To Kipple

I first became interested in tracking down these anthologies when I read this essay about Rudyard Kipling and science fiction by Fred Lerner. Sir Arthur C. Clarke is a fan, as was Robert A. Heinlein and many others (as you'll see from the list of author's that contributed to the two essays). Who was Kipling? Winner of the Nobel Prize in literature, now pretty much scorned by those who teach the subject (white, male and an "imperialist", need we say more?). Friend of the common man, the soldier, and more. One of several who can claim to have helped bring forth the field of science fiction.

My schooling did not include any Kipling. We concentrated on "relevant" books like Death Be Not Proud or I Never Promised You A Rose Garden. You know, happening, with-it books that showed the educators understood us poor youth.

I started correcting this earlier this year, with Kipling's poetry. That led to this posting of one of his poems that spoke very strongly to me. I've now got a complete set of poetry, and several collections of shorter works to explore.

To kipple. (Is it related to filk?

These two collections were interesting for more than the connections to Kipling. First, the editors managed to find a wide variety of authors to showcase stories from. Second, they managed to find some good stories that have not (in my experience) been widely anthologized. Third, when running more than one story by a particular author (e.g., Gordon R. Dickson or Poul Anderson), they managed to find stories that are widely opposite in feel. Compare the two Anderson stories, for example. One is set in a post-atomic (?) holocaust America. The other is a haunting ghost story. Both feel very different, both are excellent, and both pay tribute to Kipling.

Highly recommended pair of anthologies, seek them out in the used bookstores!

A Separate Star: A Tribute to Rudyard Kipling; edited by David Drake and Sandra Miesel (Baen Books, 1989, ISBN 0-671-69832-X; cover by Steve Hickman).

Made up of: "Beyond the beam of the last lone star..." (Poul Anderson); Introduction (Poul Anderson); No Truce With Kings (Poul Anderson); Introduction (Gene Wolfe); Continuing Westward (Gene Wolfe); Soldier's Stories (David Drake); Under the Hammer (David Drake); Introduction (Joe Haldeman); Saul's Death (Joe Haldeman); The Art of Things As They Are (Gordon R. Dickson & Sandra Miesel); Carry Me Home (Gordon R. Dickson); Of Kipling and Me (L. Sprague de Camp); Ghost Ships (L. Sprague de Camp); What Kipling Meant to Richard McKenna (Gordon R. Dickson); The Night of Huggy Darn (Richard McKenna); Introduction (David Drake); The Long Watch (Robert A. Heinlein); Introduction (David Drake); Prologue (Robert A. Heinlein); An Interview with Mark Twain (Rudyard Kipling); With the Night Mail (Rudyard Kipling); As Easy As A.B.C. (Rudyard Kipling); McDonough's Song (Rudyard Kipling).

Counts as twenty-three (23) entries in the 2007 Year in Shorts.

Heads to the Storm: A Tribute to Rudyard Kipling; edited by David Drake and Sandra Miesel (Baen Books, 1989; ISBN 0-671-69847-8, cover by David Hardy).

Made up of: Why I Admire Rudyard Kipling (Gordon R. Dickson); Because Our Hearts Are Small (Gordon R. Dickson & Sandra Miesel); Our First Death (Gordon R. Dickson); Introduction (Poul Anderson); The Visitor (Poul Anderson); On Kipling and Wednesday Afternoons (C.J. Cherryh); The Haunted Tower (C.J. Cherryh); Late I Have Loved Thee, Kipling (Sandra Miesel); The Shadow Hart (Sandra Miesel); Introduction (David Drake); The Barrow Troll (David Drake); Introduction (Poul Anderson);The Ballad of the Three Kings (Poul Anderson); Introduction (Gene Wolfe); Love Among the Corridors (Gene Wolfe); Introduction (Jerry Pournelle); The Friggin Falcon (Theodore R. Cogswell); The Writer as Showman and Bard: A Personal View of Rudyard Kipling (John Brunner); Mowgli (John Brunner); Introduction (George R. R. Martin); And Seven Times Never Kill Man (George R. R. Martin); East is East (Sandra Miesel); The Burning of the Brain (Cordwainer Smith); Big Friend of the World--Rudyard Kipling (Anne McCaffrey); The Ship Who Sang (Anne McCaffrey); Introduction (Roger Zelazny); Lucifer (Roger Zelazny); Kipling (John Brunner); The Eye of Allah (Rudyard Kipling); 'They' (Rudyard Kipling).

Counts as thirty (30) entries in the 2007 Year in Shorts. Continuing to read.

A few resources: Kipling's works at Project Gutenberg. The Kipling Society. The Reader's Guide to the Works of Rudyard Kipling. Something of Myself, by Rudyard Kipling. Wikipedia entry.

Addendum (December 6, 2007): A tribute to Kipling by David Drake.