Synopses & Reviews
Review
"This is the long-suppressed biography, first commissioned and then rejected by Kipling's daughter. It is not hard to see what a family member might find objectionable in this brilliant book. When attempting to describe what many critics found repellent in Kipling, and what caused the author to dislike certain pieces, phrases like 'utter vulgarity' came easily to his pen. In Lord Birkenhead's hands, however, such words form part of a scrupulously honest assessment. As a result, Birkenhead is especially convincing when he defends some of Kipling's more controversial lines, like 'or lesser breeds without the law,' against unfounded charges of racism. Birkenhead paints a portrait that is disarmingly human. Invaluable to Kipling scholars, this book should delight all those who love literature—or good biography." Reviewed by Robert Jackson, Virginia Quarterly Review (Copyright 2006 Virginia Quarterly Review)