The Hated Wife: Carrie Kipling 1862-1939 (Short Lives)

By Adam Nicolson

Carrie Kipling was one of the most despised women of her generation. Henry James called her "that hard, capable little person." Rudyard Kipling's parents saw her as no more than an American on the make. And yet, suspicious and vituperative as she was, Carrie was in many ways misunderstood. It was she who provided the backbone that her husband often preached but privately lacked. Drawing on a vast archive of diaries and letters, Adam Nicolson exposes the malignancy and detachment at the heart of the Kipling marriage. For the first time, Carrie is seen for the woman she was--not as a bully intent on controlling her genius husband, but as a lonely survivor in the face of serial family tragedy.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0571208355
• ISBN13: 9780571208357
• Release Date: May 2001
• Publisher: Short Books
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.5" x 0.3" x 4.5"

Customer Reviews

A Strong Woman

Carrie Kipling was the wife of famous Rudyard Kipling. She could be accused of being a strong woman, however she was just trying to get by day to day. Often times she was seen as"wearing the pants" in the family. She had far more gumption and backbone than her famous husband. I wonder how much Rudyard could have accomplished without her, as she managed everything so he could work. My only complaint about this book, was that it was just 96 pages and just did not go in depth enough to satisfy my interest. Saying she was the most hated woman of her era seems to be a bit of a stretch, in my view.