his father, a painter and architect, and his mother, Alice (Lily) Whichelo Forster. The loss of his father at the tender age of two led to a nurturing upbringing under the careful watch of his mother and great-aunt Marianne Thornton, who ensured his development was well-tended. Forster's early education journeyed through various preparatory schools before he found his intellectual home at Cambridge in 1897, where he began to carve his literary path. While his initial publications emerged during his university days, it was not until 1910 that Forster captured the public's imagination withHoward’s End, a novel dissecting the intricacies of class and culture in Edwardian England. His travels to India in 1912 sparked a fascination that deepened further during his return in 1921 amidst India's burgeoning nationalist movement post-1919. There, Forster served as a secretary to a maharajah, and the vibrant and complex backdrop of India inspired his seminal work, A Passage to India (1924), imbued with the philosophies and nationalistic fervor of the region. This masterpiece cast a long shadow, leaving Forster apprehensive about producing a follow-up of equal merit, and thus marked the end of his novel-writing. He remained an influential member of the Bloomsbury Group, a coterie of modernist thinkers and creatives, including luminaries like Virginia Woolf. Although Forster's sexual orientation was a closely guarded secret during his life, his posthumously published novel Maurice openly explored homosexual themes. Forster's chapter concluded on January 7, 1970, in Coventry, England.

H. Rider Haggard (1856–1925)

In the quaint village of Bradenham, Norfolk, England, on the 22nd of June in 1856, the adventurous spirit of Henry Rider Haggard was born. At the tender age of nineteen, he ventured across seas to the captivating lands of South Africa, where he served in the colonial ranks for half a decade. Eventually, Haggard returned to the bustling streets of London, leaving behind his colonial duties to embrace the world of law. However, it was the enchanting tales of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island that ignited a spark within him, compelling Haggard to craft his own thrilling sagas of adventure. Over time, he penned more than thirty novels, with King Solomon’s Mines (1886) standing out as a glittering gem among them. This novel soared to commercial heights, perhaps buoyed by the clever stratagem of multiple anonymous reviews concocted by Haggard and his ally, Andrew Lang, to champion the book. The tale ushered in a series of South African escapades helmed by the daring white hunter, Allan Quatermain.

Yet, it is perhaps She (1887) that remains his magnum opus, introducing the enigmatic She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed, a phrase that echoes even today. The narrative weaves the tale of a mesmerizing, yet perilous Arab goddess that challenges a white adventurer, a character some regard as a precursor to the iconic Indiana Jones of Raiders of the Lost Ark fame. Haggard’s camaraderie with Rudyard Kipling reflected their shared perspectives on indigenous cultures, often portraying white protagonists as gallant explorers amidst the mysterious allure of black men and women. Haggard's life came full circle on May 14, 1925, but his legacy lingered on with the posthumous publication of his autobiography, The Days of My Life, in 1926.

Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936)

Rudyard Kipling entered the world on December 30, 1865, amidst the exotic vibrancy of Bombay, India. His father, the esteemed curator of the Lahore Museum, inspired the opening scene of Kipling's renowned novel, Kim (1901). For five years, Kipling thrived in the warmth of his British parent's care, until the tides of life carried him to England for his education. By 1882, Kipling had returned to India, this time wielding a journalist’s pen, documenting life in the northern landscapes of the subcontinent for seven years.

His journeys then whisked him across the vast British Empire, touching lands such as South Africa, Rhodesia, Australia, and New Zealand. In the course of his travels, he married the American Caroline Balestier and briefly resided in America, during which his short stories began to garner acclaim. As he returned to England, his fame as a literary figure had already taken root. Among his cherished works are those that spoke to the youth, including The Jungle Book (1894–1895) and Kim. Beyond these, Kipling’s oeuvre expanded with story collections and his own life’s tale in Something of Myself (1934).

Yet, much of Kipling’s writing unfolded amidst personal turmoil; a brush with influenza nearly claimed his life, and his beloved daughter Josephine succumbed to the same illness at just seven years. His poignant poem, "The White Man’s Burden," published in 1899, encapsulated his views on Imperialism and race, echoing through much of his work. Kipling’s life story reached its end on January 18, 1936, when he succumbed to an intestinal hemorrhage in London. Today, he rests in the hallowed Poets’ Corner of Westminster Abbey, enveloped in the legacy of his literary contributions.