An exciting and touching tale of an Irish orphan-boy who has lived free in the streets of Lahore before setting out, with a Tibetan Lama, on a double quest. This eventually leads to enrollment in the Indian Secret Service and a thrilling climax in the Himalayas.

This is the first scholarly edition to bring together the best short stories and poems of Rudyard Kipling. Covering the full range of Kipling's career from the 1880s to the 1930s it includes selections from Plain Tales from the Hills, Traffics and Discoveries, Just So Stories, Barrack-RoomBallads and Other Verses, and many more. A hugely inventive writer, Kipling displayed his comic mastery as well as bleak insights into human behaviour in his work, and stories such as 'Mary Postgate', 'The Man who would be King', and 'Mrs Bathurst' established his reputation as an artist who stillhas the power to astonish his readers. In his introduction and notes Daniel Karlin addresses the social and political engagement of Kipling's art, and the controversies over his critical and popular reputation. Two appendices consider Kipling's attitude to British rule in India and to the army, and original illustrations include a mapof the Punjab from 'The Man who would be King'.

The Jungle Book (1894) is a collection of stories by English author Rudyard Kipling. The stories were first published in magazines in 1893-94. The original publications contain illustrations, some by Rudyard's father, John Lockwood Kipling. Kipling was born in India and spent the first six years of his childhood there. After about ten years in England, he went back to India and worked there for about six-and-a-half years. These stories were written when Kipling lived in Vermont. There is evidence that it was written for his daughter Josephine, who died in 1899 aged six, after a rare first edition of the book with a poignant handwritten note by the author to his young daughter was discovered at the National Trust's Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire in 2010. The tales in the book (and also those in The Second Jungle Book which followed in 1895, and which includes five further stories about Mowgli) are fables, using animals in an anthropomorphic manner to give moral lessons. The verses of The Law of the Jungle, for example, lay down rules for the safety of individuals, families, and communities. Kipling put in them nearly everything he knew or "heard or dreamed about the Indian jungle."Other readers have interpreted the work as allegories of the politics and society of the time.The best-known of them are the three stories revolving around the adventures of Mowgli, an abandoned "man cub" who is raised by wolves in the Indian jungle. The most famous of the other four stories are probably "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi," the story of a heroic mongoose, and "Toomai of the Elephants," the tale of a young elephant-handler. As with much of Kipling's work, each of the stories is followed by a piece of verse. The Jungle Book, because of its moral tone, came to be used as a motivational book by the Cub Scouts, a junior element of the Scouting movement. This use of the book's universe was approved by Kipling after a direct petition of Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Scouting movement, who had originally asked for the author's permission for the use of the Memory Game from Kim in his scheme to develop the morale and fitness of working-class youths in cities. Akela, the head wolf in The Jungle Book, has become a senior figure in the movement, the name being traditionally adopted by the leader of each Cub Scout pack.

Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book" is a seminal collection of short stories first published in 1894, which intricately weaves the themes of nature, survival, and moral growth through the experiences of a human boy raised by wolves in the Indian jungle. Kipling's narrative style is marked by a rich, evocative language that brings to life the vivid landscapes and diverse animal characters, offering readers both enchanting tales and profound allegories that explore the duality of civilization and the wild. Situated within the broader context of colonial literature, the work reflects Victorian attitudes towards both the natural world and the complexities of cultural identity, articulating a deep engagement with the British Raj in India and its sociopolitical implications. Kipling, born in British India, was profoundly influenced by his formative years in the subcontinent, which shaped his understanding of its culture, landscapes, and wildlife. Drawing on his personal experiences and observations, he crafted a world where human and animal lives intersect with themes of loyalty, friendship, and the struggle for one's identity. His unique perspective as an expatriate gives "The Jungle Book" its distinctive flavor, merging Western storytelling with Eastern settings and themes. This classic text invites readers of all ages to delve into the multifaceted relationship between humanity and the animal kingdom. With its rich narrative, moral lessons, and exploration of the jungle as a metaphor for the trials of life, "The Jungle Book" is not only a tale of adventure but also a timeless reflection on the essence of belonging. It is an essential read for those seeking wisdom in storytelling and an appreciation for the interconnectedness of all beings.

The Jungle Book (1894) is a collection of stories by English author Rudyard Kipling. The stories were first published in magazines in 1893-94. The original publications contain illustrations, some by Rudyard's father, John Lockwood Kipling. Kipling was born in India and spent the first six years of his childhood there. After about ten years in England, he went back to India and worked there for about six-and-a-half years. These stories were written when Kipling lived in Vermont. There is evidence that it was written for his daughter Josephine, who died in 1899 aged six, after a rare first edition of the book with a poignant handwritten note by the author to his young daughter was discovered at the National Trust's Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire in 2010. The tales in the book (and also those in The Second Jungle Book which followed in 1895, and which includes five further stories about Mowgli) are- fables, using animals in an anthropomorphic manner to give moral lessons. The verses of The Law of the Jungle, for example, lay down rules for the safety of individuals, families and communities. Kipling put in them nearly everything he knew or "heard or dreamed about the Indian jungle." Other readers have interpreted the work as allegories of the politics and society of the time. The best-known of them are the three stories revolving around the adventures of an abandoned "man cub" Mowgli who is raised by wolves in the Indian jungle. The most famous of the other stories are probably "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi", the story of a heroic mongoose, and "Toomai of the Elephants", the tale of a young elephant-handler. As with much of Kipling's work, each of the stories is preceded by a piece of verse, and succeeded by another.