Burma, Kipling, and Western Music

Published in 2016 by Routledge, a division of the Taylor & Francis Group, this academic monograph explores the intersection of colonial history, literature, and musicology. Andrew Selth, a historian specializing in Burmese affairs, examines how Rudyard Kipling’s writings helped shape Western perceptions of Burma during the British colonial period. The work is situated within the broader context of post-colonial studies, analyzing the cultural baggage and orientalist themes embedded in Kipling's influence on Western art and musical composition.

The book is designed as a scholarly inquiry into the influence of imperial literature on cultural outputs, specifically focusing on how Kipling’s works provided source material for Western composers and performers. Selth utilizes a methodical approach to document these influences, aiming to clarify the historical connection between colonial-era literary works and their musical adaptations. It was received as a specialized, rigorous contribution to the study of British-Burmese relations and the historiography of musical reception.