Rudyard Kipling's classic tale of an orphaned boy, a lama on a powerful quest, and two imperialist nations butting heads over one magical countrySet in the former Lahore, India, against the backdrop of an imperialist war between Russia and Great Britain, Kim is the coming-of-age story of Kimball O'Hara, a low-caste orphan boy roaming the streets with a "magic" talisman around his neck. The pendant contains three magic parchments sewn into a leather amulet case-papers that could whisk him away from the world he knows and ...
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Rudyard Kipling's classic tale of an orphaned boy, a lama on a powerful quest, and two imperialist nations butting heads over one magical countrySet in the former Lahore, India, against the backdrop of an imperialist war between Russia and Great Britain, Kim is the coming-of-age story of Kimball O'Hara, a low-caste orphan boy roaming the streets with a "magic" talisman around his neck. The pendant contains three magic parchments sewn into a leather amulet case-papers that could whisk him away from the world he knows and trusts. One afternoon, Kim takes pity on an elderly lama who declares he is searching for wisdom and enlightenment at the River of the Arrow, and becomes the old man's guide, savior, and friend. Together, the odd pair travels the Grand Trunk Road, dodging cutpurses and road agents until the "Little Friend of all the World" becomes a little disciple to the wise old lama. But when Kim's father's old regimental chaplain runs into the lama and his young chela on their travels, a big change threatens to disrupt the friends' plans to find enlightenment and happiness on their shared quest. Widely considered to be Rudyard Kipling's masterpiece, Kim combines sweeping adventure with a brilliant coming-of-age story. Part children's tale, part spy thriller, part examination of the twilight of the Victorian empire, Kim is a classic page-turner.
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Add this copy of Kim to cart. $15.43, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2017 by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform.
Add this copy of Kim to cart. $31.33, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2017 by CreateSpace Independent Publis.
I reread this book after a 40 to 50 year gap. I did so because I had had reason to speak with someone about Kim's Game.
Having reread I went though it again to fix some of the episodes in my mind.
Kipling himself says it has no plot. But the threads of the Great Game and a buddist lama's search for the River of the Arrow run... through it. John Le Carre almost matches it in the thriller aspect
It includes some remarkable characters, a Sunni Horse dealer, a 'fearful" babu who aspires to Fellowship of The Royal Society, a british Colonel, Kim's father ( not stated but in real life the keeper of the Wonder House in Lahore0and of course Kim himself who we first encounter in Lahore as white but the poorest of the poor.
Set in NW India in I suppose about 1900 shortly after the Battle of Tirah( q.v.)
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coldwater
May 13, 2010
Kim, by Rudyard Kipling
This is written so well, it confronts us with a new world - and it is nearly one hundred year old already! I decided to read more Rudyard Kipling!
Alexa Fleckenstein M.D., physician, author.
KathrynJane
May 7, 2010
"Kim" is a gem!
In "Kim", Mr. Kipling has created a timeless imp of a character who steals your heart while both he and the reader gain wisdom of the world. The vivid portrait of India and it's people could only have been captured and rendered for the ages by the matchless Mr. Kipling. Each page of this volume is a delight, packed with wit, suspense, wisdom ... and the opulence and poverty of India. It's a "life book" - you'll carry it's wit and wisdom with you and always know your life is enriched for having read it.
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