Rudyard Kipling

by Andrew Lycett

Paragon of English virtues or racist imperialist? Andrew Lycett (acclaimed biographer of Ian Fleming) has returned to primary sources to tell the intricate story of a misunderstood genius who became Britain's most famous and highest earning author. Among the many new sources, Lycett has discovered previously unpublished letters that illuminate Kipling's crucial years in India, his first girlfriend (the model for Mrs Hauksbee of Plain Tales from the Hills), his parents' decision to send him back to England to boarding school; and in his adult life his use of opium, his frustrating times in London and the brief peace he found in America before the devastating loss of both his young daughter and, in the First World War, his son. Lycett also uncovers the extraordinary story of Kipling's great love for Flo Garrard, daughter of the crown jeweller, and unravels the complicated yet enthralling saga of the American family the Balestiers, and of Carrie Balestier who became Kipling's wife. This biography is full of new material on Kipling's financial dealings with Lord Beaverbrook, his friendships with T.E. Lawrence, the painter Edward Burne-Jones and the Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin (who was his cousin).

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Literature

914 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 9, 1999

About the author

(born 1950)

Reviews

[Salli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a long hard slog of a read for research for a project. I still have some pages to go and to be honest not a lot useful to say. The start was hard but useful for ideas and philosophy. Somewhere about half way through it merely became readable. A man in three dimensions certainly, a product of his time. I am really not quite sure why he was so famous and so quoted. A lot of fairly poor verse. I have not read his short stories, so think I must read a few. A lot of time spent by Lycett assuming his stories reflected the man and his personality. I admire Lycett's stamina for research but will be glad to finish and give this back to the library. It has taken up a lot of hours and I am not sure to profit.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that beautifully uses microhistory to talk about larger historical trends. I was mostly unfamiliar with Kipling (other than his most famous poems), and so it was fascinating to realize how much he defied his own stereotypes.

[Sigrid Fry-Revere · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this biography. It was well written but not exceptional.

[Hollie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 -- could have been much shorter but is a very detailed look at his life.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Run of the mill biography of a high empire writer. Either the biography was sub-par or Mr. Kipling is not worthy of a biography.

Recommendation: for Kipling fanboys

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

[Norma Bush · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't finish. Too many tangents which really weren't about Kipling.