| Edition |
First American edition. |
| Description |
xii, 351 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 330-337) and index. |
| Summary |
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) was a unique figure in British history, a great writer as well as an imperial icon whose life trajectory matched that of the British Empire from its zenith to its final decades. Kipling was in his early twenties when his first stories about Anglo-Indian life vaulted him into celebrity. He went on to be awarded the Nobel Prize, and to add more phrases to the language than any man since Shakespeare, but his conservative views and advocacy of imperialism damaged his critical reputation -- while at the same time making him all the more popular with a general readership. By the time he died, the man who incarnated an era for millions was almost forgotten, and new generations must come to terms in their own way with his enduring but mysterious powers. Previous works on Kipling have focused exclusively on his writing and on his domestic life. Here, the distinguished biographer David Gilmour not only explains how and why Kipling wrote, but also explores the themes of his complicated life, his ideas, his relationships, and his views on the Empire and the future. Gilmour is the first writer to explore Kipling's public role, his influence on the way Britons saw themselves and their Empire. His fascinating new book, based on extensive research (especially in the under explored archives of the United States), is a groundbreaking study of a great and misunderstood writer. |
| Contents |
Part One: Child of empire -- Ejections from Paradise -- A newsman in Lahore -- The Anglo-Indian chronicle -- Cities of dreadful night -- A sense of empire -- Part Two: Imperial apostle -- The long trail home -- The American years -- The Prophet's burden -- Rhodes and Milner -- Lessons from the Boers -- Part Three: Cassandra's dominions -- The discovery of England -- The Colonial sisterhood -- Liberal treacheries -- In defence of privilege -- Part Four: Jeremiah's Laments --Egypt and Ulster -- Armageddon -- The pain of peace -- Bonfires on the ice. |
| Subject |
Kipling, Rudyard, 1865-1936.
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Authors, English -- 19th century -- Biography.
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Authors, English -- 20th century -- Biography.
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Imperialism in literature.
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| ISBN |
0374187029 |
|
9780374187026 |
|
