The Wish House

The Wish House and Other Stories; Rudyard Kipling (The Modern Library; 2002; ISBN 0-8129-660203; cover photography Hulton/Archive by Getty Images).

In reading the introduction and editor's preface, I have to wonder what audience the book is aimed for. In one the editor apologizes for apologizing for (apparently) liking Kipling. In both there are references to sources that any casual browser would not have access too...would it have not been better to write a more general set of introductory notes (and ones that would not need such outside references)? Heck, there is even a reference (after a long diversion) about how Hemingway influenced Pinter (you are left scratching your head trying to follow the chains). What has that got to do with Kipling? The editor seems more interested in seeing how many links he can make with great lit-e-ra-ture (Eliot! Hemingway! Pinter! Chekov! James! Etc! See how smart I am!) rather than working to bring novices into Kipling's canon.

Sigh. Skip the introduction. Skip the preface. Go right to the tales. You'll be better for it.

(I pulled down my copy of Kim from the shelves. The introduction talks about Kipling's life and Kipling's book. There is no endless parade of apologies and rationalizations, no cascading of ever obscure literary references and name-dropping. Much better!

Made up of: Biographical Note (uncredited); Introduction: Kipling: Controversial Questions (Craig Raine); Editor's Preface (Craig Raine); In the House of Suddhoo; Beyond the Pale; The Gate of the Hundred Sorrows; The Story of Muhammad Din; The Man Who Would Be King; Baa Baa, Black Sheep; Dray Wara Yow Dee; On Greenhow Hill; The Dream of Duncan Parrenness; The Disturber of Traffic; The Finest Story in the World; 'Love-o'-Women'; The Elephant's Child; 'I keep six honest serving men'; The Runners; A Sahib's War; Kaspar's Song in 'Varda'; 'Wireless'; The Return of the Children; 'They'; From Lyden's 'Irenius'; Mrs Bathhurst; The Bee Boy's Song; 'Dymchurch Flit'; A Three-Part Song; Friendly Brook; The Land; Mary Postgate; The Beginnings; 'Late Came the God'; The Wish House; Rahere; The Survival; The Janeites; Jane's Marriage; The Bull that Thought; Alnaschar and the Oxen; Gipsy Vans; A Madonna of the Trenches; Gow's Watch; Untimely; The Eye of Allah; The Last Ode; The Gardener; The Burden; Dayspring Mishandled; Gertrude's Prayer; The Manner of Men; At His Execution.

Counts as 3 entries in the 2009 Year in Shorts.