The Hated Wife: Carrie Kipling 1862-1939

by Adam Nicolson

Carrie Kipling was one of the most despised women of her generation. Henry James called her "that hard, capable little person." Rudyard Kipling's parents saw her as no more than an American on the make. And yet, suspicious and vituperative as she was, Carrie was in many ways misunderstood. It was she who provided the backbone that her husband often preached but privately lacked. Drawing on a vast archive of diaries and letters, Adam Nicolson exposes the malignancy and detachment at the heart of the Kipling marriage. For the first time, Carrie is seen for the woman she was--not as a bully intent on controlling her genius husband, but as a lonely survivor in the face of serial family tragedy.

Genres: Biography

96 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2001

About the author

Adam Nicolson writes a celebrated column for The Sunday Telegraph. His books include Sissinghurst, God’s Secretaries, When God Spoke English, Wetland, Life in the Somerset Levels, Perch Hill, Restoration, and the acclaimed Gentry. He is winner of the Somerset Maugham Award and the British Topography Prize and lives on a farm in Sussex.

Reviews

[Jerry]

review text for 830

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book counted as professional development. My library's special collections are heavy on Kipling materials (he spent several years in southern Vermont). Last week I received a reference question about Carrie Kipling's diaries and realized that I knew almost nothing about the Kiplings, so I decided that I should brush up. I ran upstairs, scanned the shelves, and grabbed this book, which appeared to be a fairly quick and accessible overview of Carrie's life. I still know fairly little about Rudyard's work but learned more than I ever imagined I would about his wife, Caroline, and their family life. This is a slim volume that includes a short list of source materials at the end but no inline citations. Not the best choice for scholars, but OK for those looking to become casually acquainted with Carrie and the Kiplings' personal lives. Spoiler: SAD.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Small book about Kiplings wife. Okay read.