The Jungle Books (Signet Classics)
by Rudyard Kipling
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Read in May, 2005
The Jungle Book was a Project Gutenberg e-text that I read in spare moments on my PDA - it's well suited to this type of reading, as each chapter is more or less stand alone.
I had forgotten that (contrary to Disney) only the first half of this book deals with Mowgli the Man-Cub and his adventures in the jungle. The remainder of the book is short stories and related poetry about wild (and not so wild) animals, mostly in India.
My personal favorite is Rikki-Tikki-Tavi - possibly because I...more
I had forgotten that (contrary to Disney) only the first half of this book deals with Mowgli the Man-Cub and his adventures in the jungle. The remainder of the book is short stories and related poetry about wild (and not so wild) animals, mostly in India.
My personal favorite is Rikki-Tikki-Tavi - possibly because I...more
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Have been reading this book to the girls - after putting them to bed tonight I picked it up again and finished it. It's an old, yellowish, and cracking edition - different from the Signet here - but the one I read growing up. It is a remarkable story, so much deeper and darker than the cotton candy Disney served up (or frankly that Edgar Rice Burroughs served up in its wake). Baloo and Kaa are serious characters and Mowgli's interactions with the Man-pack much grimmer (and more human) than th...more
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One of the very very few great things to result from the British conquest of India-- Kipling's Jungle Books. The language, the characters, the stories (and songs!) are all so wonderful, fun, sad, and more often than not a little dark. If you're a kid, you can enjoy the singing monkeys. If you're older, you can ponder the messages of alienation, oppression, freedom, and friendship. Also, come on: seals with national anthems? Jungle children raised by wolves? Secret elephant dances at night?...more
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Read in January, 2005
I ran out of stuff to read in Argentina and the English language selections were limited. I'm glad I picked this one up again though. It had been a long time since I'd read Kipling, and my favorite part of the book is still the opening poem:
Now Chill the Kite brings home the night
That Mang the bat sets free--
The herds are shut in byre and hut
For loosed till dawn are we.
This is the hour of pride and power,
Talon and tush and claw.
Oh, hear the call!--Good hunting all
That kee...more
Now Chill the Kite brings home the night
That Mang the bat sets free--
The herds are shut in byre and hut
For loosed till dawn are we.
This is the hour of pride and power,
Talon and tush and claw.
Oh, hear the call!--Good hunting all
That kee...more
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Read in April, 2008
My original plan was to read this with the kids, but that didn't last past the first two chapters (with editing). This is definitely for an older crowd (at least the over-8 set). However, it peaked my interest so much that I kept reading in my own time and really enjoyed it. How did I miss this one growing up? Kipling is a master story-teller and the writing is almost lyrical at times. The jungle world he creates is utterly original and completely fleshed-out. Definitely recommend.
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2 comments
I feel almost like a traitor to the Children's-Book-Lover Club when I say this, but I hated this book. I can't really tell you any specific reason for it, but I thought it was stupid and boring and a waste of paper and time. I suppose it had a great moral about humans learning to honor wildlife and nature, and for that I have great respect for what this work has done for the world. But for me, someone already on that bandwagon, the book sucked. To put it eloquently.
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Read in October, 2006
I'm not sure how many stars to give this book. There were about 7 different stories in the Jungle Book, which Disney took the first four for their movie. I can see why they did choose the ones they did. Simply, they were better. Maybe I thought this because I was in the play and was only familiar with the Disney movie, but I seemed to enjoy the firstcouple ones more, for they had the characters I had grown to love; Bagheera, Baloo, Mowgli, Colonel Hathi and Kaa.
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at the very base of the himalayas, there's the lush green of tropical rainforests: rhododendron blossoms, rivers, tigers, snakes; mowgli's rainforests, if you know the jungle books. but ten days of walking (there are no roads, of course) bring you to the high altitude desert of jomsom: windswept, desolate, utterly beautiful in a barren, bleak way. and still, the mountains tower thousands of feet above. these books imbued my childhood with wonder.
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Yeah, yeah, ignore the White Man's Burden stuff. Kipling is one of the best storytellers who ever lived, and neither the author's obnoxious politics nor a complete butchery of this wonderful wonderful story in its many terrible movie incarnations can take away the fact that the Mowgli stories of this and the Second Jungle Book are some of the greatest tales ever created. Read this, for real. It's a classic.
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Read in March, 2008
The first half of the book is the story most of us know (from Disney) about Mowgli, Baloo and gang while the latter half contains four or five short stories. It was nice to get the real story, but didn't find a whole lot to rave about. Some of the short stories were good, the last one took some pushing to get through. Glad it's under my belt, but don't plan on ever reading it again (even to the kids).
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I read this for my college history class. Yes this is the book about the meat packaging and all the nasty stuff that's in it, but it has a story about a guy named Jurgis and his family living during this time period. I really thought the story was captivating. Much more enjoyable than I thought it would be. I say it's a nice read. But you won't want to eat packaged meat anymore... maybe
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I especially enjoyed the story titled the White Seal. I found the story to be slightly confusing on first read because it is very clearly metaphorical, but I could not identify the metaphor. Finally, I read elsewhere that the story was about imperialism. Understanding that, I found it to be the best of the Jungle Book stories. Even without the understanding, it was exciting to read,
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Read in September, 2007
I enjoyed most of the stories I've read so far though I do believe our notions of what qualify as "children's stories" have change a bit since Kipling's days. Some of these stories are brutal! The Mogli stories are worth reading just to compare the content to what you've seen in the movie. But my favorites of the bunch were "Rikki Tikki Tavi" and "The White Seal."
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My mother read this to me and my two brothers when we were very small children for what seems like a year. The boys would fall asleep, and I would beg her to keep reading. I had her to myself for the minutes I could convince her to keep going, and I would get lost in Mowgli and his adventures. It is one of my fondest childhood memories.
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recommends it for:
adventure and the anthropology inclined
Books 1 & 2 are very serious, sometimes disturbing, great stories. The main story is continually interrupted with various "songs" and off topic short stories (such as Rikki-Tikki-Tavvi). I appreiciate the first book for its fast pace but the second has an amazing adventure plot. Mowgli is a very intimidating god.
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Read in January, 1994
I read this the first time I took children's lit. The assignment was to read a classic that Disney took on and write a comparison paper. I expected to hate this book, but I was entranced. In case you care, the biggest travesty on Disney's part was what they did to the wise teacher Baloo.
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A collection of stories that includes the adventures of Mowgli, a boy adopted by wolves who comes to be king of the jungle. Other favorites include Rikki-Tikki-Tavi and the White Seal. Kipling works magic in personifying the animals and illustrating time and again "the law of the jungle".
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in January, 2005
Not the candy coated Disney movie version. The original story of Mowgli is an action/adventure packed coming of age story. The other stories are just as vivid and entertaining. If you ever wondered how people got by without TV you'll understand after Kipling.
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Read in January, 2008
I read this book when I was in high school for and English class. I got more out of it by picking it up again as an adult. The stories are so rich and involved. When you're reading Kipling you hear the song of the jungle - and you want to be there.
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Read in March, 2007
This was a great pick by my professor. I read it for an American History class when we studied the early 1900's. The Jungle is about a family of immigrants who are trying to survive in the United States during a difficult time in American history.
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book data (includes all editions)
avg rating (all editions): 3.95 (1363 ratings) avg rating (this edition): 4.00 (787 ratings) number of reviews: 88popular shelves
other editions
quote
"A Ripple Song
Once a ripple came to land
In the sunset burning-
Lapped against a maiden's hand,
By the ford returning.
Dainty foot and gentle breast-
Here, across, be glad and rest.
"Maiden, wait," the ripple saith
"Wait awhile, for I am Death!"
'Where my lover calls I go-
Shame it were to treat him coldly-
'Twas a fish that circled so,
Turning over boldly.'
Dainty foot and tender heart,
Wait the loaded ferry-cart.
"Wait, ah, wait!" the ripple saith;
"Maiden, wait, for I am Death!"
'When my lover calls I haste-
Dame Disdain was never wedded!'
Ripple-ripple round her waist,
Clear the current eddied.
Foolish heart and faithful hand,
Little feet that touched no land.
Far away the ripple sped,
Ripple-ripple-running red!
"
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