Secrets

by Ruskin Bond

This brilliant new collection of stories by one of India’s best-loved storytellers richly evokes Dehradun of the 1940s; with its quaint cinema halls and crumbling villas; its modest chaat-shops and ubiquitous tongas. But; as young Ruskin—the narrator in these interconnected tales—soon discovers; not all is as it seems in this sleepy town. Behind the tranquil facade; Dehra is home to a cast of colourful from plucky old women to possible murderers. ‘The Canal’ is a joyful tribute to adolescent mischief and adult resolve; in which a group of roguish boys must face the consequences of antagonizing the much-feared Miss Gamla. ‘Over the Wall’ celebrates the resilience and hard-won dignity of a man ravaged by leprosy as he struggles to come to terms with his malady. The dashing young army captain in ‘At Green’s Hotel’ might be the perfect gentleman—or a murderer. And in ‘The Skeleton in the Cupboard’; an old scandal is revived following a chance discovery; leading to wholly unexpected results. By turns charming and poignant; witty and exhilarating; Secrets is vintage Bond.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Indian Literature, Mystery

168 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Ruskin Bond is an Indian author of British descent. He is considered to be an icon among Indian writers and children's authors and a top novelist. He wrote his first novel, The Room on the Roof, when he was seventeen which won John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize in 1957. Since then he has written several novellas, over 500 short stories, as well as various essays and poems, all of which have established him as one of the best-loved and most admired chroniclers of contemporary India. In 1992 he received the Sahitya Akademi award for English writing, for his short stories collection, "Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra", by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters in India. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 for contributions to children's literature. He now lives with his adopted family in Landour near Mussoorie.

Reviews

[Jae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio Book narrated by Vineet Kumar Kamal Nain Panchhi

What more is there to say about Ruskin Bond's quiet, gentle stories of life in the small villages of the Himalayas, other than that I love them and will continue to read them many times over.

[Tnahsin Garg · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a particular aisle on one of the floors of my university library which exclusively contains only Indian writing in English. All the prominent authors and their works are neatly stacked in about four tall bookracks, and thus that forgotten aisle lures me in to visit every once in a while. Every time I go, I get a bagful of books issued (library allows me 1 year of checkout on an unlimited number of books!). On my last visit, my eyes fell on the Ruskin Bond shelf and I picked "Secrets". Considering its thinness, I knew this would not only be an enjoyable read before bed every night but will also greatly help me in keeping track on my GoodReads challenge.

And what a fun read it was! Bond's writing is story writing at its core with no extra bells and whistles. Their apparent veracity, almost memoir-like form, realistic descriptions of small towns and people of post-colonial India makes for a light, leisurely reading. The stories here, most of them inspired by true events that happened to Bond when he was a teenager living in Dehradun, are crisp and are not too heavy on your mind. (This is in contrast with "The Handmaid's Tale" which I am currently reading - and that is indeed some heavy stuff.)

Yeah, so, on the other hand, its the simplicity of Bond's stories and writing is what makes me think that this book is perhaps more appropriate for younger readers (teenagers, kids?). This book would be an excellent starting point for reading to your young ones. One day when I'll have a toddler of my own at home, I'll surely read them, Ruskin Bond, to bed. Till then, I'll stick to the heavy stuff and come to light books only occasionally (or when I am running behind on the GR challenge!)

Final Verdict : As said before, the book is primarily geared towards younger audiences. There's not enough gore or thrill to provide thorough entertainment to an adult. Can be a great addition to the story books you're thinking of reading to your kid before bed.

[MountainKid ED · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was sitting for quite a while in my collection and i had to complete it, afterall it's Ruskin sir.
These bygone era stories are surely fascinating especially coming from Ruskin sir.
Surely a good read while there's no electricity and it's raining outside.
Much love 💕❤️

[Hriday · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruskin Bond's usual fare of small town incidents, mountains, valleys, tonga rides, chaat shops and decrepit establishments. What then makes each of his tale so magical, so melancholic and so re-readable?

After reading over 10 books from this author, I believe the answer to that lies in the fact that Bond writes about memories. In presenting his tales, he actually places a rear-view mirror in front of you from which you may look into your own past. And memories give rise to sweet melancholy because you are reminded of the sweet ones that didn't last and hence are sad or the sad ones that did happen and hence, are sad again.

Perhaps the only author who arranges only the kindling and let the readers' own mind do the rest. Profound, charming and unforgettable writing.

[Harshit Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another gem by Ruskin Bond. The first three stories out of the seven are really wonderful. The rest not bad, too.

You can get a detailed review at my Blog.

[Shampa Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me some more time than necessary to finally finish the book.
This book is very nostalgic, written in the usual autobiographical style of Bond, full of stories from the memories of childhood and teen-hood of the author. Reading the stories is very enjoyable and relaxing and felt like revisiting my own childhood.

Here is my rating of the seven stories from the book:

The Canal - 4.5 stars, I laughed so hard reading this story.

Over the Wall - 5 stars, this story is so heart touching, I like this one the most.

Gracie - 4.5 stars, this story is also heart touching as well as introduced us with the hardcore reality of the life.

At Green's Hotel - 3 stars, this story felt not too well as like something missing in the plot.

The Skeleton in the Cupboard - 3.5 stars, not much mystery in the story, but some well enjoyed humor is there.

The Late Night Show - 3 stars, as the title indicate it certainly is about the movie night adventures of the author and something more than that, but the ending is a bit disappointing.

A Tiger in the Lounge - 3 stars, the story is moderate, not too much fan to read as I expected.

Overall this is good book to enjoy in some lazy rainy days or holiday or even in bed times. I think I would enjoy it more if I read it some years ago. It is the book mainly for younger readers who are in their teens. I surely recommend them to read it.

[Messybookreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Secrets" by Ruskin Bond is a collection of intriguing short stories that delve into the mysteries of life in the tranquil hills of India. Bond's signature storytelling style captivates readers with its simplicity yet depth, weaving tales of love, loss, and the enigmatic forces that shape human existence.

I found the pacing of certain stories to be slow, lacking the intensity or gripping plot twists they expect from mystery tales. Additionally, the simplicity of Bond's writing style, while charming for many, may feel too straightforward for those seeking more complex narratives or intricate prose.
It may not fully satisfy readers looking for more dynamic storytelling or literary depth.

However, Bond's keen observation and knack for portraying the human condition make "Secrets" a must-read for anyone who enjoys tales of mystery and introspection set against the backdrop of the Himalayas.

[Saurabh Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vintage Ruskin Bond: a book some years before collections with old stories in new jackets thronged bookstores, much to the chagrin of scores of his fans. What’s great here is that the stories are interconnected and have a common setting, thereby making the flow seamless. Via this anthology Mr. Bond reinstates his position as one of India’s greatest storytellers.

The cover design by Ahlawat Gunjan is weird as can be, mind you, he’s the gold standard among book cover designers, but here he gets it awfully wrong. The front cover looks like a mixture of chocolate syrup and blood swirled together with brushstrokes.

[T. Sark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part 1 of the 'Stuff I read on my Sikkim trip'. This is a collection of short stories that fictionalizes (to some extent) Ruskin Bond's childhood memories and the characters emerging from it.

This was a re-read, but since I first read the stories a few years ago, still very new.

Anything by Mr. Bond has always been an absolute delight. It's like coming home. Reading his stories makes it okay to take joy in the littlest of things, to hold on to the fond nostalgia of childhood. Reading his work also reminds me of why I love reading so much.

Five star then, five star now.

[Sanchita Sarkar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful collection of short stories. As one goes through them they see the charm of old Dehradun. Each story has characters with specific behavior. Many of us have come across similar people in our childhood, so one goes back to their school days when they read it. The vivid description of the city by the author makes one feel as if they are standing the city and observing everything.

This is a great fit for reading while travelling to work. Since there are short stories one can easily take them up without bothering about losing the continuity of story due to breaks.

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good book and a must for readers ...It is one of my all time favourite books.It consists of numerous short stories witnessing the incidences faced by Ruskin bond during his life time. I would not definitely be a spoiler by deeply telling everything about it . But one should give a definite try to this book

[S G Akshaykumar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Secrets by Ruskin Bond was my introduction to his works. The stories were nice. That’s all I have to say. They were good but nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe I am a bit too old to appreciate the simplicity. The stories are very well written. I will give it that.

[Aruna Kumar Gadepalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collection of Seven stories by Ruskin Bond. One or two I have already read from a different collection, rereading, worth spending time on the stories well written.

[Sowmya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, crisp, funny and amusing, like most Ruskin Bond books. Every story uncovered or revealed a secret and although it got quite predictable, the narrative, writing and the ease with which the story flowed, made it worth the read.

[Bikramjit Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice 👌👌

[Zeni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the plot twists in most stories and the writing style!

[Vivart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vintage Bond. The Canal, Over the Wall and Gracie are the stories I loved so much. These are stories, which have a thematic unity, and can be read as a novella also.

[Sundeep Supertramp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Been a long time since I last completed reading a book in a day. Well, of course, not in a single sitting, but then it is such an accomplishment given my busy schedule these days.

Getting to the point, it is surely not one of the bests of the author............................ (Read the whole review on my blog.)

The original review of this book is posted on my blog...

To read the original review of this book, click here...

[Kaushal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secrets comprises of 7 short stories from my favorite author.
Below is the order in which I liked them.
1. Over the Wall
2. Gracie
3. The Canal
4. At Green's Hotel
5. A Tiger in the Lounge
6. The Late Night Show
7. The Skeleton in the Cupboard

Over the Wall and Gracie are exceptionally great and i guess everyone will like them. An interesting story line with unexpectedly thoughtful endings. The Canal is typical Ruskin childhood fun story which reminded me of my own childhood days and our own fun which me and my childhood friends used to do then. At Green's Hotel and A Tiger in the Lounge are good time pass reads. The Late night show is good throughout but I just couldn't appreciate the ending. Same is the case with the skeleton in the Cupboard.
All in all I loved the book.

[Gaurav Prabhu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some stories are really good. A mix bag. I might be too hard as I'm not fond of fiction. However, I do recommend this for one's who need to spend a few good hours reading light stories.

[Tridib Ghosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best Ruskin Bond books. Some sweet and thrilling memories from his childhood days..

[Mukul Bhatnagar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a real gem from Ruskin Bond. A book that will keep you entertained.

[Haroon Shareef · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its OK!

[Gouri · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first ruskin bond book i bought. Thats good enough....

[Dr Sneh Kalgotra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple read. Nicely composed simple short stories.

[Aarti Tiwari]

Awsm book