I read this book

in memory of my Dad and my Grandad who had a profound love for Rudyard Kipling's remarkable way with words. Their passion for his works always inspired me.

I deliberately chose this particular edition which is narrated by Sam Dastor. The reason is that I am truly captivated by the way he employs his voice to vividly bring the story to life.

There is an abundance of things to cherish within this book. The exploration of the rich and diverse culture of India is truly fascinating. It provides a window into a world that is full of colors, traditions, and unique experiences.

The characters in the story are equally engaging. Among them, the free-spirited Kim stands out. His adventures and his deep and abiding friendship with the Lama add a layer of depth and warmth to the narrative.

Together, these elements make this book a truly unforgettable read.

Andrò controcorrente ma, per quanto mi riguarda, è un romanzo altamente sopravvalutato.

Sarà che non riesco mai a sentirmi a mio agio con l'India, sarà che la storia di un accattone non stimola il mio interesse, ma Kim ha rasentato l'illegibilità.

Se persino la breve nota introduttiva lo definisce un "romanzo senza trama" allora ringrazio di averla letta al termine di questo estenuante e incongruo viaggio.

Molto da dire non c'è, le prime cento pagine sono praticamente illeggibili, infarcite di termini indiani e discorsi senza senso. Poi verso il finale sembra un po' migliorare e destare un briciolo di interesse per la storia, ma ormai si è capito benissimo che, arrivati alla fine, non se ne ricaverà nulla, o quasi.

Mi chiedo come si possa definire questa una lettura per ragazzi.

Lo avessi letto durante l'infanzia mi avrebbe fatto fuggire terrorizzata da ogni altro tipo di lettura. It seems that this novel fails to live up to its reputation. The lack of a clear plot and the overabundance of Indian terms and senseless dialogues make it a difficult read. Although there is a slight improvement towards the end, it still doesn't offer much in terms of a satisfying conclusion. I really wonder how it can be considered suitable for children. If I had read it as a child, it would have scared me away from reading altogether.

I didn't finish it.

For now, it's just 1 star. Maybe I will turn back to it someday in the future.

I made an attempt to read another boring chapter, but then I quit permanently.

The story seemed to lack excitement and failed to capture my interest.

Each page felt like a chore to get through, and I found myself constantly looking for an excuse to put the book down.

Although I had hoped that it would improve as I progressed, that was not the case.

The characters were not well-developed, and the plot was predictable.

Perhaps if the author had added more depth and complexity, I might have been more engaged.

However, as it stands, I have no desire to continue reading this book.

It's a shame, really, but sometimes you just have to know when to give up.

Maybe another book will come along and sweep me off my feet.

It has been a considerable time since I graduated from law school, an even longer time since college, and what feels like an eternity (give or take a year) since high school. This implies that it has been a long while since I was compelled to read a specific book.

I have always had a passion for reading. However, I have always loathed assigned reading. I have despised books that I might otherwise have enjoyed simply because I was told to read them within a deadline and expected to have a particular intellectual response.

So, ever since I received my last diploma, I have been reading whatever catches my fancy. If you were to look at my bookshelf, it would be evident. Here is a book on the Civil War. Over there, a growing collection on World War I. My collection on the Plains Indian Wars takes up nearly an entire miniature bookcase from Ikea.

There is nothing amiss with reading what you desire. Especially as you age, you have less time; if you are going to dedicate it to reading, you should relish the book. At the same time, I have always believed in reading as a form of exercise, and certain books present a worthwhile challenge. Just as if you go to the gym every day and perform the same routine at the same intensity level, you will eventually cease to see results. The same principle applies to reading.

This is where my book club enters the picture. A group of my male friends, inspired by our wives, decided to form our own literary society, dedicated to drinking beer, eating appetizers, and discussing the written word. Besides the beer and mini tacos, a side benefit is that I have had to read books that I would not have otherwise chosen, thereby using my brain for something other than ruminating on the Battle of Gettysburg.

This is how I came to read Rudyard Kipling's Kim.

Kim is one of those books that, based almost solely on the title, I would never have read without a bit of a nudge. It is recognized as a classic, but sometimes gets omitted from the list of all-time greats.

The eponymous Kim is Kimball O’Hara, an orphaned Irish boy living in India in the late 1800s. He is a beggar who has become so accustomed to life in Lahore that he is seldom mistaken for a white boy. He is a puckish, plucky protagonist, with a mischievous sense of adventure that makes him seem like the hero of a Boy’s Own tale. Within the novel’s first few pages, he encounters a Tibetan Lama (not a llama, which would have been a wonderful twist) who is seeking the River of the Arrow to free himself from the Wheel of Things.

This absurd notion appeals to Kim, who immediately offers his services as the Lama’s chela, a follower or disciple. Thus commences their adventure – an episodic road-trip, in which colorful characters are met and then left behind. Since this is a plot-light novel, revealing much more would likely give away too much. Suffice it to say, Kim and the Lama become embroiled in “the Great Game,” the typically British, typically understated title given to the competition between Britain and Tsarist Russia for control of Central Asia.

(Kim came to the attention of my book club due to our discussion of colonialism. In the novel, however, that subject exists only in the background. Kipling never makes any critique, positive or otherwise, about Great Britain’s rule of India. The power structure is simply accepted for what it is, without any mention. This, I suppose, may be a statement in and of itself).

Frankly, I was underwhelmed by Kim. It was just okay. Part of this reaction has to do with Kim’s reputation as a classic and all that it implies. A book that is on Modern Library’s Top 100 should do more to seize you by the lapel and assert its own worth. The reality, though, is that Kim is not world-changing. It is not an overly challenging read. It lacks the ambition or scope of Melville or Tolstoy, or the psychological exploration of Dostoyevsky, or even the seat-of-your-pants story-telling of Dickens. It really amounts to a YA novel, where a spirited boy finds a mentor (the Lama), embarks on a journey (to the mythical, sacred river), and generally outwits all the adults he encounters.

Still, I generally found Kim a pleasant enough read.

Kipling lived in India, and it is evident in his wonderful descriptions of the hustle and bustle, the sights and smells, the colors, the jumble of peoples and cultures and practices. He clearly has an intimacy with the place, the roads his characters traverse. And he has a fondness as well, which comes through his protagonist.

The lama never raised his eyes. He did not note the money-lender on his goose-rumped pony, hastening along to collect the cruel interest; or the long-shouting, deep-voiced little mob – still in military formation – of native soldiers on leave, rejoicing to be rid of their breeches and puttees, and saying the most outrageous things to the most respectable women in sight. Even the seller of Ganges-water he did not see, and Kim expected that he would at least buy a bottle of that precious stuff. He looked steadily at the ground, and strode as steadily hour after hour, his soul busied elsewhere. But Kim was in the seventh heaven of joy. The Grand Trunk at this point was built on an embankment to guard against winter floods from the foothills, so that one walked, as it were a little above the country, along a stately corridor, seeing all India spread out left and right. It was beautiful to behold the many-yoked grain and cotton wagons crawling over the country roads: one could hear their axles, complaining a mile away, coming nearer, till with shouts and yells and bad words they climbed up the steep incline…It was equally beautiful to watch the people, little clumps of red and blue and pink and white and saffron, turning aside to go to their own villages, dispersing and growing small by twos and threes across the level plain. Kim felt these things, though he could not give voice to his feelings, and so contented himself with buying peeled sugarcane and spitting the pith generously about his path.

Another pleasure, related to the first, is Kipling’s exploration of the many different religions coexisting in India. The novel is driven by faith and spirituality, and Kipling shows a genuine interest in these, as well as a certain open-mindedness to all beliefs, as expressed in this speech from Mahbub Ali, a Pashtun horse trader and erstwhile British spy:

“Thou art beyond question an unbeliever, and therefore thou wilt be damned. So says my Law – or I think it does. But thou art also my Little Friend of all the World, and I love thee. So says my heart. This matter of creeds is like horseflesh. The wise man knows horses are good – that there is profit to be made from all; and for myself – but that I am a good Sunni and hate the men of Tirah – I could believe the same of all the Faiths. Now manifestly a Kattiawar mare taken from the sands of her birthplace and removed to the west of Bengal founders – nor is even a Balkh stallion… of any account in the great Northern deserts beside the snow-camels I have seen. Therefore I say in my heart the Faiths are like horses. Each has merit in its own country.

It is fair to say that my main reaction is to have no strong reaction at all. As I noted earlier, Kim is not difficult to read, with the exception of the dialogue. The dialogue is bloated with colloquialisms and local idioms, filled with obscure allusions and references (that can only be deciphered by the endnotes), and peppered with enough “thees” and “thous” to sink the Mayflower. The one difficulty in Kim is understanding what people are saying in this highly stylized manner of speaking. Unfortunately, most of the exposition occurs in dialogue, so comprehension is crucial.

The real letdown of Kim is its ending. The road-trip of Kim and the Lama builds to a climax and then fizzles out like a cheap sparkler. The ending is abrupt and disappointing, which would have meant more to me had I been more invested in the story from the outset.

While it is one of the most beautiful tales of friendship I have ever read, Kim is much more than that. Rudyard Kipling crafted in Kim a novel in the mold of the classic heroic journey, with a lineage stretching back to Gilgamesh and the Odyssey.

At the center of the story is Kim, a young white boy, sahib, and his friend and mentor, the Lama. Through their eyes, we witness the world of India in the nineteenth century, under the rule of Great Britain. The story unfolds against the backdrop of The Great Game, the political conflict between Russia and Britain in Central Asia. Set after the Second Afghan War (which ended in 1881) but before the Third, the novel is remarkable for its detailed portrayal of the people, culture, and diverse religions of India.

Although Kim is often classified as a children's novel, it has a great deal to offer adult readers, similar to other "children's" books like Huckleberry Finn. Kipling poses questions about identity (Who is Kim?), culture, spirituality, and the nature of fate. Most importantly, he depicts the growth of a young man as he embarks on a quest to discover his destiny and the bond that develops between Kim as 'chela' or disciple and his Lama. The greatness of this novel lies in Kipling's ability to blend all of these themes with a natural style that conveys the richness of both the lives of Kim and his friends and the abundance of life in India. It presents a vivid picture of India, its teeming populations, religions, superstitions, and the life of the bazaars and the road. One of the most lasting images for me is the close connection Kim has with the land itself, which is demonstrated several times throughout the novel and reaches its climax in his final renewal when he is stretched out on the earth near the end of the novel. As this novel unfolds a positive and uplifting narrative, the epic quest is successful.

Slowly rereading/listening for an upcoming SFFaudio podcast episode.

This is preparatory for when we discuss Heinlein's Citizen of the Galaxy in the future.

Even better the third time around — this time I enjoyed the whole thing, even the Russian encounter and subsequent events.

========

Listening to Madhav Sarma's reading which is delightful, for my second time through.

========

I have tried this multiple times and never gotten past the first few chapters. A friend brought Kim up as necessary to fully appreciating Heinlein's Citizen of the Galaxy, which I love.

So I bit the bullet and plowed through those chapters and straight into India and the Great Game. I admit I really enjoyed the first 3/4 of the book and then lost interest toward the end. I think that's my problem, not the book's.

I can see why this is a classic and I think I'll try it again sometime as an audio book. I kept wanting someone to read it to me.

I find that with each rereading or relistening, I discover new details and perspectives in the story. The characters come to life even more vividly, and the plot unfolds in a more engaging way.

The Russian encounter adds an element of mystery and excitement, and the subsequent events keep me on the edge of my seat.

Madhav Sarma's reading is truly a pleasure to listen to. His voice brings the story to life and makes it even more enjoyable.

Although I had some difficulties getting through the first few chapters initially, I'm glad I persevered. The book has a lot to offer, and I look forward to exploring it further in the future.

Overall, Heinlein's Citizen of the Galaxy is a must-read for any science fiction fan. It's a classic that stands the test of time and continues to captivate readers with its engaging story and memorable characters.

Well, I'm truly glad that I finally got around to reading this book considering I've heard about it for so many years. However, to be honest, I liked the Jungle Books much better.

One significant weakness of this work is Kipling's extensive utilization of Indian place-names, Hindu terminology, and phrases. This requires the reader to frequently refer to a footnoted appendix. While these elements do add color and authenticity to the story, they also disrupt the flow as the reader has to constantly break away from the narrative to understand their meanings. It happens far too often.

Secondly, although Kim is an interesting character, he is a liar on a massive scale. His lies are disguised as deviousness and are supposedly justified by necessity. But in reality, it's still blatant and non-stop lying.

I found it quite interesting how Kipling managed to oscillate between mocking and praising simplistic religious faith.

And, of course, the entire book is permeated with the inequality between the white man and the brown man, as I'm certain other commentators have elaborated on extensively. They are completely justified in doing so.

On the positive side, Kim does offer an interesting perspective into British espionage within an Indian setting, with well-developed characters.

And that's essentially my take on it.

Oh, I really struggled with this one.

It seemed to take me ages upon ages to read. There were indeed some parts that I truly enjoyed. However, sadly, those enjoyable parts were not sufficient to make up for the large amount of boredom that I felt while delving into this book.

The beginning of the book initially filled me with hope, as if a great adventure was about to unfold. But then, the story took numerous twists and turns, and I simply wasn't enamoured by the writing style.

I'm glad to have finally crossed it off my reading list. At the same time, I'm also somewhat relieved that Kipling didn't write more novels in this vein.

Perhaps his talents lie more in other areas of literature. Overall, this reading experience was a bit of a mixed bag for me.

My thoughts are that this was not, to me, a very interesting book.

It seemed to lack, for lack of a better word, an important emotional element. The absence of a female protagonist was quite noticeable.

While I did admire the friendship and the love/admiration that Kim and the llama shared, I found the actual story to be rather dull and uninteresting.

After having read a number of books on India, I'm sorry to say that this particular novel fell short in terms of the impact it had on my reading and understanding of the Indian culture of Victorian times.

I can understand that in Victorian England, this would have been both a departure and a very mysterious type of novel, as things Indian were often considered strange and sometimes even unnerving.

However, I believe this novel has lost a lot over time, and that time has not been kind to its telling.

I will, in all honesty, give Mr Kipling another try, as he is considered by many to have been a prominent writer.

But I would not recommend this novel as one where I felt his skills as a storyteller were particularly outstanding.

Perhaps his other works will prove to be more engaging and showcase his true talent.

Captured by it. More so than any other book I’ve read.

It is a wonderfully written story of intrigue and adventure, set in the Indian subcontinent during the days of ‘Empire’.

First published more than 100 years ago, it manages to capture the beauty of the land and its people with remarkable vividness.

The characters in the tale are so well-developed that they seem to leap off the page. The plot is full of twists and turns, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat from beginning to end. The sense of realism is palpable, making the story feel like a true account of life during that era.

And, not a children’s book. I must mention that, as I always thought it was. How embarrassing is that? This book is a literary masterpiece that should be enjoyed by readers of all ages. It offers a fascinating glimpse into a bygone era and a story that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

A ripping yarn.

It is one of my dad's favourite books.

Although I had seen the old film a few times, this was another book that remained unread by me.

I found that the film followed the storyline fairly well.

Albeit that Errol Flynn (Mahbub Ali) had less of a role in the book.

The relationship between Kim and the lama is so well written.

The book ending is better than the films.

The story of a young Indian boy with an English soldier father working as a spy in the 1890's is real Boys Own material.

I absolutely loved it.

The detailed descriptions in the book bring the characters and the setting to life.

It allows the reader to immerse themselves in the adventures and experiences of Kim.

The author's writing style is engaging and keeps the reader hooked from start to finish.

Overall, it is a great read that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys adventure stories.

Kim is a novel that fills another gap as, strangely enough, I had not read it before. It smoothly fits into the program as it is noted that some storylines of this "work in progress" overlap with those here, and structurally they have a lot in common: both seem "plotless", as the "experts" tell us. But overall, the entire context arranges: "The Great Game", different views on dharma, so all this still needs to be known.

Moreover, what links Kipling with Pynchon is this: "He repudiates the unspoken assumption of most novelists that the really interesting part of life takes place outside working hours: men at work or talking about their work are among his favourite subjects."

The story of an Irish colonial orphan, who is simultaneously shaped and torn apart by different geopolitical vectors and forces in a broad sense (in particular, the spirituality of the East and the worldliness of the West, the eastern indulgence and the western pragmatic discipline, the learning of meditation skills and spying, etc.), and he is trying to literally define himself - in general, it is an exercise in the first approach of a Westerner to Eastern philosophy. But as a spy and, in general, an adventure novel, it is quite good, although rather verbose.

Everyone talks there much more than necessary - Kipling himself calls this "aimless babble", so perhaps there is some truth in life here, but because of this, the novel is somewhat... not plotless, no, as his "critics" accuse him, but simply incoherent. Poor writing can probably be considered a characteristic feature of the author's style, who considered this novel almost his masterpiece. The touching explanations of Indian words in parentheses right in the middle of the text, of course, also set the tone for a high literary style.

By the way, if you read it to the end, you can easily refute the stupid opinion that the novel "ends in nothing". The Tashi Lama in it attains enlightenment and returns to Kim as a bodhisattva, and Kim finally combines all the different vectors in himself and becomes whole, nourished by the power of the Indian soil under the banyan tree and finding true, not artificial pride, almost like a family. So everything comes together.

However, when it comes to "The Great Game", everything is fine here. Kipling can probably be considered a quite reliable witness (although an adjustment needs to be made for his loyalty to the Crown) in that there was a period when the Russians' progress in advancing into Tibet was quite palpable. The British were nervous - to put it mildly. Which, incidentally, led three years after the publication of the novel to Younghusband's victorious march on Lhasa, after which the Russians could consider "The Great Game" irretrievably lost once and for all.

The comforting explanations that, traditionally, explain nothing, for example: "bhang: a strong narcotic made from dried hemp". And how dusty and musty "traditional" literary criticism is (in this case from Alan Sandison), dear mother... my teeth ache from boredom. And dharma, although expounded by Kipling himself as carefully as possible and within reasonable limits accurately, still falls into duality at the end and, of course, is interpreted by Sandison primitively in a Western way, with vulgar "sins", some kind of "soul", "evil" and other nonsense of the "white man's burden", which the real red-hatted Tashi Lama, of course, would not allow himself.