the truth that proves it's beautiful to lie

[scoradh]

Kim, by Rudyard Kipling

I read my textbooks by counting the number of pages in a given section - say cardiac pathology - and dividing them up by the number of days I have to read them. I did the same with Kim, which says it all really.

Comments

[geoviki]

Oddly enough, I have until, um, Wednesday to start and presumably finish this book for our little bookclub. Maybe I'll just fake it with your essay! I'll look so smart.

[scoradh]

Checking back to my last book post, it took me nine days to read this. (It only FELT like centuries longer.) Then again, I was studying six or eight hours a day, writing and reading fic as well, so you could totally do it in four days if you did nothing else and were willing to keep shocking yourself awake with a frayed electric cable.

I'd be interested to hear from other people who've read it! I think there's something missing in me that can't appreciate the capital G greatness of all these classics.

[uminohikari]

*giggle* This was the book I was supposed to read for history. I only read the first chapter, but it was predictable enough to BS an A out of :Db

[scoradh]

The history of what? Cures to insomnia? MEH. Even without studying Indian history in any form, I can tell this isn't an accurate account of ... well, anything.

See? I bet I could have got an A too.

[matchynishi]

lol yeah, a lot of the stuff that he's written about Indian life is totally off the charts. XD *is indian* I'd read his stories starting from middle school and was still bewildered with some of his descriptions. XD

[scoradh]

It's almost like he lived in India but held up a distorted glass in front of him everywhere he went, and cut off the bits that didn't fit. At least, it read that way.

[kestrelsparhawk]

I am truly horrified to hear that anywhere in the world this is required reading. It was written as a kid's adventure book, really (well, adventure with a young protagonist), not great lit -- which is fortunate, because although I read almost everything I ever got my hands on, I could never get far in this. Your essay does help me see what I didn't like.

Kipling was an imperialist. Here are a couple of fun summaries for those who apparently have to address his work: http://www.ligali.org/rioarticle.php?id=25
and http://www.britishempire.co.uk/biography/kipling.htm. I think a small quotation from the second source might say everything:
His imperial reputation was to be crowned with the story of Kim published in 1901. This heady mixture of admiration for Imperialism and for Indian mysticism was to be a recipe that inspired and entertained many imperial sons and daughters. It

[scoradh]

Heh, it wasn't required reading for me. I subjected myself to it all on my own.

I can't see any kid getting behind this, what with all the thees and thous and lack of, you know, ADVENTURE. Then again, maybe it was duller in 1901? They made shadow puppets for fun? idk.

subliminal messages doused in the Social Darwinism of the day in the form of a strict heirarchy and the idea of dominion over others

I have to say I didn't pick those up. Unless the constant references to 'hillmen do this' and 'plainsmen do this' and random deployment of stereotypes is what it means.

The imperialistic orgasm that spawned this book is just so ... it's like reading it in a different language, that's what. It's a constant 'what does this MEAN? Does it mean THIS? ... WHY?'

Like I said. Bleurg.

[fatgirlrules]

I remember picking up a collection of short stories by Kipling a few years ago, fully expecting to love it. I couldn't believe what an ass the guy was! I am surprised his work is as well-known as it is.

[scoradh]

I read one of the Just So stories - the Cat who walked by himself? - and I was like, meh, you don't like cats? LOSER.

(i am so five.)