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The Rudyard Kipling Library

Rudyard Kipling

Step into a quiet corner of the Empire of Stories, where the lamp is lit and the pages turn at their own unhurried pace. This podcast offers full-length readings of Rudyard Kipling’s tales - of jungle law and soldier’s duty, of wandering men, sharp-eyed children, and the strange roads between East and West. Each episode is spoken clear and steady, as though by a fireside companion, carrying you through adventure, mischief, and moral alike. Come listen, traveller, and let the old words march again beneath the steady drum of a human voice.

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  • 97 episodes
  • daily
  • Avg 15 min
  • English
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • S19 · E5
    September 8 · 1 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 5 - The Deep-Sea Cables

    In which the mysterious depths of the ocean are portrayed as a silent and shadowy realm where ancient wrecks dissolve and ghostly cables carry the fleeting words of mankind. Beneath the sun’s final reach, a powerful new connection stirs silently,...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E3
    September 7 · 2 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 3 - The Coastwise Lights

    In which the steadfast Coastwise Lights of England stand vigilant through tempest and tranquillity alike, guiding seafarers safely by night and day from headland to harbour. These beacons, a silent yet constant presence, herald the homecoming of ships...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E4
    September 7 · 4 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 4 - The Song of the Dead

    In which the voices of the departed echo through desolate landscapes, calling forth the memory of those who ventured beyond known horizons and paid the ultimate price in servitude to the sea. The proud tradition of English seamanship is solemnly...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E2
    September 6 · 2 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 2 - A Song of the English

    In which a solemn hymn extols the divine blessing upon England’s vast dominion, urging a humble and faithful stewardship of its heritage despite past errors and misguidance. The verses mingle reverence with a call for righteousness, justice, and...

    • Transcript
  • S19 · E1
    September 6 · 2 min

    The Seven Seas Poem 1 - Dedication to the City of Bombay

    In which the comely cities, proud and bustling, vie with one another in a grand contest of commerce and strength, their sons ever tethered to the familiar haven of home. The narrator, born of such a city beloved, contemplates with grateful heart the...

    • Transcript
  • S18 · E7
    September 5 · 11 min

    American Notes Essay 6 - The American Army

    In which the peculiar organisation and delicate utility of the American army are examined with a touch of wry humour, highlighting its small yet disciplined nature set against the vast and restless backdrop of the States. Meanwhile, a journey through...

    • Transcript
  • S18 · E8
    September 5 · 23 min

    American Notes Essay 7 - America's Defenceless Coasts

    In which a traveller observes the comfortable domestic life and youthful customs of Americans, contrasting the respectable homes with the bustling, unprotected industrial waterfront of Buffalo, while reflecting on the nation's startling vulnerability...

    • Transcript
  • S18 · E6
    September 4 · 23 min

    American Notes Essay 5 - Chicago

    In which the author embarks on an unvarnished exploration of Chicago, encountering a sprawling cityscape teeming with relentless activity, cutthroat commerce, and the stark realities of industrial progress that strike a discordant note against the...

    • Transcript
  • S18 · E5
    September 4 · 22 min

    American Notes Essay 4 - The Yellowstone

    In which we embark upon a journey through the curious and fiery wonders of Yellowstone Park, encountering steaming geysers and sparkling mineral landscapes guarded as jealously as any treasure, all set amidst lively tales of troopers, cowboys, and...

    • Transcript
  • S18 · E4
    September 3 · 22 min

    American Notes Essay 3 - American Salmon

    In which a gentleman and his companion embark upon a rugged journey from Portland to the Clackamas River, encountering the wild beauty and rustic life of the American West as they pursue the noble Chenook salmon. Amid the solitude of pine-clad hills...

    • Transcript
  • S18 · E3
    September 3 · 27 min

    American Notes Essay 2 - American Politics

    In which an observant visitor to San Francisco uncovers the gritty realities behind American politics, encountering a world where coarse men wield influence through bribes and rough dealings, whilst society buzzes with the vivacity and independence of...

    • Transcript
  • S18 · E2
    September 2 · 31 min

    American Notes Essay 1 - At the Golden Gate

    In which a stranger freshly landed at the Golden Gate surveys the bustling and mad whirl of San Francisco, noting the curious blend of beauty and roughness, the peculiarity of its residents, and the lively, sometimes bewildering customs of this city...

    • Transcript
  • S18 · E1
    September 2 · 5 min

    American Notes Introduction

    In which a young Rudyard Kipling arrives in England to find literary fame already at his doorstep, and soon settles into a fruitful career marked by notable works and a transatlantic marriage into an American family of distinction. This introduction...

    • Transcript
  • S16 · E3
    September 1 · 31 min

    The Bridge Builders Part Three

    In which a storm-tossed ferry carries a weary engineer and his companion through a deluged wilderness, where divine beasts and ancient gods gather to debate the fate of a bridge that symbolises human endeavour against the relentless river. The scene...

    • Transcript
  • S16 · E4
    September 1 · 10 min

    The Bridge Builders Part Four

    In which the gods convene beneath a peepul tree to debate the fate of a mighty bridge and the shifting loyalties of men and deities alike, revealing a quietly foreboding change in the hearts of the common folk. Meanwhile, Findlayson and his companion...

    • Transcript
  • S16 · E2
    August 31 · 32 min

    The Bridge Builders Part Two

    In which the engineers and their loyal crews race against the rising and unpredictable floodwaters of the Ganges, striving to protect the half-finished bridge and its precious stone-boats from the river’s overwhelming wrath. The night air fills with...

    • Transcript
  • S16 · E1
    August 31 · 25 min

    The Bridge Builders Part One

    In which a seasoned engineer reflects with a mix of pride and weariness upon the progress of his monumental bridge over the Ganges, borne up by the unflagging efforts of himself, his young assistant, and a resourceful Lascar serang. Amidst the...

    • Transcript
Showing 81–97 of 97 episodes