Kimball O’Hara is the orphaned son of an Irish soldier whose
mother died in poverty. As a street
urchin in British India, Kim survives by begging and running small errands for
shopkeepers. Through a local horse
trader, Kim inadvertently becomes involved with ferrying information for the
British secret service. When Kim enters
into the service of a holy lama on a path to enlightenment, his travels take
him across the length and breadth of India.
“Kim” might be somewhat difficult to read at first, what with
the period language and the historical setting, but it’s definitely worth your
time. This is the type of adventure that
every boy dreams of having, and I can’t think of any place more diverse and
challenging than India. Even as an
orphan in a country with a billion other people, Kim never seems to lose his
nerve. “Kim” is a classic adventure
novel that’s well-deserving of a spot on your reading list.
