From Sea to Sea: Letters of Travel, in Two Volumes

xiii, 460; ix, 400 pp. Two volume set. This collection of notes and essays on his world travels reveals a man bursting with self-deprecating wit, keen observational powers, and an intelligent awareness of his own cultural biases and prejudices. First published in 1899, this volume serves as a delightful reminder of Kipling's genius, and includes: an account of attending the theater in Japan and visiting Shinto shrines; an exploration of India's "city of elephants" and a meeting with "the naughty children of Iquique"; notes on a journey to San Francisco and the taking of tea with the "natives" there; an explanation of how to "manufacture ethnological theories at railroad speed"; and much more.