O Beloved Kids: Rudyard Kipling's Letters to His Children

by Rudyard Kipling, Elliot L. Gilbert (Editor)

Displaying the same verve and wit as the Just So Stories, this charming collection brings together the series of letters Rudyard Kipling wrote to his children—his "dear people" as he called them—from 1906 to 1915. The correspondence with each child is eloquently presented—for Josephine, his daughter, who died at the age of six, the grief of whose loss almost stopped him from continuing with the stories; for his son John, who would become a young officer and be lost in the trenches of World War I, his father never forgiving himself afterwards for having pushed him into the service; and for his second daughter, Elsie, who would marry but had no children of her own. The letters are peppered with many impromptu pen and ink sketches, stories, and poems, as well as brilliantly graphic descriptions of travel in Europe, Egypt, and Canada. 

Genres: Nonfiction

240 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1984

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

[Erwin Maack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Não vou aborrecê-la com conselhos; sei que vai se comportar. Mas quero que se interesse pelas suas companheiras e pelo seu ambiente. Até o momento você não tem tido muitas colegas, e ajustou o seu ambiente a si própria. Agora, minha querida, você vai ficar sozinha no mundo durante muito tempo e (aqui está todo o segredo da vida) o mundo a tratará da maneira como você o tratar. Os seus estimados pais não a tratam como você os trata, mas o mundo, que está essencialmente preocupado com o que lhe interessa, se comporta de maneira diferente. Se você sorri para o mundo, ele lhe devolve um grande sorriso. Se você fecha a cara, ele franze as sobrancelhas. Você estará de posse desse conhecimento antes que a semana termine. Só o estou mencionando para que possa reconhecê-lo quando ele se aproximar. Selah! (página 187)

[Pahel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Interesting. Was given this book, as we are heading to Myanmar/Burma in Nov/Dec. It is great fun to see a father (of the time) have so much fun with his kids. He was a bit of a joker, which - to be honest - I had no clue. I am not usually one for books of this type, but I did enjoy it...and it gave a great insight into him, his kids and travelling.