Picking Up Gold & Silver

by Rudyard Kipling

Twelve of Kipling's celebrated tales of India--including one ghost story--are compiled and introduced by the author of the "The Far Pavillions," who, like Kipling, was raised in India

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

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

[Will Byrnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of Kipling tales. He remains an engaging, entertaining read long after his time. There are ghost stories, tales of Mowgli, stories that depict elements of race relations on a very personal level. There is a lot going on in Kipling’s writing. I had not previously read much of Ruddy’s work, so it was nice to come to the material fresh. Jolly good, old boy, jolly good.


Rudyad Kipling - from Wikimedia

[Andy Mckinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this. First time I had read any of Kipling's fiction. Apart from one use of the 'n' word which was utterly cringeworthy I didn't find anything in it which I thought was overly racist. Such a great range of stories.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming collection of 12 Kipling classics--hence the title indicating "gold and silver in abundance, just waiting to be picked up"--selected by one of India's foremost story-tellers, M. M. Kaye. Do not miss the Introduction; it provides not only the context of each tale but also its emotional relevance. There are stories of animals, people, and events, primarily from Kipling's India days and adventures, but includes two with an English setting. My favourite story is entitled "The Bridge-Builders" which sees the great Indian gods of the past in the form of their animal or avatar counterparts appearing in the middle of a great storm on the River Ganges (e.g. the goddess Ganga as crocodile, Lord Shiva as a bull...) to a British bridge-building engineer under the influence of "clean Malwa opium".

[Terrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

For as long as I have known of Rudyard Kipling this is the first time I've read any of his writings. This one first because M. M. Kaye selected the stories and wrote the introduction. Having recently read her autobiography (3 vols.) and several of her novels, I had an understanding/knowledge of the places and people in India and as she referred so frequently to Kipling one felt "introduced" to a friend. Not sure how I would have enjoyed these short stories without the "introduction". Quite nice, varied and reflective of life.