Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, novelist and short-story writer born in 1865 in India. The country provided inspiration for his works, in particular for Kim (1901) and Plain Tales from the Hills (1888). His legacy is vast, with novels such as The Jungle Book (1894), short stories including 'The Man Who Would Be King' and a multitude of poems such as 'If-' (1910) and 'Mandalay' (1890) among his most well-known works. He was a great innovator in children's stories and in the art of short story writing and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in recognition of his extraordinary writing abilities. Judith John (glossary) is a writer and editor specializing in literature and history. A former secondary school English Language and Literature teacher, she has subsequently worked as an editor on major educational projects, including English A: Literature for the Pearson International Baccalaureate series. Judith's major research interests include Romantic and Gothic literature, and Renaissance drama.