Selected Stories from Kipling

by Rudyard Kipling (Creator)

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Genres: Short Stories, Classics, Fiction, Literature

382 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1900

About the author

Joseph Rudyard Kipling was a journalist, short-story writer, poet, and novelist.

Kipling's works of fiction include The Jungle Book (1894), Kim (1901), and many short stories, including The Man Who Would Be King (1888). His poems include Mandalay (1890), Gunga Din (1890), The Gods of the Copybook Headings (1919), The White Man's Burden (1899), and If— (1910). He is regarded as a major innovator in the art of the short story; his children's books are classics of children's literature; and one critic described his work as exhibiting "a versatile and luminous narrative gift".

Kipling was one of the most popular writers in the United Kingdom, in both prose and verse, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Henry James said: "Kipling strikes me personally as the most complete man of genius (as distinct from fine intelligence) that I have ever known." In 1907, at the age of 41, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, making him the first English-language writer to receive the prize, and its youngest recipient to date. He was also sounded out for the British Poet Laureateship and on several occasions for a knighthood, both of which he declined.

Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907 "in consideration of the power of observation, originality of imagination, virility of ideas and remarkable talent for narration which characterize the creations of this world-famous author."

Kipling kept writing until the early 1930s, but at a slower pace and with much less success than before. On the night of 12 January 1936, Kipling suffered a haemorrhage in his small intestine. He underwent surgery, but died less than a week later on 18 January 1936 at the age of 70 of a perforated duodenal ulcer. Kipling's death had in fact previously been incorrectly announced in a magazine, to which he wrote, "I've just read that I am dead. Don't forget to delete me from your list of subscribers."

Reviews

[Jj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some skillful, striking, remarkable stories, but I can see why his Mowgli and animal stories are the most famous. His animals are more entertaining than his people.

[Jeff Hobbs]

Read so far:

(stories that overlap with Kipling's Stories of Horror and Fantasy are omitted)
*The gate of the hundred sorrows --
The story of Muhammad Din --2
The other man --
*Lispeth --
Venus Annodomini --
*His wedded wife --
In the pride of his youth --
The daughter of the regiment --
Thrown away --
Beyond the pale --2
*A wayside comedy --
*Dray wara yow dee --
*Little Tobrah --
Black Jack --
*On the city wall --
*At the pit's mouth --
*Baa, baa, black sheep --
*The head of the district --
*The man who was --
Without benefit of clergy --3
*On Greenhow Hill --
'Rikki-tikki-tavi' --4
The miracle of Purun Bhagat --
*The Maltese cat --
*Red dog --
*The ship that found herself --
William the conqueror --3
*The devil and the deep sea --
'Bread upon the waters' --
The mother hive --
Marklake witches --
'My son's wife' --
***
A bank fraud--3
The Bronckhorst divorce case
The cat that walked by itself
Dayspring mishandled
The disturber of traffic --1
The drums of the fore and the aft
Garm, a hostage
The incarnation of Krishna Mulvaney
In the matter of a private
Jews in Shushan
The last term
The limitations of Pambe Sarang --3
Love o' Women --1
The manner of men
Miss Youghal's sais --3
Mrs. Bathurst
The potted princess
Quiquern
The record of Badalia Herodsfoot
A sahib's war
The taking of Lungtungpen --2
*Tod's amendment --
*Wee Willie Winkie --

[Irene]

Not having read Kipling since probably 3rd grade and nothing past Rikki-Tikki-Tavi and Jungle Book this is a remarkably pleasant collection of much more grown up stories (though I don't think I've read any better than Rikki so far, or probably will). It continues to be a bit strange to read about Britons in India not just as invaders or conquerors but as people that live there and love it or even just treat is as their normal habitat, more like stories of American Western pioneers.

Well written short stories without the endlessly flat frustration, futility, depression that irks me about much contemporary fiction I pick up.

[TrumanCoyote · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice colloquial style--though his meaning did tend to go sailing over my head at times. Basically too much of the wacky journalist relating Amusing Incidents--so not a lot of point to them (especially 100 years later to someone across the Pond). And the unruly-coolie bit got a bit cave after a while...also the adventitious quotes at the beginnings of most stories were annoying. Best story "They"--and most heartfelt; also "Without Benefit Of Clergy" and "Purun Bhagat."

[N · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading Mr. Kipling's stories are dense, and at times completely boring. But they are a reflection of his life in Postcolonial India, where he at first supports British Imperialism, then suddenly in the latter part of the 20th century, he becomes critical of the British Empire that once took very good care of him...where I can't help but feel he is a hypocrite of the highest level, only criticizing the former remnants of Empire once its collapsed.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A splendid collection of a whole range of stories, diverse in nature and diverse in setting, all done in beautiful prose. Great book - it lasted me all summer long, reading one story each day over lunch at work.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

everytime i get a bit antsy about wanting to see india, i dig out the kipling. i enjoy his short stories- you get just enough of a bite to make you want a little more.

[Sammyz · Rating 5 out of 5]

It became pretty obvious as I plowed through the Jungle Book why these stories are so well loved after all these years, Kipling was really a genius of storytelling.

[Frightful_elk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice selection from a short story master, they are all really readable, some are marvellous, some are bizarre.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vivid snapshots of a different time. Marks the changes of kipling as a writer over the decades. Starts with his first published short story and culminates with his last.

[Amaan Ahmad · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe he was a great writer but this book is a piece of trash.

[Dayang Mahani · Rating 2 out of 5]

My brain refused to digest some of the stories. Not my cup of tea #sleepyalltheway

[Cornflower · Rating 4 out of 5]

From good to great, these stories were a revelation to me. One in particular was utterly perfect.