My Tall Green Friends

by Ruskin Bond

‘Living for many years in a cottage at 7,000 feet in the Garhwal Himalayas, I was fortunate in having a big window that opened out on the forest, so that the trees were almost within my reach. Had I jumped, I should have landed safely in the arms of an oak or chestnut.’
In this delightful read, Ruskin Bond has written about his special friends—the majestic trees on the mountain slopes that he visits regularly and the birds, animals and insects that visit him in his cottage. Bond is well-known for his inclination towards all things natural and his observation of them. From the oak, chestnut, deodar and chir trees to hornbills, squirrels, langurs, mynahs and blue jays—there’s a description of them all in this collection.
Gentle, elegiac and replete with beautiful descriptions of plants, animals and birds, this collection is for every nature enthusiast.

104 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2018

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

[Aruna Kumar Gadepalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

22 short and interesting writings on nature and trees and the life around trees. Easy and quick read.

[Wendell D'Costa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"When you receive love from people and the freedom that only mountains can give, then you have come very near the borders of heaven."

My Tall Green Friends, is a delightful read by Ruskin Bond. In this book, Bond, gives vivid descriptions of nature and the beauty that surrounds the hills of Dehra, in a manner for which he has grown famous for.

I would like to start off by saying that this was yet another brilliant novel by Ruskin Bond. At times it truly hard to grasp how well he writes. In this book, Bond, talks about nature- The Mountains, The Indigenous trees, rivers, birds and flowers that he has come across whilst living in Dehra Dun. Bond's descriptions of nature are lively and vivid, and I must reiterate, that no other writer can write about nature in such a beautiful, conherent, and dreamlike way.
This book was also very educative, as I learnt a lot about Dehras native Rhododendrons, Chestnut, pine, and Deodars trees. I also learnt the names of various flowers and birds- like the Commelina, Chrysanthemum, Gladioli, Wild Begonia, Hornbills, Thrush etc.
Bond also gives mesmerising descriptions of his experiences near mountains, and rivers, which one would wish to have experienced themselves.
Highly recommend this book, as you can learn a lot about trees, flowers, birds and animals that you would have not known of. A must read for nature enthusiasts.

[A_Chirping_Aquarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely love how sir have written about Himalayas and the trees and the birds . The magic and simplicity in his writing makes me come back to his books again and again and its so soothing. The part of me who changed his vibes for about living in India has a lot to do with Sir’s writing. How beautifully he writes about the basic things and the words that’s weaves magic in them and reading them makes me fully aware of the tendrils , foliage of hills and the basic amenities in life which are more then enough is just wonderful :)

[Tarun · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic read! It’s always a delight to read Ruskin Bond’s works and he is at his absolute best when he writes about nature! “The gallery of birds” from
this book is a wonderful piece of writing, equally appealing to both children and adults alike!! 😊

[Mukul Bhatnagar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing new in this book, just a reproduction of Mr Bond's old works.