The Eyes of Asia

by Rudyard Kipling

Kipling's The Eyes of Asia takes the reader on a remarkable journey of discovery into the heart and soul of four soldiers of the Indian Army who fought for King and the British Empire in the First World War.

Their touching stories are narrated through a series of imagined letters written in the blood-drenched battlefields of war-torn France and makeshift hospitals on England's coastline to their loved ones back home in the relative peace of their villages in India and the North-West Frontier. Kipling brings the experiences of these uneducated Sikh, Hindu and Muslim military men to life, weaving the horrors of a foreign war like no other with acts of kindness arising from cultural encounters with French farmers and British military personnel.

Through unofficial access to translations of scores of intercepted Indian Army letters, Kipling gained an intimate understanding of the plight and humanity of men neglected in Western literature after the War. To Kipling, they were unsung heroes whose sacrifices had made a decisive impact on the British war effort.

Genres: Classics

128 pages, Paperback

First published August 6, 2008

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

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

a quick read, basically four correspondence letters. The letters explain english culture through the lens of Asian eyes. the gist of the book is praising England while ridiculing India. Through out the reading I couldn't help but think of Blackface. Kipling seemed to be imposing his western views on Asian culture through an Asian character.

[Chris Purser · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read but very good.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of four stories set during WWI and seen through the eyes of Indian soldiers serving in Europe as they write letters home to their loved ones in India. This is the final book of Kipling's fiction from India. It gives the reader a sense of the times.

[Davide Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Il libro, composto da un centinaio di pagine, è diviso in quattro lettere che ufficiali indiani mandano alle famiglie raccontando la loro esperienza nelle trincee e nelle retrovie della prima guerra mondiale. Le lettere sono ovviamente frutto della fantasia dell'autore, che compie la delicata operazione di calarsi nei panni e soprattutto nella mentalità di persone di diversa estrazione e diversa fede religiosa (indù e musulmana), e descrivere il mondo occidentale (sostanzialmente la società inglese e francese) visto attraverso i loro occhi asiatici (da qui il titolo) per lo più attoniti e colmi di meraviglia. Per quanto Kipling sia nato in India e lì abbia vissuto per molti anni, nutro più di un sospetto sulla reale possibilità che sia riuscito a penetrare il mondo indiano e a metabolizzare il loro modo di vedere le cose, soprattutto considerando l'atteggiamento diffuso tra i sahib inglesi nei confronti di una popolazione considerata poco più che feccia. Altro elemento che mette in forte dubbio la bontà dell'operazione è l'opinione invariabilmente entusiastica che tutti i personaggi hanno degli usi e costumi occidentali, la grande considerazione che nutrono nei confronti di tutta la popolazione e l'atteggiamento sostanzialmente omogeneo che emerge dalle quattro lettere. In effetti, il libello serve a conoscere semmai i costumi delle popolazioni indiane, in quanto confrontati dagli scriventi con quelli a noi ben noti. In conclusione, l'elemento più godibile è lo stupore manifestato da queste persone nei confronti di un mondo a loro totalmente ignoto.

Giudizio: 63/100

[Shayaan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The version I read had an introduction from Charles Allen which was sort of a biography of Rudyard Kipling himself and that introduction I found much more interesting than the letters themselves.

I happen to be indian myself (well Pakistani by nationalty but that is of little importance here) and hence this was more of an outsider perspective over the culture that I am somewhat familiar with. I know I am not the audience Kipling wrote for (he did to convince the Americans to fight for the British) and I soon lost interest in the letters themselves having read just about 2 out of 4 of them.

The part that kept me going was the perspective that the indian men who'd found themselves in the care of the british had of the men and women. The british really were 'good' and I'd agree for the most part that India had and not so Pakistan but India has learnt from the Great White Man. And the seeds of this education had been sown ever since the british set foot on the great indian subcontinent.

It was as if I was walking through a muesum reading these letters, but at times the propaganda or the over explanation of indian terms had me a bit bored that's all.

A must read for anyone who knows English, enjoys the older british version of it and has a keen interest in India. Certainly no regret in reading and buying, just that I did get bored walking through the museum for the artifacts got a little repititve and familiar.

[J Singh · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first works that I have read of Kipling. This is a short collection of 4 letters written by the author through the eyes of Indian soldiers during WW1. The letters explain the western culture. It seems as if though the notion of the book is that of praising the west (France) while speaking less of India. The author has done a good job of imposing his western understanding on the Indian culture using Indian characters which by any means seems far from the truth.



The pain, sorrow and longing expressed in the letters gives the reader a feel of the Indian soldiers agony and dismay, being away from their homeland, family and friends’ fighting for the British. Writing style seemed ok at best.

The best thing about this book for me was the front cover artwork. A very artistic and powerful front cover depicting a Sikh solider’s face and vibrant Dastaar (Sikh Turban) with an uncut beard.

[James Varney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps only for big Kipling fans. It's not that this brief book is without fascination. Though Kipling and the British Army weren't hiding the fact there was a propaganda value to "The Eyes of Asia," Kipling did base it on actual letters he had been given. In other words, he's not just making it up. And from a historical angle, in terms of what those Indian subjects of the British Empire thought of their World War I experience "The Eyes of Asia" has genuine value and interest. But the book is a far cry from Kipling's great novels like "Captains Courageous" and "Kim" or "The Nahaluka."

It's a quick, easy read, for those looking for that.

[Saurabh Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second collection of Kipling’s that I’ve read (the first being The Gate of The Hundred Sorrows published by Penguin in the Little Black Classics format.) I enjoyed reading that and have enjoyed reading this one as well. There’s no doubt that Kipling sahib has some serious talent with regards to short prose. Also, I’m beginning to comprehend why some folks believe him to be sympathetic of the British Raj and its purported misdeeds. More on that as I read more of his work and about him.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little gem is based on letters from Indian soldiers written home. Some may see the book as denigrating India but, given that Kipling lived in India and loved it, I think he was trying to put across the relationships of respect between the countries

[Raman]

A nice little book of letters of Indian soldiers fighting for the British Crown at distant lands during WW I . Rudyard Kipling documented it as piece of history in his last book.

[alayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

a family is a family even [if it be] scattered to the ends of the earth

[Allan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A re-read of this for me. Anniversary edition.

[Alicia Marinache · Rating 4 out of 5]

A view of Europe (especially France) at the beginning of last century, through the eyes of people from vastly different cultures.

[Aryaman Singh Jadaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that book can't carry the same emotion movie do but now I think, what an absolute i have been God bless these men. I refrained from a perfect score because it could have been
Longer

[Val · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four stories as told by soldiers from Indian regiments in the First World War, involving letters home.

[Matteo Bordoni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not keen on short stories and, despite its indisputable content, I’ve found this book quite boring.

[Elizabeth Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting understanding of different views

It is but a same letter, read aloud, in which each person's personal values and views define what they actually "get" or believe is relayed through the letter. I didn't think I'd really finish it when I first started reading it but alas, I was intrigued and read every word of it...gives you something to think about in trying to achieve a better understanding of the human psych.
I would recommend this book

[Allan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short stories written in the form of letters home from four soldiers serving during the first world war. Kipling, through his knowledge of Indian culture, contrasts the experience of “normal” Indians with the alien environment of a foreign war.

[Sanntint · Rating 3 out of 5]

THIS IS A BOOK OR PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE AND THERE I FOUND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SOLIDER AND HIS FAMILY WITH THE BACKGROUND OF FRONTIER IN EUROPE !A GOOD READING AS AN ENGLISH PROSE !

[Samiha · Rating 2 out of 5]

The sheer amount of propaganda in this, phoo.

[Ruby Rogers-Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was super interesting to read, can wait to study it

[Lubreads · Rating 1 out of 5]

hmm