The day's work

Twelve stories make up this collection, which looks at labor and craftsmanship and the way people find meaning in their trades. Several tales take readers to the sea, where ships and the men who sail them are central, and others turn to the lives of animals and to children. The book also moves between England and America, and it includes "A Walking Delegate," "The Bridge-Builders," "The Tomb of His Ancestors" and "William the Conqueror," among others.

Rudyard Kipling, the English writer who was born in British India, is best known for his tales of empire, adventure and the natural world. This collection, published by Oxford University Press, shows his range across very different settings and subjects.