“Ukrainian editions of Rudyard Kipling literary works are among the best”

Recently the first Ukrainian book of poems by Rudyard Kipling Mezhychassia (Between times) came to the Museum in Rottingdean, Great Britain. Kipling lived with his family in this small town near the sea. The museum recreates a study of the writer, where a wax figure of the great author works at the table. Now the Rottingdean collection of Kipling’s books also contains Ukrainian Mezhychassia. Since it is a bilingual edition (it has both Ukrainian and English texts), it became the highlight of the local bookshelf.

But many more Ukrainian books can now be found in Kipling Library at City University of London. This world’s largest collection of Kipling’s books contains original editions published during the author’s life and almost all editions, published after his death. There are also translations from around the world presented there. Last month the library even opened a corner of Ukrainian translations, where the visitors can find Ukrainian editions. The British men, despite the fact that they don’t know the language, are pleased to browse the beautiful color edition Metelyk Yaky Tupnuv Nizhkoiu (Butterfly That Stamped Its Foot) published by Staroho Leva Publishing House. By the way, thanks to the illustrations by Volodymyr Shtanko, the book was exhibited at Kipling’s Night hosted by the British Association of Book and Newspaper Sellers. They also got interested in music CD with the recordings of rock musician from Kyiv Serhii Vasyliuk to the Kipling’s lyrics, which is a part of the edition published by the publishing house “Navchalna Knyha – Bohdan” Legends from the Jungle Book. And the latest book of the same publishing house Tales for All Tastes was, in fact, prepared for publishing with the direct assistance of Kipling Society of Great Britain. It includes tales and stories that are rarely found even in England, and one of the tales “How to Bring Up a Lion” was simply lost at some point and was never published in English as a book.

“Today Kipling is losing his popularity at home, moving into the category of classics,” said the honorary librarian of Kipling Society John Walker. “But people in the faraway countries are beginning to discover his work and fall in love with it. Ukrainian editions of Rudyard Kipling’s literary works are among the best of foreign editions I’ve ever come across.”

Another Ukrainian translation of the work of the classic – the story Stalki and His Team (publishing house “Navchalna Knyha – Bohdan”) will be presented at the Forum of Publishers in Lviv. Even before it release the book got acquainted with English soil. Rural community in South West England – Westword Go, the place where the story unfolds, got a chance to look at the illustrations from the Ukrainian edition. One of them now adorns the city hall.