economy that defeated Dickens, with streets and buildings embodying human flaws; its characterisation of a grim, barren, self-destructive men's world - all this take the novel away from the generic sensationalism or pseudo-scientific philosophy of the horror genre towards the metaphysical anxieties of Chesterton and Borges.

The rest is more familiar, made complex by innovative structure, ambiguous narration and a startling use of imagery. this is not a simple tale of man's good and evil side; in its admission of an ungraspable, shifting, multifarious existence, shown here in character, place and language, where metamorphosis is the only rule, we can see why Nabokov considers Stevenson a master. And yet the book also works as a lean, compelling thriller, even if, like everyone, you already know the twist. Emma Letley's introduction and notes are over a decade old, and need updating.

Average customer rating:
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Stories
Robert Louis Stevenson
Manufacturer: Adamant Media Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Stevenson, Robert Louis | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0543892697
Release Date: 2000-07-31

Average customer rating:

Read the orignal

Jason's Review

Cody's review

a really great book

Atomospheric

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Great Illustrated Classics)
Robert Louis Stevenson , and Mitsu Yamamoto
Manufacturer: Abdo Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Classics by Age | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Spine-Chilling Horror | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Stevenson, Robert Louis | ( S ) | Authors & Illustrators, A-Z | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Stevenson, Robert Louis | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Horror | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Frankenstein (Great Illustrated Classics)

The Phantom Of The Opera (Great Illustrated Classics)

Dracula (Great Illustrated Classics)

The Invisible Man (Great Illustrated Classics)

The War Of The Worlds (Great Illustrated Classics)

ASIN: 1577658000

Customer Reviews:

Read the orignal.......2007-02-26

The pictures have masked this classic.

Please read the original... I fell asleep half way through this book.

Jason's Review.......2005-11-03

I read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde it is a mystery book and your always wondering what's going to happen next. What will happen when Utterson is woken up at 3 a.m. by his servant saying there is a cop down stairs and he finds out that one of his colleagues have been murdered by Mr. Hyde? This is the Illustrated Classics version of the novel. I'm sure they took out parts of it and made the words bigger. The Illustrated Classics Edition is a lot easier.
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is about a person name Mr. Hyde who's filled with evil and hatred. Utterson trying to figure out whom he is. Where he came from, and why he's Jekyll's heir. When he starts to find out is it too much for him? Will Hyde take over Jekyll? Read this book and you will find out.
I would recommend this book to some one who likes mystery books.

Cody's review.......2005-09-15

I didn't really like The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde. Sometimes you didn't know ho was talking a lot of the time. Also you would get lost most of the time.

The story was about a doctor who makes chemicals. Dr.Henry Jekyll thinks that a guy has two different personalities. One side of him kills people and the other side of him is nice. Then Dr. Jekyll started taking the special drink as Mr. Hyde drink to make him evil. Finally runs out of the drink and dies.

The type of reader that should read this book, are people who don't like exciting stories. The story would be good for littler kids around the age of 7 or 8. That's what I think about this story.

a really great book.......2005-02-15

Title: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Author: Robert L Stevenson

This book is about a lawyer who suspects that something is wrong with his dear friend Dr.Jekyll after his cousin tells him about "the blackmail house" and how that door leads into Jekyll's house. His cousin also tells him about the horrid man and the child he saw earlier that night. Also the will that Jekyll wrote to Lanyon (his lawyer) does not make any since to him. This is a great book for all ages. I liked this book because it keeps you interested in the plot (in which I won't reveal any more of). It made me feel happy to finally reach the end. It is one of those books that will keep you wondering through the whole thing. Have fun reading this!!!

Atomospheric.......2004-11-22

Obviously, the whiney little brat above has little or no grasp of the storyline of this timeless Robert Louis Stephenson classic.
The illustrations in this book vividly bring to life the era in which this story is set- from the austere grandeur of London's buildings to incidental Victoriana such as top hats and decorative walking canes.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books