Summary:

Title: The Fringes of the Fleet (1915)

Author: Rudyard Kipling

Genre: Essay

Overview: In this short book, or essay, Kipling discusses the English Naval forces of World War 1. Using intellectual prose, poem and even dialogue, Kipling introduces the readers to the characters and action of naval and submersible warfare, through mine fields and militant convoys.

Critique:

Rudyard Kipling is a good writer. It is hard to debate that as he’s produced hundreds of works, including the famous “The Jungle Book.” This text, The Fringes of the Fleet, is another well written, page turning, easy to grasp, exciting, journey into the average life of a mariner, guarding strategic ports and clearing mine fields. 

Suggestions: For an early 20th century text, this is a good review of the lives and mannerisms of sailors during times of war. Even though this could seem as a historical document, over a 100 years old now, it’s relevance could not be more. Read this, as it’s interesting and quick.  This link I provide is for a larger collection of Kipling’s books, though you could run a internet search for only this essay.

Dirty Sailor Company (DSC) Essay:

 When I Read Kipling: 

Rudyard Kipling is one of those names most of us know, though I’m pretty sure not many of us know why we know the name. He wrote “The Jungle Book,” – Ok – not that I give a shit. But he wrote and influenced so much more. 

As a prominent journalist, writer, and speaker during and after World War 1, Kipling was influential to the public’s perception on British Colonies across the globe. In fact, Kipling wrote the “White Man’s Burden,” which became a foundational argument for why Europeans had an obligation from God to force empiricism on the world – specifically, the white man’s empire…. At this point, you should realize why you know Rudyard Kipling. The name was taught in that same social science or history class that taught about Manifest Destiny, or any of the other dogmatic doctrines that encourage(d) Europeans to force their civil-standards on others. 

But I love digressions. My mind twirls and eddies with them constantly and consistently. An essay like The Fringes of the Fleet not only teaches us about the fears, cock-sureness, boldness, and social methods of early 20th century merchant mariners and sailors, it encourages us to dive into other worlds, that relate to these men and these times periods. I ended Kipling’s short novel with a wealth of knowledge I would otherwise never have researched. 

Purchase the Rudyard Kipling compilation…