Departmental Ditties

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) was one of the most well known writers of the 20th century, chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Born in Bombay, he was taken by his family to England when he was five years old, going on to become a famous Briton. Kipling is best known for his works of fiction, including The Jungle Book, Just So Stories (1902) (1894) (a collection of stories which includes "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi"), Kim (1901) (a tale of adventure), many short stories, including "The Man Who Would Be King" (1888); and his poems, including Mandalay (1890), Gunga Din (1890), The White Man's Burden (1899) and If— (1910). He is regarded as a major "innovator in the art of the short story"; his children's books are enduring classics of children's literature; and his best works are said to exhibit "a versatile and luminous narrative gift"