The Man Who Would Be King
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
"An excellent collection with particularly thorough notes."--Professor M. Mackey, Ph.D., California State University, Sacramento
"A lovely little book."--James Dahl, West Georgia College
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
"A lovely little book."--James Dahl, West Georgia College
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
This Wordsworth Edition includes an exclusive Introduction by Cedric Watts, Research Professor of English, University of Sussex.
This anthology of tales by Rudyard Kipling contains some of the most memorable and popular examples of the genre of which he is an undisputed master. The Man Who would be King (later adapted as a spectacular film) is a vivid narrative of exotic adventure and disaster.
The other tales include the ironic, horrific, poignant and haunting. Here Kipling displays his descriptive panache and realistic boldness. Shrewd, audacious, abrasive and challenging, he remains absorbingly readable.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
The Man Who Would Be King is my favourite film and leaves me with a tear in my eye every single time as Peachy explains to Brother Kipling who he and his friend Danny went off to old Kafiristan to be kings. It's a film I have watched over 20 times and always wanted to read the book. When my beloved bought me a Kindle for my birthday I wasted no time in downloading this brief tale for FREE!
It is somewhat different to the film but much of the films memorable dialogue is lifted word for word from the book - god's holy trousers, have I not put the shadow of my hand over this country, for the sake of the widow's son, etc. Furthermore, Danny Dravot is not quite as sympathetic as Sean Connery portrayed him, Peachy is more of a central figure than Michael Caine made him and Billy Fish is very, very different from the delightful version created by Sayed Jaffrey, but the book is an absolute delight. I read it in two sessions and was so glad I did. Kipling's prose is easy to read and as fresh today as it was when he wrote it when Victoria was on the throne. I loved the film and I love the book. Genuinely magnificent.
It is somewhat different to the film but much of the films memorable dialogue is lifted word for word from the book - god's holy trousers, have I not put the shadow of my hand over this country, for the sake of the widow's son, etc. Furthermore, Danny Dravot is not quite as sympathetic as Sean Connery portrayed him, Peachy is more of a central figure than Michael Caine made him and Billy Fish is very, very different from the delightful version created by Sayed Jaffrey, but the book is an absolute delight. I read it in two sessions and was so glad I did. Kipling's prose is easy to read and as fresh today as it was when he wrote it when Victoria was on the throne. I loved the film and I love the book. Genuinely magnificent.
29 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
Wow, thanks Amazon for Kindle on Android (free app!). I have never read any of Kipling's works that I can remember, but as this was free to download to Kindle I thought I'd give it a go, and what a revelation! For start, the way it's written is somewhat old fashioned some may think, but is bang on for the era, and if you just take a moment to get used to the language form at the beginning, it becomes very natural within a few pages. The story is really quite interesting, set in Asia I believe in the latter 19th century, and effectively is the story of two unfortunate colonials who have grand ideas but lack the education to bring them to fruition in conventional ways.
I've really enjoyed reading this, and it really keeps my attention. Having the book on my mobile phone is great because I can open it up whenever I have 5 minutes no matter where I am.
I think I've had this 3 days and am half way through already (though I've been working most of this time!). Can't wait to see how things end up.
If you've never read a classic work then I would really encourage you to do so, and if you've read this as a kid at school, read it again, I promise you won't be disappointed!
I've really enjoyed reading this, and it really keeps my attention. Having the book on my mobile phone is great because I can open it up whenever I have 5 minutes no matter where I am.
I think I've had this 3 days and am half way through already (though I've been working most of this time!). Can't wait to see how things end up.
If you've never read a classic work then I would really encourage you to do so, and if you've read this as a kid at school, read it again, I promise you won't be disappointed!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This anthology of short stories gives an excellent picture of the works of a Member of the British Empire. Rudyard Kipling had a partisan view on the British colonial enterprise which was based on a well-organized army machine. But, as George Orwell said: he didn't understand that `an empire is primarily a money-making concern'.
Army and war
Those who fight under the British flag are mightily admired and incensed for their courage and self-sacrifice, but woe for those who seek their own kingdom.
In `The Drums of Fore and Aft' two orphans of fourteen years of age (!), who serve as Regiment drummers, are highly praised for offering their lives in a skirmish with Afghan rebels.
In `Only a Subaltern', a new recruit is himself attacked by fever after having physically and morally supported a soldier friend.
But, in `The Man Who Would be King', two solitary fortune seekers fall shamelessly from their throne.
Religion
In the heartrending masterpiece of this collection, `Baa Baa Black Sheep', R. Kipling lambastes the ravages of religion: `the Fear of the Lord was so often the beginning of falsehood ... for when young lips have drunk deep of the bitter waters of Hate, Suspicion and Despair, all the Love in the world will not wholly take away that knowledge.'
Colonial life
In `The Education of Otis Yeere', two would-be prick teasers warm the heart of a bachelor, only to be mightily offended when he tries to give one of them a kiss.
`At the Pit's Month' and `A Wayward Comedy' are variations on the theme of `a Man and his Wife and a Tertium Quid'. Only, the friendship among men stays above the shame of cuckolding.
`Wee Willie Winkie' praises the courage of a young boy.
`A Second Rate Woman' attacks people's prejudice. An allegedly `tainted' lady saves the day when the foul speakers `collapse in an hour of need'.
In `His Majesty the King', a child King is too young to moralize on the deceitfulness of this world and the uncertainty of human things.
Ghost stories
The nightmarish `The Strange Ride of Morrowbie Jukes' and `The Phantom `Rickshaw' are two excellent ghost stories.
A very worth-while read.
Army and war
Those who fight under the British flag are mightily admired and incensed for their courage and self-sacrifice, but woe for those who seek their own kingdom.
In `The Drums of Fore and Aft' two orphans of fourteen years of age (!), who serve as Regiment drummers, are highly praised for offering their lives in a skirmish with Afghan rebels.
In `Only a Subaltern', a new recruit is himself attacked by fever after having physically and morally supported a soldier friend.
But, in `The Man Who Would be King', two solitary fortune seekers fall shamelessly from their throne.
Religion
In the heartrending masterpiece of this collection, `Baa Baa Black Sheep', R. Kipling lambastes the ravages of religion: `the Fear of the Lord was so often the beginning of falsehood ... for when young lips have drunk deep of the bitter waters of Hate, Suspicion and Despair, all the Love in the world will not wholly take away that knowledge.'
Colonial life
In `The Education of Otis Yeere', two would-be prick teasers warm the heart of a bachelor, only to be mightily offended when he tries to give one of them a kiss.
`At the Pit's Month' and `A Wayward Comedy' are variations on the theme of `a Man and his Wife and a Tertium Quid'. Only, the friendship among men stays above the shame of cuckolding.
`Wee Willie Winkie' praises the courage of a young boy.
`A Second Rate Woman' attacks people's prejudice. An allegedly `tainted' lady saves the day when the foul speakers `collapse in an hour of need'.
In `His Majesty the King', a child King is too young to moralize on the deceitfulness of this world and the uncertainty of human things.
Ghost stories
The nightmarish `The Strange Ride of Morrowbie Jukes' and `The Phantom `Rickshaw' are two excellent ghost stories.
A very worth-while read.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Unforgettable adventure
Two cheeky Victorian cockneys - Peachy Carnahan and Dan Dravot - head into the mountains of Afghanistan in the late nineteenth century to carve out a kingdom for themselves. Read more
Published 15 days ago by Simon Bendle
Definitely worth a read
Being a fan of the film 'The Man Who Would Be King', I was initially disappointed that this was originally only a short story. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Lee Harris
Beautifully crafted windows into a lost world
Rudyard Kipling is neither fashionable nor popular these days. That's a pity because as this collection of fourteen of his short stories amply demonstrates, he was an outstanding... Read more
Published 3 months ago by David Herdson
Not Kipling's Strong Point
I must take a contrary review to the other reviewers and express my disappointment in this volume.
I am not a Kipling fan - I do not feel he was a great author - and... Read more
I am not a Kipling fan - I do not feel he was a great author - and... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Simon Welch
Always Enjoyable
This is a great little novella from the pen of Kipling. This was in fact inspired by a couple of real events and so there is some fact in this tale. Read more
Published 20 months ago by M. Dowden
From the back cover of this book.....
This anthology of Rudyard Kipling's greatest short stories contains some of the most memorable and popular examples of the genre of which he was an undisputed master. Read more
Published on 16 Sep 2006 by Angel Silver
magic
This is the work of a maestro....a true genius of literature. I recently read Kim by Kipling and, having always thought it to be a children's book, was delighted at the sheer... Read more
Published on 30 Jan 2006 by Royale
I guess you had to be there
As a reluctant student in that oxymoronic high school class, Poetry Appreciation for Teenage Males, I was surprised to rather enjoy the verses of Rudyard Kipling. Read more
Published on 11 May 2003 by Joseph Haschka
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
