A Visual History of Kidnapped

Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 adventure novel Kidnapped draws inspiration from the history and geography of the mid-18th century Scottish Highlands. From young David Balfour’s journey through the Highlands to his interactions with the natives there and his involvement in the Stewart clan’s rebellion, A Visual History of Kidnapped attempts to explain the true events, places, and publication of the story as a work of historical romantic literature and documentary writing. Commentary on and the author's relationship with real-life Scottish history have been included in this project to help the reader understand the specific events that inspired Stevenson’s adventure. In addition, an interactive map of the novel’s Scottish Highlands setting serves to track the path of David’s journey and provide context for the places he encounters. Finally, a timeline of the publishing of Kidnapped in Young Folks Paper has been incorporated for exploration of the history of the novel itself in its serialized 1886 version.