Squee!

[lblanchard]

090806_03kipling
Originally uploaded by lb_philly.

I can haz Kiping!

My 32-volume Collected Works, which I believe is complete except perhaps for a very few Varia. Perfect condition except for one sun-faded volume, which I confess I photoshopped a bit here to make it less obvious.

A mad extravagance, the maddest thing I've done for a very long time. I told Roy it was my birthday present and my Christmas present.

Comments

[pameladean]

Oh, that's gorgeous. The first book I ever bought with my own money was a collection of all Kipling's poems.

P.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

The first book I remember reading was a collection of Kipling's choicest poems. I more or less got the gist of Gunga Din, at seven years old, but The Vampire left me really perplexed.

[pameladean]

Hee. The Vampire perplexed me at twice that age.

I glommed onto all the songs from Puck of Pook's Hill and Rewards and Fairies, but it took me quite some time to realize that those were not titles of smaller collections of poetry, but actual short story collections. I didn't manage to find Rewards and Fairies until I was visiting England in my twenties. I think it's more readily available now.

My former publisher, Tor, did a nice volume of Kipling's sf stories a while back, and it was good to have them all in one place.

p.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

A particularly nice feature of this set is the index in Vol. 32. It makes it easy to find things -- f'rinstance, who would look for "If" in one of the fairy books unless you *really* know your stuff.

I think the Vampire piece is a reference to those ladies of a certain age (such as, e.g., Mrs. Hauksbee) who have flirtations with young officers while spending the summer in Simla.

[pameladean]

I totally covet your set and its index, let me tell you.

Being a lady of a certain age, I don't want to read The Vampire again. I prefer my illusions.

P.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Would you take the money and the good name of an earnest young man who was obviously taking your flirtation way too seriously? I think not.

[arianadii.livejournal.com]

Now there is a thing of beauty. I'm embarrassed to admit I didn't know the extent of his writing.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes! I bought a "collected works" set at auction many years ago -- either for $8 or $16, I think -- but it was collected in 1917, and Kipling died in 1937.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Lovely.

Who's the publisher?

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Scribner.