Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling has always been a controversial figure. He has gone in and out of fashion, and yet has never ceased to delight a vast readership with his brilliant verse and prose. His stories for children are some of the finest ever written, while Kim is the best novel about India written by an Englishman.
Learn about this enigmatic, complicated man and the variety of his literary work.
More literary discoveries await you
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Alexandre Dumas understood the pleasures of a good story: a daring escape, a secret identity, a friendship tested, a wrong that demands to be avenged. In The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, he created worlds full of danger, intrigue and unforgettable characters. Yet beneath the excitement lie questions about loyalty, justice and the consequences of revenge, giving readers much to ponder as well as enjoy.
His own life offers another fascinating story. The grandson of an enslaved woman and the son of a general, Dumas rose to become one of France’s most celebrated writers. He wrote for the theatre, travelled widely and brought an enormous appetite for life to his work. His interests extended to food and animals, and his account of his pets reveals an affectionate, entertaining side of the man behind the adventures.
I find Dumas an author who rewards readers who explore beyond his two best-known novels. His memoirs, travel writing and stories of his animal companions offer further encounters with his lively personality, while adaptations invite us to revisit familiar characters through fresh eyes. Whether you are returning to an old favourite or meeting him for the first time, I’ll show you his world.
Alexandre Dumas charms, fascinates, interests, entertains, teaches.” ― Victor Hugo, letter to Alexandre Dumas fils, 15 April 1872
I am a huge Kipling fan. A master of words, he was a superb poet, novelist, literary critic and storyteller. I have lectured on his utterly magical The Elephant’s Child, and its wondrous language never fails to delight me. Here are my own resources.
Live, then, and be happy, beloved children of my heart, and never forget that until the day when God shall deign to reveal the future to man, all human wisdom is summed up in these two words, ‘Wait and hope.’ Your friend, Edmond Dantès, Count of Monte Cristo.”
― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo
If you’d like to explore Rudyard Kipling further, here are some books I recommend, places to find his work, screen adaptations, videos and other useful resources.
Prefer to borrow? Search your local library’s online catalogue using the book title and author. If a title isn’t listed, ask your librarian whether it can be borrowed from another library through an interlibrary loan.
BOOKS BY RUDYARD KIPLING
Dumas was a prolific writer whose works include novels, plays, memoirs and travel accounts. Here are links to books that I can recommend. For a broader guide to his works, please look here.
To Buy
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
Kim by Rudyard Kipling
Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling
The Man Who Would be King, Selected Stories by Rudyard Kipling
The Collected Poems of Rudyard Kipling by Rudyard Kipling
Something of Myself and Other Autobiographical Writings by Rudyard Kipling
Download Free
Free downloadable version in various formats including Kindle, epub, pdf and others. Some free versions are better than others, please feel free to try these, but I cannot guarantee the quality. If you are unsure of how to add these files to your ereader, look here.
Project Gutenberg: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Librivox: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, narrated by David Clarke
Project Gutenberg: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
Librivox: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, narrated by various
Internet Archive: My Pets by Alexandre Dumas
MOVIES & VIDEOS
Some versions are better than others, please feel free to try these, but I cannot guarantee the quality.
Rent on YouTube – The Count of Monte Cristo 2002 Touchstone Pictures version
The Count of Monte Cristo 1934 Reliance Pictures version
The Count of Monte Cristo 1975 Norman Rosemont Productions version
YouTube playlist for The Count of Monte Cristo
Streaming guide from Just watch – The Count of Monte Cristo
AUDIO
The Count of Monte Cristo 1939 Lux Theatre Radio play
The Count of Monte Cristo 2008 Musical written by Frank Wildhorn with lyrics by Jack Murphy
LINKS
Links to selected websites I recommend.
Brown’s Hotel: The Kipling Suite
Poetry Foundation: Rudyard Kipling
I provide these links for convenience only and do not endorse or assume liability for the content or quality of these third-party sites. I only recommend books I have read and know. Some of these links are my affiliate links. If you buy a product using these links I may receive a small commission. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, but does help cover the cost of producing my free newsletter.
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