ABSTRACT

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book discusses Robert Louis Stevenson works anticipate aspects of early twentieth-century popular culture, philosophy, political thought and artistic trends. Stevenson's writings and experiences even predict the ultimate modern experience: globalization. Globalization is a by-product of rapid movement: movement of people, materials, information and ideas. The book takes movement as its central theme. In the age of the Internet and the jet engine, we consider our world small, accessible, integrated. However, even in the 1890s, Stevenson saw this process beginning to encroach on public and private life. The book explores is the influence of Stevenson through time and space. The book combines highly respected, established scholars in Stevenson studies with new voices in the field, adopting a broad focus but a common thread; hope that Stevenson would approve.