VictorianStudies on theWebCritics Choice!Rudyard Kipling: Hell and Heroism is an exploration of two fundamental yet greatly neglected aspects of the author's life and writings: his deep-seated pessimism and his complex creed of heroism. The method of the book is both biographical and critical. Biographically, it traces the roots of Kipling's dark worldview and his search for something to believe in, a way of thinking and acting in defiance of life's hellishness. There matters were more basic to him than any of his social or political opinions, but this the first full-length study devoted to them. Critically, the book takes a fresh and close look at some of Kipling's most important works. The result challenges long established assumptions and amounts to a major reconsideration of novels like Kim and stories like "Mary Postgate" and "The Gardener." Central in these discussions of individual writings is Kipling's concern with the heroic life, but of equal importance is the analysis and evaluation of them as works of art. Avoiding the tangled and special language of some recent literary theory, this will appeal to a wide audience of those interested in Kipling's mind and art.

-V.l. Plain tales from the hills.-v.2-3. Soldiers three and military tales.-v.4. In black and white.-v.5. The phantom 'rickshaw and other stories.-v.6. Under the deodars. The story of the Gadsbys. Wee Willie Winkle.-v.7. the jungle book.-v.8. The second jungle book.-v.9. The light that failed.-v.10. The naulahka; a story of West and East, written incollaboration with Wolcott Balestier.-v.11. Verses, 1889-1896.-v.12. "Captains courageous", a story of the Grand banks.-v.13-14. The day's work.-v.15-16. From sea to sea; letters of travel.-v.17. Early verse.-v.18. Stalky & co.-v.19. Kim.-v.20. Just so stories for little children.-v.21. The five nations.-V.22. Traffics and discoveries.-v.23. Puck of Pook's hill.-v.24. Actions and reactions.-v.25. Rewards and fairies.-v.26. A diversity of creatures.-v.27. The years between and Poems from history.-v.28. Letters of travel, 1892-1913.-v.29-30. The Irish guards in the great war; edited and compiled from their diaries and papers.-v.31. Debts and credits.-v.32. A book of words.-v.33. Limits and renewals.-v.34. War writings and poems.-v.35. Land and sea tales.-v.36. Something of myself. Index.