Born on 30th December 1865, Rudyard Joseph Kipling was an English journalist, short-story writer, poet, and novelist. Born in Bombay, India has always inspired much of his work.
At the time of his birth, his parents, John and Alice, were recent arrivals in India as part of the British Empire. The family lived well, and Kipling was especially close to his mother.
On Rudyard Kipling’s birth anniversary, let us catch a glimpse over some of the interesting facts about him –
- For Kipling, India was a wondrous place.
- At the age of six, Kipling’s life was torn apart when his mother, wanting her son to receive a formal British education, sent him to South sea, England, where he attended school and lived with a foster family named the Holloways.
- These were hard years for Kipling. Mrs. Holloway was a brutal woman who quickly grew to despise her foster son. She beat and bullied the youngster, who also struggled to fit in at school.
- Rudyard Kipling’s first collection of verse was published in 1886 titled Departmental Ditties.
- In 1907, Rudyard Kipling was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, making him the first English-language writer to receive the prize, and its youngest recipient to date.
- While working at the newspaper the Civil and Military GazetteRudyard was asked to start writing short stories.
- Between 1886 and 1887, 39 of Rudyard Kipling’s stories appeared in the newspaper where he worked.
Rudyard Kipling work has been known for generations. He was one of the best-known poets and story-tellers.
He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. In India Rudyard Kipling is a figure who is loved by all age groups and so are his books. On his birth anniversary, we bring you a few books by Rudyard Kipling that you must add to your bookshelves.
1. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
This Rudyard Kipling book is one of the timeless classics that are very much well known just like The Jungle Book. The book shows the loyalty of an animal towards his family. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is a story of a Mongoose named Rikki who is loyal towards his family and is trying to shield a family that is attacked by two giant venomous Cobras. This is one of the most amazing books to read, especially for the kids.
2. Kim
Kim is one work by Rudyard Kipling that is admired by many. Kim tells the story of a 12-year-old orphan wandering on the streets of the Lahore city and who is set with the purpose of becoming something unique. Born to a British man and an Indian woman, Kim is a must-read to understand the perspective of a white man about India. The book also helps to enjoy children literature.
3. Captain Courageous
Captain Courageous is another favourite Rudyard Kipling books to read. It tells the story of how a spoiled child of a railroad magnate is thrown off a steamboat that is sailing towards Europe. The father of the child finds his son to be spoiled and does not want a brat onboard. The rejection changes the boy’s life and turns him from being a brat to someone who is ready to fight battles of life. It’s a moving story and must-read for teenagers, who are filled with angst.
4. Just So Stories
The book Just so stories covers tales of animals and how they got their unique physical features. One such tale is How the Camel got his Hump. These books by Rudyard Kipling are extremely funny and have got some lessons for children too.
5. Under the Deodars
Rudyard Kipling’s Under the Deodars gives us an insight into the mind of a white man, about his perceptions of India. It brilliantly portraits the Anglo-Indians and their impact upon the non-metropolitan region of Shimla. It showcases the life of an Englishmen and the Subcontinental women and features the things that went wrong.
