Publisher's Synopsis
The Bridge Builders is a novel written by Rudyard Kipling, published in 1899. The story takes place in India during the British colonial period and follows the efforts of a group of engineers and laborers who are tasked with building a bridge over a treacherous river. The main character is a British engineer named Stephen Orry, who is sent to India to oversee the construction of the bridge. Along the way, he faces numerous challenges, including a lack of resources, harsh weather conditions, and resistance from the local population. The novel explores themes of imperialism, cultural clashes, and the struggle to bridge the gap between different worlds. Kipling's writing style is characterized by his vivid descriptions of the Indian landscape, his use of local dialects, and his portrayal of the complex relationships between the British and Indian characters. Overall, The Bridge Builders is a compelling story that offers insight into the political and social climate of colonial India, as well as the human spirit's ability to overcome adversity and build connections across cultures.There were labour contractors by the half-hundred - fitters and riveters, European, borrowed from the railway workshops, with, perhaps, twenty white and half-caste subordinates to direct, under direction, the bevies of workmen - but none knew better than these two, who trusted each other, how the underlings were not to be trusted. They had been tried many times in sudden crises - by slipping of booms, by breaking of tackle, failure of cranes, and the wrath of the river.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.