The Man Who Would Be King
The Man Who Would Be King, first published in 1888, is one of Rudyard Kipling's best-known stories. The narrator, a newspaperman in India, meets two loafers on a train, Peachey Carnehan and Daniel Dravot, and later learns their plan: to travel beyond the Khyber into Kafiristan, a remote mountain country no European has entered, and make themselves its kings with twenty rifles and a knowledge of drill. Years afterward a broken man staggers into the newspaper office to tell how it turned out. Kipling frames the tale with the heat and routine of the press office, and makes it a story of ambition, comradeship and the folly of empire. The full text is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, with the opening pages free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about The Man Who Would Be King
The Man Who Would Be King by Rudyard Kipling can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read The Man Who Would Be King online?
Yes. The Man Who Would Be King opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is The Man Who Would Be King free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of The Man Who Would Be King is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is The Man Who Would Be King in the public domain?
Yes. The Man Who Would Be King by Rudyard Kipling is a public-domain work. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read The Man Who Would Be King?
About 58 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is The Man Who Would Be King?
The Man Who Would Be King by Rudyard Kipling is filed under "Fiction" in the Vinteuil library.
