Kim by Rudyard Kipling. Macmillan,1918.

Description:

Kim is set after the Second Afghan War which ended in 1881 and before the Third fought in 1919, most likely around the period 1893 to 1898. The novel is noted for its detailed portrait of the people, culture, and varied religions of India. Kim presents a vivid picture of India, its teeming populations, religions, and superstitions, and the life of the bazaars and the road.

Two men, a boy who grows into early manhood and an old ascetic priest (the lama) are at the center of the novel. A quest faces them both. Born in India, Kim is white, a sahib. While he wants to play the Great Game of Imperialism, he is also spiritually bound to the lama. His aim, as he moves chameleon-like through the two cultures, is to reconcile these opposing strands, while the lama searches for redemption from the Wheel of Life.

A celebration of their friendship in a beautiful but often hostile environment, Kim captures the opulence of India's exotic landscape, overlaid by the uneasy presence of the British Raj. 

Beautiful illustrations by J. Lockwood Kipling, the author's father.

Condition: Fair. Some fading and marks on cover. Inside pages in very good condition. Last few pages have 3 heart-shaped punch holes but the text is legible. no dustjacket Red boards with gold lettering.