Stevenson's Shrine: The Record of a Pilgrimage

Stevenson's Shrine: The Record of a Pilgrimage by Laura Stubbs is a travel narrative that recounts the author's journey to the South Pacific island of Samoa, where the famous Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson spent the final years of his life. Stevenson, the celebrated writer of classics like Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, settled in Samoa in the late 19th century due to his ill health, and he became beloved by the local Samoan people. He died there in 1894 and was buried on Mount Vaea, overlooking his estate.In the book, Stubbs embarks on what she describes as a "pilgrimage" to visit Stevenson’s final resting place and to experience the landscape that inspired his later works. The narrative is part homage to Stevenson and part travelogue, filled with the author's personal reflections on the significance of the journey, her admiration for Stevenson, and her observations of Samoan culture and natural beauty.