Kipling is perhaps one of the British Empire’s most iconic
authors…a veritable pillar of 19th century Western imperialism. Born in India and raised within the bosom of
Empire, it is stunning that he penned his most famous work in the United
States…
Truly written as a children’s story (more properly, a
collection of stories), The Jungle Book
by Rudyard Kipling was written while Kipling was residing in Vermont. A popular and successful author by the time
this book was published in 1894, Kipling wrote The Jungle Book for his daughter. Illustrated in part by Kipling’s
father, the stories were originally published separately in magazines, but were
all brought together for the book. The
influence of this work is impressive. It
has inspired both the Cub Scouts and the Boy Scouts (not to mention Baden
Powell himself), part of the story was used for a classic Disney cartoon film,
and Chuck Jones made Rikki Tikki Tavi into a short animated feature. Who could ask for more? Did I mention that the book is a very quick
and good read? Enjoy!
Get the first American edition here: