Stalky and Co. is a hilarious and entertaining novel by Rudyard Kipling that follows the misadventures of a group of rebellious schoolboys at a prestigious British boarding school. The characters are incredibly well-developed and their witty dialogue and antics keep the reader engaged from start to finish.

Kipling's storytelling is both captivating and humorous, as he expertly weaves together scenes of mischief, pranks, and friendships. The novel also provides a fascinating look into the life and culture of British public schools in the late 19th century.

Overall, Stalky and Co. is a must-read for fans of classic literature and coming-of-age stories. It is a fun and engaging read that will leave you laughing out loud and rooting for the lovable troublemakers until the very end.

Book Description:

Rudyard Kipling published Stalky & Co. in 1899. Set at an English boarding school in a seaside town on the North Devon coast. (The town, Westward Ho!, is not only unusual in having an exclamation mark, but also in being itself named after a novel, by Charles Kingsley.)

The book is a collection of linked short stories, with some information about the eponymous Stalky’s later life. Beetle, one of the main trio, is said to be based on Kipling himself, while Stalky may be based on Lionel Dunsterville.

The stories have elements of the macabre (dead cats), bullying and violence, and hints about sex, making them far from the childish or idealised world of the typical school story. Edmund Wilson, critic, in The Wound and the Bow, was both shocked and uncomprehending.

Adapted by Tim Bulkeley from the Wikipedia entry.