A Wilder Shore

The Romantic Odyssey of Fanny and Robert Louis Stevenson

By: Camille Peri

Narrated by: Jeanette Illidge

ONE OF THE ATLANTIC'S 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR
A NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW  EDITORS' CHOICE PICK AND 2024 NOTABLE BOOK
AN NPR FAVORITE READ OF 2024

“Peri’s joint biography is a thrilling, haunting yarn of the sort that the Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson himself became famous for—and couldn’t have written without his wife.” —The Atlantic

The extraordinary story of the creative and romantic partnership between Robert Louis Stevenson and his wife and muse, Fanny Van de Grift

He was an ambitious but drifting writer from a prominent Scottish family. She was a tough Nevada silver miner’s wife, with children, when they met. Who could have predicted that Fanny Van de Grift and Robert Louis Stevenson would go on to create one of history’s great literary marriages?

From their first encounter in France in 1876, Fanny and Louis’s partnership transcended societal expectations to become a literary union that was progressive, eccentric, and tempestuous, but always animated by a profound mutual respect. Seeking creative freedom, inspiration, and better health for Louis, who battled chronic illness, they embarked on a whirlwind journey around the world, from the bohemian enclaves of Europe to the shores of Samoa, where they lived and joined the native islanders’ fight for independence from imperialist powers. Amid the currents of their stormy yet deeply loving relationship, Fanny wrote colorful accounts of her life, contributed to Louis’s work and kept him alive to pen classic novels such as Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde that would go on to resonate with generations of readers.

A portrait of two extraordinary people and a testament to the power of love to foster the human spirit, A Wilder Shore unfolds with all the richness and complexity of a timeless epic, capturing the resilience, courage, and devotion that sparked some of our most celebrated and enduring literary masterpieces.

Fascinating story; annoying narration

The weaving of Fanny’s and RLS’s stories is very interesting but the use of regional accent in quotations is very annoying. The volume of the quotations doesn’t always match the regular narrative and sometimes the brogue is simply difficult to understand. I wanted a print version to read for myself.

Rocks in the Road

I've barely begun this fascinating tale and already I'm wondering if I can get through it. The narration is unfortunate, to put it charitably. The narrator drones on until she gets to a quotation, then forces her voice into a tonal change and regional accent. It's like being on a hike where the scenery demands attention, then stumbling on unforeseen rocks. A major disservice to the flow of the book. Of the hundreds of books in my audio library, this forced narration is among the worst.

Annoying reader

Very annoying reader constantly slipping into what she obviously believes is a cleverly executed Scottish dialect. Just read the damn book.

Interesting book, annoying reader.

This double biography of Robert Lewis Stevenson and his devoted wife reveals their eccentric relationship and highly adventurous life together. Unfortunately, the reader attempts to mimic the accent of the speaker in every quotation, The effect is ridiculous and breaks the flow of the narrative.

wild wilder

enjoyable and informative story of RL' s and Fannie's life
if you are looking for an enjoyable read that leaves you finding reflections of your life in their afair, then this is your choice.