A Small White Island
Robert Louis Stevenson in Davos
by Pierpaolo Gandini and Denise Rickenbacher
A little-known Scottish writer, almost penniles and seriously ill, travels to Switzerland in search of a healthier lifestyle.
During his stay in a remote mountain chalet,
he completes the novel that will change his life...
Robert Louis Stevenson spent two winters in the clear mountain air of Davos, seeking a cure for his poor health. As he left in April 1882, his health had improved, and he was well on his way to achieving financial independence and worldwide fame.
In the Swiss Alps he entered a remarkably productive phase of heightened creativity.
Playing with his beloved stepson, Lloyd, in his spare time proved to be a major source of inspiration.
He wrote playful verses and created woodcuts, which Lloyd bound and printed in several small books titled 'Moral Emblems'.
In Davos, Stevenson captured his experiences in five essays – 'Davos in Winter', 'Health and Mountains', 'Alpine Diversions' and 'The Stimulation of the Alps'. He also completed 'Treasure Island', the novel that marked a turning point in his life.
As his body healed, he experienced a fresh surge of vitality and creativity that paved the way for masterpieces such as 'The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde' and 'Kidnapped'.
The rest is history.
“In A Small White Island, writing duo Pierpaolo Gandini and Denise Rickenbacher have created a unique story. It is both interesting and entertaining.”
Béla Zier "Südostschweiz" 19 February 2025
Buy now A Small White Island
Robert Louis Stevenson in Davos
128 pages, 52 images, hardcover book, english edition, 2026
ISBN 978-3-033-12231-4
CHF 28.00 (VAT included) + Shipping
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Trailer
Thanks to the following for their patronage:
Meuli Stiftung Davos
Davos Kultur
Kulturförderung Graubünden
Ernst Göhner Stiftung
Acknowledgements: National Library of Scotland, Dokumentationsbibliothek Davos, Medizinmuseum Davos, Verband Museen Graubünden, The Robert Louis Stevenson Club, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library - Yale University, The Writers Museum Edinburgh, University of Bristol
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