The Cause of Humanity and Other Stories: Rudyard Kipling's Uncollected Prose Fictions

Description

Rudyard Kipling's (1865-1936) work is known and loved the world over by children and adults alike; it has been translated into many languages, and onto the cinema screen. This volume brings together for the first time some 86 uncollected short fictions. Almost all of them will be unfamiliar to readers; some are unrecorded in any bibliography; some are here published for the first time. Most of them come from Kipling's Indian years and show him experimenting with a great variety of forms and tones. We see the young Kipling enjoying the exercise of his craft; yet the voice that emerges throughout is always unmistakably his own, changing the scene every time the curtain is raised.

Thomas Pinney is professor of English, emeritus, at Pomona College, Claremont, California. He has edited Kipling's Something of Myself and Other Autobiographical Writings (Cambridge, 2013) and the Cambridge Edition of the Poems of Rudyard Kipling (Cambridge, 2013) as well as The Letters of Thomas Babington Macaulay (Cambridge, 2008). His History of Wine in America, 2 volumes, appeared in 1989 and 2005.

'... brings together for the first time ... a single volume [of] some 86 uncollected short fictions by Kipling. Almost all of them will be unfamiliar to readers; some are unrecorded in any bibliography; some are here published for the first time. ... The Cause of Humanity and Other Stories: Rudyard Kipling's Uncollected Prose Fictions is especially recommended to the attention of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the career and literature of Rudyard Kipling.' Library Bookwatch 'The pieces printed here represent work in progress in the making of a great writer, and in at least one of them, genius finds its perfect vehicle.' Christopher Howse, Daily Telegraph '... a rare insight into the young Kipling.' The Observer 'This fascinating collection lays bare the early development of Kipling's art, before giving us a single, powerful glimpse of where it would take him.' Andrew Glazzard, New Statesman 'Only now, thanks to Thomas C. Pinney (a mighty Kiplingologist, editor of his complete correspondence), do we have a definitive list (of Kipling's short fiction), and a whole new book of these early pieces, many of which have never been reprinted before.' Sir Noel Malcolm, The Sunday Telegraph 'For students of Kipling's writing, this will open a window into the work of a young, but very talented, writer as he rehearses and practices his craft, finding his way as he develops a style that will become distinctly his own.' Rosi Hollinbeck, San Francisco Book Review 'A treasure trove for Kipling's fans and for anyone interested in fiction set in India during the British Raj ...' Desi News 'Pinney's editorial skill and scholarship are everywhere evident in these pages.' Jan Montefiore, The Times Literary Supplement '... this whole volume is a helpful addition to the library of anyone with a serious interest in this prolific and extraordinary writer.' John Batchelor, Modern Language Review