What do you think?
Rate this book
Uncles, Aunts and Elephants: A Ruskin Bond Treasury
A timeless selection of writings from India’s best-loved author
I know the world’s a crowded place, And elephants do take up space, But if it makes a difference, Lord, I’d gladly share my room and board. A baby elephant would do . . . But, if he brings his mother too, There’s Dad’s garage. He wouldn’t mind. To elephants, he’s more than kind. But I wonder what my Mum would say If their aunts and uncles came to stay!
Ruskin Bond has regaled generations of readers for decades. This delightful collection of poetry, prose and non-fiction brings together some of his best work in a single volume. Sumptuously illustrated, Uncles, Aunts and Elephants: Tales from Your Favourite Storyteller is a book to treasure for all times.
I know the world’s a crowded place, And elephants do take up space, But if it makes a difference, Lord, I’d gladly share my room and board. A baby elephant would do . . . But, if he brings his mother too, There’s Dad’s garage. He wouldn’t mind. To elephants, he’s more than kind. But I wonder what my Mum would say If their aunts and uncles came to stay!
Ruskin Bond has regaled generations of readers for decades. This delightful collection of poetry, prose and non-fiction brings together some of his best work in a single volume. Sumptuously illustrated, Uncles, Aunts and Elephants: Tales from Your Favourite Storyteller is a book to treasure for all times.
352 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2014
About the author
Ruskin Bond
710 books3,620 followersRuskin 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 30, 2020
Actual rating: 3.7 stars
What a delightful read! A classic Ruskin Bond book that can be read by anyone irrespective of age.
The book has fictional and non fictional short stories, as well as poetry. Part memoir!
My favorite stories:
Fictional ones -
Escape from Java
Monkey Trouble
Non Fictional ones -
Reading Was My Religion
Simla and Delhi, 1943
Reading Was My Religion is about how a young Ruskin Bond picked up reading as a habit and how he feels about religion in general.
My favorite quotes from various chapters:
#1 Neurotics do not walk for pleasure; they walk out of of compulsion. They are not looking at the trees or the flowers or the mountains; they are not looking at other people (except in apprehension); they are usually walking away from something - unhappiness or disarray in their lives. They tire themselves out, physically and mentally, and that brings them some relief.
#2 Nothing could be further removed from the turmoil of our times than an English cathedral in the nineteenth century. But l think Jane Austen have appreciated life in Bhabiji's house.
#3 Where the man goes, the crow follows. He has learnt to perfection the art of living off humans. He will, I am sure, be the first bird on the moon, scavenging among the paper bags and cartons left behind by untidy astronauts.
#4 Looking back on my boyhood, I feel sure that my mother must have had her own compulsions, her own views on e and how it should be lived. After all, she had only been eighteen when she had married my father, who was Out fifteen years her senior. She and her sisters had a a fun-loving set; they enjoyed going to dances, parties. She must have found my father too serious totoo much of a stay-at-home, happy making the morning butter or sorting through his stamps in very the evening. My mother told me later that he was very jealous, keeping her away from other men. And who wouldn't have been jealous? She was young, pretty vivacious-everyone looked twice at her! They were obviously incompatible. They should never have married, I suppose. In which case, of course, I would not be here, penning these memoirs.
What a delightful read! A classic Ruskin Bond book that can be read by anyone irrespective of age.
The book has fictional and non fictional short stories, as well as poetry. Part memoir!
My favorite stories:
Fictional ones -
Escape from Java
Monkey Trouble
Non Fictional ones -
Reading Was My Religion
Simla and Delhi, 1943
Reading Was My Religion is about how a young Ruskin Bond picked up reading as a habit and how he feels about religion in general.
My favorite quotes from various chapters:
#1 Neurotics do not walk for pleasure; they walk out of of compulsion. They are not looking at the trees or the flowers or the mountains; they are not looking at other people (except in apprehension); they are usually walking away from something - unhappiness or disarray in their lives. They tire themselves out, physically and mentally, and that brings them some relief.
#2 Nothing could be further removed from the turmoil of our times than an English cathedral in the nineteenth century. But l think Jane Austen have appreciated life in Bhabiji's house.
#3 Where the man goes, the crow follows. He has learnt to perfection the art of living off humans. He will, I am sure, be the first bird on the moon, scavenging among the paper bags and cartons left behind by untidy astronauts.
#4 Looking back on my boyhood, I feel sure that my mother must have had her own compulsions, her own views on e and how it should be lived. After all, she had only been eighteen when she had married my father, who was Out fifteen years her senior. She and her sisters had a a fun-loving set; they enjoyed going to dances, parties. She must have found my father too serious totoo much of a stay-at-home, happy making the morning butter or sorting through his stamps in very the evening. My mother told me later that he was very jealous, keeping her away from other men. And who wouldn't have been jealous? She was young, pretty vivacious-everyone looked twice at her! They were obviously incompatible. They should never have married, I suppose. In which case, of course, I would not be here, penning these memoirs.
March 21, 2021
There was 'A Little Friend' who ate bread crumbs,
He was 'My Best Friend' in London because we both were the lonesomes.
He reminded me of my friends- our gang of four feathers,
When we were in Simla and were the 'Boy Scouts Forever'.
Went into we jungle and tasted the 'Bitter Gooseberries',
Whose 'Fragrance In The Air' was all over in the 'Garden of Memories'.
There was a 'Hill of Fairies' beside 'The Canal'
'The Good Earth' was calling us and our nostrils were smelling some royale.
There was a row of some odd cafes behind which was a 'Garden of a Thousand Trees',
'As a Boy' I was tempted to enter that bliss, and asked my pals, "Can we go there please?"
Our friend, the 'Boy in a Blue Pullover' entered 'In a Strange Cafè', and he walked slow,
'We Three' followed him and looked out for a perfect seat 'In search of the Perfect Window'.
'A New Flower' was blooming near, for which words of praise I have none,
There were some lovely birds but I was waiting for the 'Return of The White Pigeon'.
The white pigeon was one among those I saw near 'Bhabhiji's House' where, I know, I always belong,
That house in Delhi was the one where I found that for me 'Love's a Sad Song'.
Suddenly, there was the 'Monkey trouble' that broke my spell,
And, I saw there were 'Miss Romola and Others', waiting for the breakfast bell.
And then there was 'A Knock at the Door' and 'Here Comes Mr. Oliver'
He has 'The Eyes of the Eagle', so before he says something, we four saluted, "Good morning, sir!"
'Mr. Oliver's Diary' was opening to write down the names where he kept a bookmark,
"You shouldn't be roaming far away from the camp," 'He said it with Arsenic', but suddenly we all heard a dog-bark.
There was 'The Black Cat' who had 'The Evil Eye',
'The Cat Has Something to Say' that made the dog bark and the 'White Mice' cry.
I thought 'If Mice Could Roar', the black cat would be frightened,
And if 'The Elephant and the Cassowary Bird' could become best friends, grandfather's life would be brightened.
Grandfather's memory reminded me of the day when 'Grandfather Fights an Ostrich',
The days were those when among 'Grandfather's Many Faces', there was the face of a Witch.
'Wilson's Bridge' was her home,
Where she could freely roam.
'The Demon Driver' was grandfather's one more disguise,
'Simla and Delhi, 1943' were his favourite places where he was seen in his car, touching the skies.
The waiter brought a plate of royale,
And to the memory land, I once again had a fall.
I remember my grandmother's words, 'Respect Your Breakfast'
Her thoughts, written all over rhe kitchen walls, were nothing but her kitchen life's gist.
She was as active as a kid, climbing the walls and the trees,
The thought of 'Granny's tree climbing' is what still makes me freeze.
I remember then our 'Escape from java',
Me, my father, and uncle Ken eating all the way sour guava.
'Uncle Ken's Rumble in the Jungle' was a talk of the town,
'Uncle Ken's Feathered Foes' made him a king with a feather crown.
He detest all but 'The Parrot Who Wouldn't Talk',
He pitied the 'Bird Life In The City' and to the wild he took his usual walk.
We finished the royale and came back to the Jungle,
A tiger was there as frightened of us as we were of him, we took a few steps back and said, "Good dmDay to You, Uncle".
Memories are good, I love to go back in my past,
Now I stay in Landour, where the life is not so fast.
'April in Landour' was the time when I came here,
'Reading Was My Religion' and I had nothing else to go anywhere.
I love the mountain strolls and my hill movements,
Now I write about Uncles, Aunts and Elephants.
He was 'My Best Friend' in London because we both were the lonesomes.
He reminded me of my friends- our gang of four feathers,
When we were in Simla and were the 'Boy Scouts Forever'.
Went into we jungle and tasted the 'Bitter Gooseberries',
Whose 'Fragrance In The Air' was all over in the 'Garden of Memories'.
There was a 'Hill of Fairies' beside 'The Canal'
'The Good Earth' was calling us and our nostrils were smelling some royale.
There was a row of some odd cafes behind which was a 'Garden of a Thousand Trees',
'As a Boy' I was tempted to enter that bliss, and asked my pals, "Can we go there please?"
Our friend, the 'Boy in a Blue Pullover' entered 'In a Strange Cafè', and he walked slow,
'We Three' followed him and looked out for a perfect seat 'In search of the Perfect Window'.
'A New Flower' was blooming near, for which words of praise I have none,
There were some lovely birds but I was waiting for the 'Return of The White Pigeon'.
The white pigeon was one among those I saw near 'Bhabhiji's House' where, I know, I always belong,
That house in Delhi was the one where I found that for me 'Love's a Sad Song'.
Suddenly, there was the 'Monkey trouble' that broke my spell,
And, I saw there were 'Miss Romola and Others', waiting for the breakfast bell.
And then there was 'A Knock at the Door' and 'Here Comes Mr. Oliver'
He has 'The Eyes of the Eagle', so before he says something, we four saluted, "Good morning, sir!"
'Mr. Oliver's Diary' was opening to write down the names where he kept a bookmark,
"You shouldn't be roaming far away from the camp," 'He said it with Arsenic', but suddenly we all heard a dog-bark.
There was 'The Black Cat' who had 'The Evil Eye',
'The Cat Has Something to Say' that made the dog bark and the 'White Mice' cry.
I thought 'If Mice Could Roar', the black cat would be frightened,
And if 'The Elephant and the Cassowary Bird' could become best friends, grandfather's life would be brightened.
Grandfather's memory reminded me of the day when 'Grandfather Fights an Ostrich',
The days were those when among 'Grandfather's Many Faces', there was the face of a Witch.
'Wilson's Bridge' was her home,
Where she could freely roam.
'The Demon Driver' was grandfather's one more disguise,
'Simla and Delhi, 1943' were his favourite places where he was seen in his car, touching the skies.
The waiter brought a plate of royale,
And to the memory land, I once again had a fall.
I remember my grandmother's words, 'Respect Your Breakfast'
Her thoughts, written all over rhe kitchen walls, were nothing but her kitchen life's gist.
She was as active as a kid, climbing the walls and the trees,
The thought of 'Granny's tree climbing' is what still makes me freeze.
I remember then our 'Escape from java',
Me, my father, and uncle Ken eating all the way sour guava.
'Uncle Ken's Rumble in the Jungle' was a talk of the town,
'Uncle Ken's Feathered Foes' made him a king with a feather crown.
He detest all but 'The Parrot Who Wouldn't Talk',
He pitied the 'Bird Life In The City' and to the wild he took his usual walk.
We finished the royale and came back to the Jungle,
A tiger was there as frightened of us as we were of him, we took a few steps back and said, "Good dmDay to You, Uncle".
Memories are good, I love to go back in my past,
Now I stay in Landour, where the life is not so fast.
'April in Landour' was the time when I came here,
'Reading Was My Religion' and I had nothing else to go anywhere.
I love the mountain strolls and my hill movements,
Now I write about Uncles, Aunts and Elephants.
March 16, 2020
Superb book! My first read Ruskin Bond book and indeed become a fan of his beautiful writing. This book is actually a memoir of his life covering the various incidents during his boarding school holiday stay in his maternal grandparents' home in Dehra and many more from his latter part of life.
May 12, 2021
It has a huge collection of Ruskin bonds writings. The whole book is divided into three sections- Fiction, Non-Fiction and Poetry.
My personal favorites are A little friends from Fiction, April in Landour from non-fiction and Love sad song from poetry section.
It could be read by anyone and everyone.
My personal favorites are A little friends from Fiction, April in Landour from non-fiction and Love sad song from poetry section.
It could be read by anyone and everyone.
September 15, 2020
Uncles, Aunts & Elephants is a selection of Bond's writings delicately divided into three main categories - poetry, prose and non-fiction.
As mentioned, this delightful book contains some of Bond's most well-written write-ups. It has about 20 fictional short-stories, 18 non-fiction writings and 10 poems. Not to mention, it has a wonderful foreword by Bond, too. Many a times, the foreword or introduction, given by the authors goes underappreciated. But this foreword surely deserves to be appreciated.
The stories and poems are just a delight to read. They are humorous, thought-provoking, delightful and heartwarming. They have the usual Ruskin Bond element which makes the story highly enjoyable. It is also accompanied by a few gorgeous illustrations.
Highly Recommended! A must have for all readers and non-readers alike!
A few of my favourite stories and poems are ~
Fiction
• A Little Friend
• The Black Cat
• Monkey Trouble
Non-fiction
• A Knock At The Door
• Bird Life in the City
• In Search of the Perfect Window
• Respect Your Breakfast
Poetry
• In a Strange Cafe
• The Cat Has Something To Say
As mentioned, this delightful book contains some of Bond's most well-written write-ups. It has about 20 fictional short-stories, 18 non-fiction writings and 10 poems. Not to mention, it has a wonderful foreword by Bond, too. Many a times, the foreword or introduction, given by the authors goes underappreciated. But this foreword surely deserves to be appreciated.
The stories and poems are just a delight to read. They are humorous, thought-provoking, delightful and heartwarming. They have the usual Ruskin Bond element which makes the story highly enjoyable. It is also accompanied by a few gorgeous illustrations.
Highly Recommended! A must have for all readers and non-readers alike!
A few of my favourite stories and poems are ~
Fiction
• A Little Friend
• The Black Cat
• Monkey Trouble
Non-fiction
• A Knock At The Door
• Bird Life in the City
• In Search of the Perfect Window
• Respect Your Breakfast
Poetry
• In a Strange Cafe
• The Cat Has Something To Say
January 24, 2025
My first book of year 2025 and I have made the right choice to begin my year with. Ruskin Bond's way of story telling is very simple, heartwarming and takes you close to the nature. He has beautifully described the surrounding nature and characters in each story.
How he narrated the characteristics of each bird, animal and flowers is very mesmerizing. It shows his deep knowledge and association with mother Earth.
This book is something you can read at all times and can be read by people of any age . Very soothing and pleasant read.
How he narrated the characteristics of each bird, animal and flowers is very mesmerizing. It shows his deep knowledge and association with mother Earth.
This book is something you can read at all times and can be read by people of any age . Very soothing and pleasant read.
January 20, 2019
Through this book, Ruskin Bond continues to entertain thousands of children across India. This book is a typical Ruskin Bond book, filled with fun and enjoyement which will leave you satisfied but at the same time, craving for more. The book also posesses a hint of innocence and is very soothing and relaxing. It also transports the reader to a whole new world altogether.
February 27, 2026
Another book which I really enjoyed reading , these stories makes you too think the small events which happens in our life we can always find humour in it or learn lessons. These stories tell life can be simple and interesting. Love the stories and it makes you to revisit your childhood stories.
May 14, 2019
The fictional, non fictional stories and poems r simply amazing. Ruskin Bond has his own way of writing to impress readers!!
May 26, 2019
Wonderful!!
August 25, 2019
It was everything a Ruskin Bond book should be.. a delightful experience all in all
October 21, 2021
One of the gems from Mr ruskin bond, every story of this book gives a pleasant taste to your mind and enriches your reading experience of this book.
December 8, 2021
Great collection of stories and poems by Ruskin Bond. This book can attract attention of not only children but also a break from life for adults.
February 4, 2022
Gosh, This is a lovely but realistic fun book. I loved it so much mainly because of the fluid writing!
March 1, 2022
This book is one of my favourites amongst his collection. Completely in awe with his writing.
May 16, 2023
Nice stories about animals,few nonfiction real accounts and poems..readable for fun and knowledge..takes time..
April 3, 2024
Amusing as always, a cheerful collection of short stories, memoirs, and poetry by Bond to get in touch with the child in you :)
Read
March 28, 2026Great collection of short stories of varying genres. Contains stories for children about animals and friendship. Good read nonetheless!
July 19, 2018
Was a pleasure reading this. One of the best collections of Ruskin Bond's works. Ruskin Bond never fails to invoke a romanticism for the simpler life and a yearning for the mountains.
February 14, 2023
Hilarious 😂
November 15, 2015
" A little nonsense now and then is cherished by the wisest men."
This book fully satisfies this quote. This book is the kind of book you read just for the sake of fun. Innocence is the best thing I find in Ruskin Bond's books and it is present in almost all his books. Reading his books soothes your mind. Whenever you need a little break from the hustle bustle of the city you can pick up any of his book and start reading...soon you will be carried into the small towns of the mountains where there is no hurry, no tension...just simple life which is so beautiful in its own that for a moment you would'nt want to return.
Uncles, aunts and elephants contain everything I've just said.
This book fully satisfies this quote. This book is the kind of book you read just for the sake of fun. Innocence is the best thing I find in Ruskin Bond's books and it is present in almost all his books. Reading his books soothes your mind. Whenever you need a little break from the hustle bustle of the city you can pick up any of his book and start reading...soon you will be carried into the small towns of the mountains where there is no hurry, no tension...just simple life which is so beautiful in its own that for a moment you would'nt want to return.
Uncles, aunts and elephants contain everything I've just said.
February 6, 2016
What can I say? It's Ruskin Bond. The stories, poems and illustrations are just beautiful. Everything is simple and innocent. As a child I would believe that forests and mountains were magical. I am feeling that was all over again. I just can't get enough of Mr. Bond. This a 2014 publication but I really wish it was around when my grandfather was alive, he would loved it!
December 18, 2016
Nice fun book with beautiful n adventures childhood stories of Bond..the book really takes us to different era of fun n nature..
May 21, 2021
This collection includes fiction, no-fiction and poetry. Some them are repeated in this collection. Reader will enjoy the collection though.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews