One of the great adventure books of all time， Kim， first published in 1901， is Kipling’s last major work about India， a farewell look brimming with all the color and sound， squalor and splendor of that exotic land. Kim， the orphaned son of an Irish soldier， is a mischievous worldly imp growing up in the walled city of Lahore. A secret mission for the British and a heartfelt bond with a Tibetan lama in search of a sacred river soon lead Kim into a life of spies and secrets， danger and high excitement. But Kim is more than a boy’s adventure. Written by the laureate of the British Empire， it is also a profound look at the differences between East and West. For the first time， a British writer understood India in all its complexity， mystery， and spirituality. Here we enter the harems; mingle with thieves， jugglers， and beggars; and experience all that is India in one of literature’s most magical and moving masterpieces.
