Kim (Annotated)

Kim is a novel by Nobel Prize-winning English author Rudyard Kipling. Set in India, just after the Second Afghan War, which ended in 1881, the story of Kim unravels against the backdrop of the British/Russian political conflict, known as the Great Game, which took place in Central Asia.



The story follows a young boy named Kim who is the orphan son of an Irish soldier and poor white woman who have both died in poverty. Although Kim is white, he is seen as any other young Indian boy and spends his days begging and running small errands around the busy streets of Lahore.



The novel is notable for its detailed portrait of the people, culture, and varied religions of India. "The book presents a vivid picture of India, its teeming populations, religions, and superstitions, and the life of the bazaars and the road."



The Modern Library ranked Kim #78 on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century, and in 2003 the book was listed on BBC The Big Read poll of "best-loved novel."