Critical Thinking: Kipling III

Before I get into the meat of the discussion, I would like to note that the argument between aircraft and airship appears to still have some life in it. High altitude airships are being studied for use as both surveillance/communications and as a more economical platform for lower-gravity research.

Kipling for Fun

As I mentioned previously, I've only found two Kipling stories that I would quantify as science fiction, but others come close, and he certainly was a master of fantasy. Here is an unresearched, unscientific list of some of my favorite stories.

The Eye of Allah: Poignant, scary look at the church's influence over science.

Wireless: A lover dying of consumption channels the poetry of Keats while, in the next room, one of the first wireless messages streams through the air.

The Maltese Cat: A polo pony personifies Kipling's most deeply-held spiritual belief: the holiness of work.

The Brushwood Boy: A sweet little romance. Reminds me a bit of Narnia-meets-"Room with a View" and a lot of a song you've never heard of from Big Wednesday called "Lorelei's Dance."

The Ship Who Found Herself: A classic example of Kipling's personification (and love) of the mechanical. Brings to mind some of the conversations held in the Thomas the Tank Engine's round house.

The Tomb of His Ancestors: Another classic example, this of both Kipling's reverence for the military and his parochial, yet demeaning, view of the locals.

William the Conqueror: A classic quote speaks of Scott ("If all goes well I shall work him hard." This was Jim Hawkins's notion of the highest compliment one human being could pay another.) but the story proves when it comes to the sanctity of work, women are no more exempt than men or polo ponies or elephants.

A Matter of Fact: What do you do if the truth will get you in trouble? Change the names and call it fiction.

There are dozens more stories, but these are some of my favorites. And I haven't even touched the novels.