Published in 1901, Kim is Rudyard Kipling’s final and most famous novel. It chronicles the adventures of an Irish orphan, Kimball O'Hara, son of an Irish soldier in India. Kim becomes the disciple of a Tibetan monk while learning espionage from the British secret service. The book is noteworthy for its nostalgic, colourful depiction of Indian culture, especially the diverse exotica of street life. The story unfolds against the backdrop of the Great Game, the political conflict between Russia and Britain in Central Asia.