Rudyard Kipling. Something of myself

With an Introduction by Janet Montefiore, Department of English & American Literature, University of Kent

Something of Myself, Rudyard Kipling's memoir of his writing life, was composed in the year before he died and published posthumously. Its spare, polished phrases and masterly anecdotes offer a unique insight into the mind of this divided man who upheld the Victorian imperialist values of duty, patriotism and obedience, and yet sympathized with outlaws and children. Kipling describes with unforgettable vividness his bitter childhood years in the 'House of Desolation', his apprenticeship to the craft of writing through the hard grind of journalism in British India, his beloved parents and his pride in his own work.

This memoir is indispensable reading not only for Kipling admirers, but for anyone who cares about the art and craft of writing.