This is the story of Kipling's life, presented in the first person, based where possible on his autobiography 'Something of Myself,' and interspersed with a selection of dramatic readings of his best loved poetry. 

It covers his early childhood in India, his traumatic boyhood in Southsea, his education at Westward Ho!, his time as a Reporter in India, his marriage to his best friend's sister, the death of his daughter Josephine, his experiences during the Great War and the loss of his son John at the Battle of Loos.

Poems include:-

• The Way Through The Woods

• Tommy

• The Glory of the Garden

• My Rival

• My Boy Jack

• Gethsemane

• If

• Gunga Din

• The Last of the Light Brigade

• The River's Tale

• The Smuggler's Song

"We were visibly moved by the whole presentation told by a wonderful storyteller and we were sorry that it had to end" - Tylney Luncheon Club Aug'08

"What a treat! .. murmurs of disappointment that it was finished went round the hall." - Farnham Town Women's Guild Jan'09

"We greatly enjoyed your professional performance .." - Woking U3A Feb'09

"Carried off with great aplomb!  .... interspersing his life story by enacting his many poems - including 'Gunga Din' and 'If', this has become one of the most unusual ways of capturing our interest" - Hannington WI Mar'10

"You came highly recommended and you did not disappoint us.... we held on to your every word for nearly an hour and enjoyed every minute" - North Waltham WI - Sep'10

"Received a standing ovation" - Twynham Probus Jul'14

"Even by the high standards of the speakers we book, last month's presentation on Rudyard Kipling by Jonathan Jones was extraordinarily good and we recommend it highly to other groups. In period costume and in the first person he told the story of the writer's life and delivered a wide range of his poetry. Many of our members were visibly moved." - Southbourne Literary Society - Sep'14

"Thank you again for the tour de force with which you entertained us this afternoon. I have rarely seen the membership so enthused." - Bournemouth Literary Luncheon Society Feb'16

The presentation was exceptional both in content and delivery. You held the audience spellbound and, dare I say it, eating out of your hand! ...  I have received many complimentary remarks from several of the members expressing their view that you are an “exceptional speaker”. -  New Milton Probus - Mar'16

“provided us with an inspirational hour of recitations ..... taking us through emotional highs and lows .... the poetry recitations were truly amazing; his entire talk was from memory” - Sherborne Womens Fellowship May'16

"Haddenham U3A were very appreciative of your performance as Rudyard Kipling. People were spellbound; they loved the poems and of course found out a lot about the man" - Haddenham U3A Mar'17