Jungle Books

Rudyard Kipling was born in India in 1865 and spent his early years reveling in the country's exotic delights. At five he was sent to school in England, and did not returned until 1882, when he worked as a reporter on the 'Civil and Military Gazette'. A prolific writer, he soon became famous for a prodigious range of tales and poems, from the high adventure of 'The Man Who Would Be King', through the gritty doggerel of 'Barrack Room Ballads' to charming children's story such as 'Puck of Pook's Hill' and, perhaps his most celebrated offering, 'The Jungle Book'. Although it includes such famous tales as 'Rikki-Tikki-Tavi' The Jungle Book's true hero is Mowgli, a young boy raised with wolves, and hunted by the evil tiger Shere Khan. All is well until the realization dawns in Mowgli that he is human - knowledge he tries to repress as he is appalled by humankind's greed and destructiveness. Through a series of perils and adventures, Mowgli gradually comes to terms with the animal and human facets of his life. Like all good children's stories, these tales have a depth of allegory and symbolism that allows them to be enjoyed by adults as well as children. 'The Jungle Book' is a work that can be read throughout a lifetime - one that will bring pleasure and further insights at each reading.