Plain Tales from the Hills conjures an intimate, evocative, often funny, and always vital portrait of India. Written by the much-loved Rudyard Kipling these stories comprise his unabridged observations of the British in India, originally commissioned for the Civil and Military Gazette for whom he worked as a journalist in the 1880s. Incredibly, Kipling wrote these famous and atmospheric pieces before he was 22, and they aptly illustrate his genius as a storyteller whose words and voice have stood the test of time. The raciness of his narrative, the astute detail and insight, the humor and vitality of his characters — all contribute to ensure these stories remain as various and memorable as India itself.