The Man Who Would Be King

Context:

Mentioned in discussion of Freemasonry in the British Empire. The hosts note that Kipling's story begins with a section about Masonry and features characters who use Masonic rituals to establish authority.

Context:

Referenced alongside Heart of Darkness as an example of more morally complex imperial literature compared to boys' adventure stories

Context:

Referenced briefly by Tom as an example of the 'adventure' framing of imperial history—British adventurers going off to exotic, far-flung places. Used to characterize a style of children's history writing that presented colonial encounters as exciting adventures rather than examining the perspectives of colonized peoples.

Context:

Described as 'a very George R.R. Martin story' in discussion of Kipling's influence and British imperial writing about frontiers