KIM
First edition of this epic novel of the colonial Great Game, one of Kipling's most beloved works.
Very good plus.
Price: $950.00
KIM
"He crossed his hands on his lap and smiled, as a man may who has won Salvation for himself and his beloved."
The Central Asian conflict between the British Empire and the Russian Empire serve as the backdrop for this epic picaresque, following the life of the orphaned white British boy KIM's adventures in colonial India. Rudyard Kipling's own time in India deeply informed the themes of KIM, exploring issues of cultural assimilation and spirituality while remaining accessible to younger readers.
Critical readings of KIM contextualize it within the larger ecology of British colonialist writing of the early 20th century: the novel demonstrates "one of the key methods by which Western superiority over the Orient was asserted and maintained... [it] is represented as something which can be collected and catalogued, almost as if it were a British possession" (Scott, 178-9). The US edition technically precedes this by a couple of weeks for the purpose of securing copyright. An important work of literature and of the history of Western colonialism.
Read more: Richards, Rudyard Kipling: A Bibliography, A174. Nick Scott, "The Representation of the Orient in Rudyard Kipling's KIM," Arbeiten aus Anglistik und Amerikanistik vol. 39 no. 2; "Kim, by Rudyard Kipling: A Review," December 1901 issue of the Atlantic.
The Object
London: Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1901. 8'' x 5''. Original red cloth binding with gilt roundel to front board and gilt lettering to spine. Top edge gilt. Black-and-white frontispiece with tissue guard, nine black-and-white plates. 414 pages with [2] pages of ads to rear. Ownership inscription of George Fitzgerald dated "Xmas 1901" to second blank. Mild rubbing to edges of spine, light bumping to spine ends. Tiny closed tear to gutter of front flyleaf. Clean and bright.
The Fine Print
We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe our material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.
We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All materials are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions) unless otherwise noted. First editions (meaning first edition, first printing) are explicitly stated. TPM is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.
All photographs are of the actual item for sale. We're happy to provide additional images on request.
All domestic orders ship gratis. For orders under $250, free USPS media mail shipping is included; orders $250 and over ship USPS Priority. International orders over $500 also ship gratis. Expedited, overnight, as well as other carriers (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), may carry additional costs beyond quoted rates. All orders receive tracking information and a direct contact in case of any questions.
International buyers are responsible for any customs, taxes, and related import fees. Please note that we are unable to accomodate requests to misrepresent, misdeclare, or otherwise falsify customs documents when shipping internationally. We appreciate your understanding.
We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Venmo, check, money order, and bank wire. We are happy to bill institutional buyers' needs. Sales tax will be added to applicable purchases. Items subject to prior sale.
If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us. We prioritize our long-term relationships far above any individual purchase, and we want you to love your item as much as we loved cataloguing it.
