Rudyard Kipling

Lore & Background

He was named after Rudyard Lake in Staffordshire, where his parents had courted. At age five, he and his sister were sent to Southsea, England, where they lived with a couple for six years; Kipling later recalled the stay as 'the House of Desolation' and described it as 'calculated torture'. He credited this experience with fostering his literary efforts.

Reader's Guide

Kipling's reputation has shifted with political and social climate. Henry James called him 'the most complete man of genius' he had ever known. Kipling is seen as an innovator in the short story form, and his children's books are considered classics, praised for a 'versatile and luminous narrative gift.' His work remains a force to be reckoned with, both for its narrative power and its complex engagement with imperial themes.

Did You Know?

• Kipling was the first English-language writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, and at age 41 remains its youngest recipient.
• He was named after Rudyard Lake in Staffordshire, England, where his parents courted.
• His first cousin was Stanley Baldwin, who served three times as British prime minister.
• Kipling declined both the British Poet Laureateship and several offers of a knighthood.

Gallery