What do you think?
Rate this book
Best Of Ruskin Bond
The essential Ruskin Bond Delhi Is Not Far brings together the best of Ruskin Bond's prose and poetry. For over four decades, by way of innumerable novels, essays, short stories, and poems, the author has mapped out and peopled a unique literary landscape. This anthology has selections from all of his major books and also features an unpublished novella, Delhi Is Not Far.
448 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
About the author
Ruskin Bond
694 books3,599 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 - 30 of 116 reviews
April 29, 2023
For me, Ruskin Bond will always hold a special place in my heart. His writing has been a constant source of joy and inspiration throughout my life. As a child, I eagerly awaited my summer holidays, not just to escape school, but also to spend time at my Nani's house, where I had the most precious memories of my childhood. And it was there that I fell in love with Ruskin Bond's stories.
His tales of the mountains, forests, and the natural world took me to a world of wonder and imagination. As I read his words, I could feel the cool breeze on my skin, hear the chirping of the birds, and smell the scent of the pine trees. Every story was a journey that transported me to a different world, full of adventure and magic.
Ruskin's writing had a profound effect on me as a child, and it has shaped a part of my personality. His simple yet profound writing style taught me to appreciate the beauty of the world around me. His descriptions of the natural world instilled in me a love for nature that has only grown with time. He made me realize the importance of connecting with the natural world and inspired me to become a more conscious and mindful person.
In reading Ruskin's stories, I was transported back to a simpler time, a time when I could run around barefoot, eat ice cream from the local hawker, and read until the wee hours of the morning. His writing invoked a feeling of nostalgia for the carefree days of my childhood, days spent playing with my cousins, and exploring the world around me.
Ruskin Bond will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will forever be grateful for the impact his writing has had on my life. If you are a lover of nature, then I highly recommend that you read Ruskin's short stories. They will transport you to a world of wonder and inspire you to appreciate the beauty of the natural world.
His tales of the mountains, forests, and the natural world took me to a world of wonder and imagination. As I read his words, I could feel the cool breeze on my skin, hear the chirping of the birds, and smell the scent of the pine trees. Every story was a journey that transported me to a different world, full of adventure and magic.
Ruskin's writing had a profound effect on me as a child, and it has shaped a part of my personality. His simple yet profound writing style taught me to appreciate the beauty of the world around me. His descriptions of the natural world instilled in me a love for nature that has only grown with time. He made me realize the importance of connecting with the natural world and inspired me to become a more conscious and mindful person.
In reading Ruskin's stories, I was transported back to a simpler time, a time when I could run around barefoot, eat ice cream from the local hawker, and read until the wee hours of the morning. His writing invoked a feeling of nostalgia for the carefree days of my childhood, days spent playing with my cousins, and exploring the world around me.
Ruskin Bond will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will forever be grateful for the impact his writing has had on my life. If you are a lover of nature, then I highly recommend that you read Ruskin's short stories. They will transport you to a world of wonder and inspire you to appreciate the beauty of the natural world.
Read
June 17, 2012This book is a collection of Bond's 6 novels as it says, namely- The Room on the roof, Vagrants in the Valley, Delhi is not Far, A flight of pegions, The Sensualist and A Handful of Nuts.
As i began the first of the 6 novels- written by Bond when he was only 17!- I found myself being leisurely drawn into the world of this young orphan anglo boy as he drifted through his days in his quaint hilly town of Dehra. The story takes you on a journey with this boy, maintaining a relaxed pace, just like the one prevalent in the lives of people in Dehra. You meet the various people in the boys life until the boy begins his search for his origins... his parents. The story however keeps drifting and it lumbers on. It is definitely not boring at any point but also does not seem to head anywhere. I felt it could just keep going on and on and on... I guess it is the beauty in the writing that in the absence of a plot or any cliff hanger... one still keeps going on and on. And i say this because the second novel continues to be the extension of the first one and the third novel is an extension of the second.
As such although i never really got bored, i sort of thought it would be wise to stop reading any further and shift to another book. As such i only completed 2 and a three quarter of novels of the 6.
As i began the first of the 6 novels- written by Bond when he was only 17!- I found myself being leisurely drawn into the world of this young orphan anglo boy as he drifted through his days in his quaint hilly town of Dehra. The story takes you on a journey with this boy, maintaining a relaxed pace, just like the one prevalent in the lives of people in Dehra. You meet the various people in the boys life until the boy begins his search for his origins... his parents. The story however keeps drifting and it lumbers on. It is definitely not boring at any point but also does not seem to head anywhere. I felt it could just keep going on and on and on... I guess it is the beauty in the writing that in the absence of a plot or any cliff hanger... one still keeps going on and on. And i say this because the second novel continues to be the extension of the first one and the third novel is an extension of the second.
As such although i never really got bored, i sort of thought it would be wise to stop reading any further and shift to another book. As such i only completed 2 and a three quarter of novels of the 6.
July 26, 2025
In 2017, on a birthday wrapped in modest celebrations and strong tea, a student gifted me The Best of Ruskin Bond. I still remember the handwritten note inside: “Sir, this book reminded me of you.” At the time, I smiled, touched by the gesture, but I didn’t fully grasp what they meant—until I started reading.
Bond’s prose had that rare ability to make silence eloquent. Whether it was a hill station drenched in rain, a lonely boy in a rented room, or the scent of deodars wafting through Mussoorie’s evenings—everything felt quietly luminous. The man didn’t write about India; he felt it into being. And maybe that’s what my student had sensed in our classes: my love for stillness, for the poetic fragments of everyday life.
Reading it felt like someone pulling you into a long, warm hug—and then slipping a philosophical punch to your ribs when you least expect it. The ghosts, the children, the walks, the sudden griefs—they stayed. Bond’s world was soft, but never shallow. Sentimental, but never saccharine.
That birthday gift became more than a collection of stories—it became a reminder that even as a teacher, I was still someone’s reader, someone’s inspiration. A circle of storytelling, returned.
Bond’s prose had that rare ability to make silence eloquent. Whether it was a hill station drenched in rain, a lonely boy in a rented room, or the scent of deodars wafting through Mussoorie’s evenings—everything felt quietly luminous. The man didn’t write about India; he felt it into being. And maybe that’s what my student had sensed in our classes: my love for stillness, for the poetic fragments of everyday life.
Reading it felt like someone pulling you into a long, warm hug—and then slipping a philosophical punch to your ribs when you least expect it. The ghosts, the children, the walks, the sudden griefs—they stayed. Bond’s world was soft, but never shallow. Sentimental, but never saccharine.
That birthday gift became more than a collection of stories—it became a reminder that even as a teacher, I was still someone’s reader, someone’s inspiration. A circle of storytelling, returned.
July 30, 2020
This book is very exhilarating and refreshing. Every time I read Ruskin Bond books, I fall in love with his writing style, especially his sheer observations on his surroundings. At the very beginning, I felt it’s a quite lengthy book, as I usually don’t prefer books having more than 400 pages, but reading this book didn’t make me feel like such. I was completely driven.
Even this book is a collection of poems, essays, short stories, extracts from novels, travel experiences, and other two unpublished stories.
In these, he writes about
-his family, friends, people whom he met in his journey, his love stories, a horror story.
-Ganga, Yamuna, Badrinath, Mandakini, Delhi, Shamli, Dehra, Chandni Chowk, overall he shows how much he loves India.
-Flowers, trees, birds, hills, animals, rivers.
-his love for reading and writing.
-the hardships he faced on the way to become a writer, and how poverty prevailed in those days.
-few events from his notebook.
Unquestionably, the best of Ruskin Bond. 😊
Even this book is a collection of poems, essays, short stories, extracts from novels, travel experiences, and other two unpublished stories.
In these, he writes about
-his family, friends, people whom he met in his journey, his love stories, a horror story.
-Ganga, Yamuna, Badrinath, Mandakini, Delhi, Shamli, Dehra, Chandni Chowk, overall he shows how much he loves India.
-Flowers, trees, birds, hills, animals, rivers.
-his love for reading and writing.
-the hardships he faced on the way to become a writer, and how poverty prevailed in those days.
-few events from his notebook.
Unquestionably, the best of Ruskin Bond. 😊
May 31, 2009
Happened to find this book by chance. Once I started reading it I was unable to put it down. The scenes from the mountains sounded a bit too familiar, and I got drifted off -- to the mountains which has always something to charm the weary soul. The writing is simple, the setting mundane, the characters too real, and the feelings right from the heart. All adds up to create a wonderful world. Every story is charming, may it be the squirrel trying to build a nest in Ruskin's pocket, or the owlet snuggling and snoring in harmony with the granny. A lovely little book with short snippets and a handful of gems.
April 23, 2022
3.5 star rating
Can't say much except -Reaf the book yourself . Sometimes it got a little tiring and boring since i was so used to sci-fi , and too much adventure, but it was brought back on track of interesting with the next stories
Can't say much except -Reaf the book yourself . Sometimes it got a little tiring and boring since i was so used to sci-fi , and too much adventure, but it was brought back on track of interesting with the next stories
December 1, 2013
The book’s blurb reads: “This volume brings together the best of Ruskin Bond’s prose and poetry. For over four decades, by way of innumerable novels, essays, short stories and poems, the author has mapped out and peopled a unique literary landscape. This anthology has selections from all of his major books and includes the classic novella ‘Delhi Is Not Far’.
What review can you write about somebody whose mere name evokes a sense of nostalgia about the hills? Whose writing transports us directly into the markets of Dehradun & Mussoorie?
This book is a collection of his writings categorized into Love and Friendship, Tales of the Macabre, From A Little Room, On The Road, Love Poems & extracts from his novels. It also includes Time Stops at Shamli & Delhi Is Not Far.
For me, personally, the best part about Bond’s writing is his focus – he is passionate in weaving stories around the hills. Pick up any story from the book and you can visualize the sun rising/setting in the mountains, the long winding roads, the smell of fresh air, the varied flora & fauna and the different types of people residing there.
Bond is a keen observer of people and he puts those observational skills to good use in his writing. In addition to the physicality of people that he so vividly describes, he also brings out their nature very well. And the way he brings to life these characters it is almost as if you are seeing a live movie.
Though the theme running through the book is common, each story is different from the other. He speaks about being a pedestrian and loving to walk, the difficulty of making new friends, spirituality at the Ganges, his love for books, the local tea-shop being the gossip spot, falling in love, etc.
And while almost all his sentences seem like poetry in motion, a few that stayed with me were: “Nostalgia is simply an attempt to try and preserve that which was good in the past. The past has served us: why not serve the past in this way?”; “And when all the wars are done, a butterfly will still be beautiful.”
I would strongly suggest reading this book to someone who wants to know what it is like to live in the hills – not as a tourist, but as a local. For someone like me who has lived pretty much her entire life in a big city, this book offered a nice contrast. For me, Ruskin Bond made the hills come alive and become more romantic. Through this book, I have tasted the local tea and snacks, had interesting conversations with strangers after the Sunday mass at the church, foraged through libraries in search of good books, taken train journeys from one small town to another and dreamt of living the big city life while sitting at a window that overlooks the valley. If a single book is able to do all that, would you not want to read it?
This review first appeared on my blog: www.pallosworld.blogspot.in
What review can you write about somebody whose mere name evokes a sense of nostalgia about the hills? Whose writing transports us directly into the markets of Dehradun & Mussoorie?
This book is a collection of his writings categorized into Love and Friendship, Tales of the Macabre, From A Little Room, On The Road, Love Poems & extracts from his novels. It also includes Time Stops at Shamli & Delhi Is Not Far.
For me, personally, the best part about Bond’s writing is his focus – he is passionate in weaving stories around the hills. Pick up any story from the book and you can visualize the sun rising/setting in the mountains, the long winding roads, the smell of fresh air, the varied flora & fauna and the different types of people residing there.
Bond is a keen observer of people and he puts those observational skills to good use in his writing. In addition to the physicality of people that he so vividly describes, he also brings out their nature very well. And the way he brings to life these characters it is almost as if you are seeing a live movie.
Though the theme running through the book is common, each story is different from the other. He speaks about being a pedestrian and loving to walk, the difficulty of making new friends, spirituality at the Ganges, his love for books, the local tea-shop being the gossip spot, falling in love, etc.
And while almost all his sentences seem like poetry in motion, a few that stayed with me were: “Nostalgia is simply an attempt to try and preserve that which was good in the past. The past has served us: why not serve the past in this way?”; “And when all the wars are done, a butterfly will still be beautiful.”
I would strongly suggest reading this book to someone who wants to know what it is like to live in the hills – not as a tourist, but as a local. For someone like me who has lived pretty much her entire life in a big city, this book offered a nice contrast. For me, Ruskin Bond made the hills come alive and become more romantic. Through this book, I have tasted the local tea and snacks, had interesting conversations with strangers after the Sunday mass at the church, foraged through libraries in search of good books, taken train journeys from one small town to another and dreamt of living the big city life while sitting at a window that overlooks the valley. If a single book is able to do all that, would you not want to read it?
This review first appeared on my blog: www.pallosworld.blogspot.in
Read
January 26, 2015“It is always the same with mountains. Once you have lived with them for any length of time, you belong to them. There is no escape.” – Ruskin Bond
There are only a few writers who can make you yearn for a place that you have never been to before. And Ruskin Bond makes one ache for his beloved hills. The book “The Best of Ruskin Bond” is a collection of his different writings from various novels including his masterpiece “Delhi is not Far”. The book is warm, lucid, full of reminiscing, making you feel the melancholy that he feels when he is far from his home and the hills. He is passionate about nature, and his writing transports you exactly where he wants you to be, next to him watching the sun set in Shimla. Or hearing the tall Deodar trees sway gently in the cold breeze. The imagery is vivid and very real.There is another thing that he excels at which is people watching, he is a very sharp observer of humans and even animals and deftly weaves his stories around the ordinary and mundane making everything come alive. Reading this book made me euphoric, and I would happily recommend it to anyone who wants to enjoy simple, straightforward prose without the theatrics.
There are only a few writers who can make you yearn for a place that you have never been to before. And Ruskin Bond makes one ache for his beloved hills. The book “The Best of Ruskin Bond” is a collection of his different writings from various novels including his masterpiece “Delhi is not Far”. The book is warm, lucid, full of reminiscing, making you feel the melancholy that he feels when he is far from his home and the hills. He is passionate about nature, and his writing transports you exactly where he wants you to be, next to him watching the sun set in Shimla. Or hearing the tall Deodar trees sway gently in the cold breeze. The imagery is vivid and very real.There is another thing that he excels at which is people watching, he is a very sharp observer of humans and even animals and deftly weaves his stories around the ordinary and mundane making everything come alive. Reading this book made me euphoric, and I would happily recommend it to anyone who wants to enjoy simple, straightforward prose without the theatrics.
April 8, 2015
This volume brings together the best of Ruskin Bond’s prose and poetry. For over four decades, by way of innumerable novels, essays, short stories and poems, the author has mapped out and peopled a unique literary landscape. This anthology has selections from all of his major books and includes the classic novella ‘Delhi Is Not Far’.
What review can you write about somebody whose mere name evokes a sense of nostalgia about the hills? Whose writing transports us directly into the markets of Dehradun & Mussoorie?
What review can you write about somebody whose mere name evokes a sense of nostalgia about the hills? Whose writing transports us directly into the markets of Dehradun & Mussoorie?
December 9, 2020
You can't always put your thoughts into words, especially when you have just finished savoring the works of Ruskin Bond. You feel as light as a feather while reading them, no intense build up but just the right amount of cuddling under a quilt of words - it always feels the same. This time, it is more special as for the first time I encountered the beautiful poems by Bond. Also, travelogues are something that makes you go visit places like right now. A fabulous collection has been put together in the book, for sure. (However I skipped the part which had excerpts from novels, for obvious reasons).
Though just one complaint I have with such an ensemble of writings. Things get oft repeated. Like, you read about Bond meeting someone while on his travels, then we get to read about a story based on that person. And again, that theme is repeated in novella Delhi is not far. Or, Bond in his childhood meets Dukhi at Jamnagar, while another story has Dukhi at yet another place-named Dhuki. And so on... A glitch, publisher should see while compiling.
Though just one complaint I have with such an ensemble of writings. Things get oft repeated. Like, you read about Bond meeting someone while on his travels, then we get to read about a story based on that person. And again, that theme is repeated in novella Delhi is not far. Or, Bond in his childhood meets Dukhi at Jamnagar, while another story has Dukhi at yet another place-named Dhuki. And so on... A glitch, publisher should see while compiling.
December 8, 2015
I was fortunate enough to read this while in Kashmir, often overlooking the very ranges Bond is so found of. It makes for quite an experience, although Bond's chief strength is in weaving environments with simple words. His simplicity can awe the reader who has tried to write. However, what makes his stories stick is the tender honesty of the sentiment around which they are woven.
The collection has poems, travelogues and essays in addition to the short stories. I found myself smiling at some of the poems, groaning through somewhat repetitive travelogues (in how many ways can you describe hills and rivers?) and curiously flipping through the essays. The added sections add dimensions to Bond but also serve to confirm his weakness.
One is also tempted to read into stories and find homosexual motifs. I found it very tastefully done, regardless.
My only complaint with Bond (and the reason for a docked star) is that he has well-worn memories which he uses to create sequences. Elements repeat themselves across stories and poems unabashedly. Does Bond lack in imagination, one wonders. I do not mind it as far as the pieces are concerned individually. The repeated elements definitely add to the narratives but as a whole make Bond's work unreadable beyond a point.
I think Bond's work is quite easily one of the very best when it comes to simple, (seemingly) effortless stories that touch you. One wants to visit it again and again but must wait for the saturation to ebb away.
The collection has poems, travelogues and essays in addition to the short stories. I found myself smiling at some of the poems, groaning through somewhat repetitive travelogues (in how many ways can you describe hills and rivers?) and curiously flipping through the essays. The added sections add dimensions to Bond but also serve to confirm his weakness.
One is also tempted to read into stories and find homosexual motifs. I found it very tastefully done, regardless.
My only complaint with Bond (and the reason for a docked star) is that he has well-worn memories which he uses to create sequences. Elements repeat themselves across stories and poems unabashedly. Does Bond lack in imagination, one wonders. I do not mind it as far as the pieces are concerned individually. The repeated elements definitely add to the narratives but as a whole make Bond's work unreadable beyond a point.
I think Bond's work is quite easily one of the very best when it comes to simple, (seemingly) effortless stories that touch you. One wants to visit it again and again but must wait for the saturation to ebb away.
April 5, 2016
Skipped poetry part, may be some other day!
I love Ruskin Bond, his writing appeals to me.
Whenever I need reminiscence about the good old days, I look to Ruskin Bond.
Whenever I miss the simplicity of life in the hills, I read Ruskin Bond.
Ruskin Bond reminds me of days when growing old was fun, something to look for each day/week/year. These days with lives filled with everything apart from simplicity and originality, I look for solace in the hills or at-least in Ruskin Bond's writing when I am in between maddening crowd!
Cheers to simplicity & clarity!
PS- CLarity reminds me of a John Mayer song!
I love Ruskin Bond, his writing appeals to me.
Whenever I need reminiscence about the good old days, I look to Ruskin Bond.
Whenever I miss the simplicity of life in the hills, I read Ruskin Bond.
Ruskin Bond reminds me of days when growing old was fun, something to look for each day/week/year. These days with lives filled with everything apart from simplicity and originality, I look for solace in the hills or at-least in Ruskin Bond's writing when I am in between maddening crowd!
Cheers to simplicity & clarity!
PS- CLarity reminds me of a John Mayer song!
July 25, 2012
I am still reading this book, but since it is a collection of his essays and short stories, I can already tell that it will be a favorite book, and that I will want to read other books by this author. Having completed the book, it was a good read, and I enjoyed the perspective of the Indian author. Some of the words he used were unfamiliar to me, and my knowledge of the geography of his country is not as good as it should be. I feel some motivation to improve on this deficit!
November 22, 2014
A good winter read. I had read many if Ruskin Bond's short stories as a child. Reading the book again brought back a lot of memories... the stories still hold all their charm, the picture of hills, trees, flowers, birds and mountains are no less vivid... it transported me to a happy place, long gone.
June 5, 2019
This book,as the name suggests, compiles some of the best works of Ruskin. The beauty of Bond’s writings lie in the simplicity of thoughts and clear presentation to the readers . He mostly writes on his own days, childhood, adulthood and on his contemporary times. He has beautifully put moments in stories which sometimes seems to be a mundane routine in one’s life. It is clear that a writer certainly has keen observatory skills over an average human being. Sometimes repetitions are visible but these can be neglected.
July 28, 2020
Revisiting ruskin bond has made me so nostalgic for childhood.
March 28, 2021
Bond with the best!
April 17, 2021
To me Sudha Murthy and Ruskin Bond are quintessential for early and mid teens.
September 12, 2022
One of my favourite authors from India..❤️
January 26, 2021
It's taken me 25 days to finish my first book in the new year. Looks like the curse of 2020 hasn't been lifted yet.
I'd never read anything by Mr. Bond before so this was overwhelming to my literary senses. Back to back stories, poems, novellas of Mr. Bond around the themes of friendship, nature and India can be a little too much.
However, the simplicity and innocence dripping out of every page of his writing is refreshing. Mr. Bond is an author from a dying breed of writers who can personify their words and create their own unique style. Simply put, you'd know something is written by Bond if you read it.
I don't know how many authors you could say this about.
I'd never read anything by Mr. Bond before so this was overwhelming to my literary senses. Back to back stories, poems, novellas of Mr. Bond around the themes of friendship, nature and India can be a little too much.
However, the simplicity and innocence dripping out of every page of his writing is refreshing. Mr. Bond is an author from a dying breed of writers who can personify their words and create their own unique style. Simply put, you'd know something is written by Bond if you read it.
I don't know how many authors you could say this about.
May 9, 2013
Ruskin Bond is James Bond of short stories. He is everything. Simple, clever and deep-sighted. At many occasions, he seems to be afflicted with strong homosexuality . Common man, so what! give him a break!
Even in his very long stories like "Delhi is not far", he does not bore the reader by writing about the unnecessary details of the scenery or of the characters. The characters are simple and Bond never passes any judgments about them. He leaves it to the reader. The story flows very smooth.
You will meet a few oldies nostalgic about the old days. And young boys who love to roam around all day.
Even in his very long stories like "Delhi is not far", he does not bore the reader by writing about the unnecessary details of the scenery or of the characters. The characters are simple and Bond never passes any judgments about them. He leaves it to the reader. The story flows very smooth.
You will meet a few oldies nostalgic about the old days. And young boys who love to roam around all day.
March 6, 2012
Perfectly captures the experience of being a westerner hopelessly in love with the subcontinent.
April 6, 2026
A thoughtfully curated compilation
Last year, I visited the iconic Cambridge book store in Mussoorie and got a copy of this book with author's autograph. Although Ruskin Bond has discontinued his practice of weekly bookstore visits due to health reasons, he is kind enough to keep sending the signed copies.
For someone who has written literally hundreds of books & essays; the compilation of select best writings must have been a challenging task. The editors have done a really good job by curating all sorts of works of Ruskin Bond. This book contains short stories on friendship, stories on death, travelogues, poems, essays and vignettes from his novels.
The first section consists of touching stories on love and friendship. Next section belongs to the tales of the macabre. But even in paranormal settings, Mr Bond is able to chuckle his reader with witty lines.
The third section features essays on various topics including poignant observations on routine but important things in our surroundings. Following passage about bird life in cities really resonated with me:
The section on travelogues introduce various wonderful himalayan sites to the readers. For example, he writes about the magic of Tungnath, the highest shiva temple in the world, situated at an altitude of 12000 ft. It is one of the Panch Kedar.
There are numerous noteworthy passages throughout the book. Some of them are as follows:
Overall, a thoughtfully curated compilation that should be part of the library of any Ruskin Bond admirer.
Last year, I visited the iconic Cambridge book store in Mussoorie and got a copy of this book with author's autograph. Although Ruskin Bond has discontinued his practice of weekly bookstore visits due to health reasons, he is kind enough to keep sending the signed copies.
For someone who has written literally hundreds of books & essays; the compilation of select best writings must have been a challenging task. The editors have done a really good job by curating all sorts of works of Ruskin Bond. This book contains short stories on friendship, stories on death, travelogues, poems, essays and vignettes from his novels.
The first section consists of touching stories on love and friendship. Next section belongs to the tales of the macabre. But even in paranormal settings, Mr Bond is able to chuckle his reader with witty lines.
The third section features essays on various topics including poignant observations on routine but important things in our surroundings. Following passage about bird life in cities really resonated with me:
" Having divided the last ten years of my life between Delhi and Mussoorie, I have come to the heretical conclusion that there is more bird life in the cities than there is in the hills and forests around our hill-stations. For birds to survive, they must learn to live with and off humans; and those birds, like crows, sparrows and mynas, who do this to perfection, continue to thrive as our cities grow; whereas the purely wild birds, those who depend upon the forests for life, are rapidly disappearing, simply because the forests are disappearing. Recently, I saw more birds in one week in a New Delhi colony than I had seen during a month in the hills. Here, one must be patient and alert if one is to spot just a few of the birds so beautifully described in Salim Ali's Indian Hill Birds. The babblers and thrushes are still around, but the flycatchers and warblers are seldom seen or heard. But in Delhi, if you have just a bit of garden and per haps a guava tree, you will be visited by innumerable bulbuls, tailor-birds, mynas, hoopoes, parrots and tree-pies."
The section on travelogues introduce various wonderful himalayan sites to the readers. For example, he writes about the magic of Tungnath, the highest shiva temple in the world, situated at an altitude of 12000 ft. It is one of the Panch Kedar.
There are numerous noteworthy passages throughout the book. Some of them are as follows:
What is the difference between an essay and a short story? It depends, I suppose, upon whose personality comes through more strongly, the author's or the characters he describes. If it is the author's, then it is really an essay. If it is the characters, then it is a story. Or is that too much of a simplification? In my own case, I have often found my stories becoming essays and vice-versa! One merges into the other. To communicate and be readable is, in the last resort, a matter of style.
Kite-flying was then the sport of kings, and the old man remembered how the Nawab himself would come down to the riverside with his retinue to participate in this noble pastime. There was time, then, to spend an idle hour with a gay, dancing strip of paper. Now everyone hurried, in a heat of hope, and delicate things like kites and daydreams were trampled underfoot.
The typewriter is the repository of a writer's loneliness. It stares unsympathetically back at him every day, doing its best to be discouraging. Maybe I'll go back to the old-fashioned quill pen and marble ink-stand; then I can feel like a real writer, Balzac or Dickens, scratching away into the endless reaches of the night-Of course, the days and nights are seemingly shorter than they need to be! They must be, otherwise why do we hurry so much and achieve so little, by the standards of the past.
He had beautiful round eyes, a flashing smile, and a sweet voice, and everyone said he was a charming person. He was certainly charming, but I have found that charming people are seldom sincere.
Overall, a thoughtfully curated compilation that should be part of the library of any Ruskin Bond admirer.
May 21, 2020
Book Name: The best of Ruskin Bond
Author: Ruskin Bond
Genre: Compilation of Stories
This book is a treasure house of beautiful stories, travelogues, personal experiences, extracts from novels and poems all in one.
I have loved and adored the writing of Ruskin bond for 2 reasons:
1) For its honesty and simplicity
2) For beautifully translating the deepest emotions (which one thought could only be felt) into words.
There is certain uncanniness about his writing that makes you think.
His short stories: My first love , The Guardian Angel, The Leopard, The Funeral, Tribute to a dead friend , in fact all are such beautiful reads evoking so many emotions.
I have loved the excerpts “From My Notebook” they are so insightful. Quoting one below:
“To know ones limitations and to do good work within them: more is achieved that way than overreaching oneself. It is no use trying to write a masterpiece every year if you are so made to write only one in ten years! In between, there are other good things that can be written – smaller things, but satisfying in their own way. ”
There isn’t an author who makes reading an experience of life like he does. He is still the quintessential writer who writes for the love of writing.
If book’s were emotional and compassionate beings you would find them all being created in the mountains by one and only “The Ruskin Bond”.
A must read for all age groups, aspiring authors and book buffs. This is a breath of fresh air.
#fiction
Wishing A very Happy 86th Birthday legend! May you keep writing for many many years.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAXSCT0hJUO/
https://www.facebook.com/mybookshelf2...
Author: Ruskin Bond
Genre: Compilation of Stories
This book is a treasure house of beautiful stories, travelogues, personal experiences, extracts from novels and poems all in one.
I have loved and adored the writing of Ruskin bond for 2 reasons:
1) For its honesty and simplicity
2) For beautifully translating the deepest emotions (which one thought could only be felt) into words.
There is certain uncanniness about his writing that makes you think.
His short stories: My first love , The Guardian Angel, The Leopard, The Funeral, Tribute to a dead friend , in fact all are such beautiful reads evoking so many emotions.
I have loved the excerpts “From My Notebook” they are so insightful. Quoting one below:
“To know ones limitations and to do good work within them: more is achieved that way than overreaching oneself. It is no use trying to write a masterpiece every year if you are so made to write only one in ten years! In between, there are other good things that can be written – smaller things, but satisfying in their own way. ”
There isn’t an author who makes reading an experience of life like he does. He is still the quintessential writer who writes for the love of writing.
If book’s were emotional and compassionate beings you would find them all being created in the mountains by one and only “The Ruskin Bond”.
A must read for all age groups, aspiring authors and book buffs. This is a breath of fresh air.
#fiction
Wishing A very Happy 86th Birthday legend! May you keep writing for many many years.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAXSCT0hJUO/
https://www.facebook.com/mybookshelf2...
June 5, 2021
📚The Best of Ruskin Bond 📚
- by Ruskin Bond
🔸️Not a Review but a heartfelt note!
🔸️As a student I had read short stories , as a part of our curriculum and I found them quite engaging & enjoyable but .......
🔸️Now that I've read this beautiful book all I can say is that... whether its poem , essay , short story or scenes from novel.., be it anything at all , this book will sweep you off your feet.
🔸️The Backdrop of the story, the characters, the writing, the simplicity of emotions expressed are true & heartfelt.
Some stories, poems will stay in your heart forever🌸
🔸️This book will take you places , Dehradun, Mussoorie, Delhi, Deoli, Shamli, Jamnagar, the hills, the trees , the mountains..the beauty of nature and the beautiful writing will captivate you and keep you involved in the book for long.
🔸️The night train at Deoli , The funeral , Lone Fox Dancing, The Guardian Angel, Time Stops at Shamli..were my favorite. These simple yet heartfelt stories will never leave your memorylane once you read them.
🔸️After reading this book , I can totally feel the level of unmatachable Emotional Quotient & Emotional Intelligence 'Ruskin Sir' has.
🔸️If you want to read books, start with something like this...it will captivate you & glue you to the stories ...and till you come out of it...u will already be a booklover ❤
🔸️What an Amazing MAN & What a Great Piece of Literature !
❤A Breezy Joyride Indeed ❤
.
.
.
.
.
- by Ruskin Bond
🔸️Not a Review but a heartfelt note!
🔸️As a student I had read short stories , as a part of our curriculum and I found them quite engaging & enjoyable but .......
🔸️Now that I've read this beautiful book all I can say is that... whether its poem , essay , short story or scenes from novel.., be it anything at all , this book will sweep you off your feet.
🔸️The Backdrop of the story, the characters, the writing, the simplicity of emotions expressed are true & heartfelt.
Some stories, poems will stay in your heart forever🌸
🔸️This book will take you places , Dehradun, Mussoorie, Delhi, Deoli, Shamli, Jamnagar, the hills, the trees , the mountains..the beauty of nature and the beautiful writing will captivate you and keep you involved in the book for long.
🔸️The night train at Deoli , The funeral , Lone Fox Dancing, The Guardian Angel, Time Stops at Shamli..were my favorite. These simple yet heartfelt stories will never leave your memorylane once you read them.
🔸️After reading this book , I can totally feel the level of unmatachable Emotional Quotient & Emotional Intelligence 'Ruskin Sir' has.
🔸️If you want to read books, start with something like this...it will captivate you & glue you to the stories ...and till you come out of it...u will already be a booklover ❤
🔸️What an Amazing MAN & What a Great Piece of Literature !
❤A Breezy Joyride Indeed ❤
.
.
.
.
.
January 14, 2021
I visited the hills back in 2017, I heard the hills speak, they talked of life, of people, of souls, of God, there is a serenity in the hills. They seem vast obeying the universal rule of silence .ruskinbondofficial so well takes me back to the hills again, I feel that calmness of the hill as I imagined and experienced hills to be; large land full of trees, shrubs and herbs with frequent elevation of land to form tall figures. They have lessons hidden in them as after every valley their comes a hill.
This book was what came more closer to my heart with its stories all residing in hills. This book has beauty within its pages. Tales of itinerant observers, of lovers of nature and of common people divided into many parts of travel writting, poems, stories of love and friendship and many more . This book also contains the very famous novella "Delhi is Not Far" which reminds me of a proverb often said by my grandmother "delhi abhi dur hai", this particular novella revolves around the life of a aspiring author and his dear friend Suraj in their tiny little town of Pipal Nagar. It also has the stories from "Time Stops at Shamli within it. "The Best of Ruskin Bond" indeed contains the most loveliest of stories. I am unable to express what this book meant to me and I therefore thank ruskinbondofficial for writting such enchanting tales.
This book was what came more closer to my heart with its stories all residing in hills. This book has beauty within its pages. Tales of itinerant observers, of lovers of nature and of common people divided into many parts of travel writting, poems, stories of love and friendship and many more . This book also contains the very famous novella "Delhi is Not Far" which reminds me of a proverb often said by my grandmother "delhi abhi dur hai", this particular novella revolves around the life of a aspiring author and his dear friend Suraj in their tiny little town of Pipal Nagar. It also has the stories from "Time Stops at Shamli within it. "The Best of Ruskin Bond" indeed contains the most loveliest of stories. I am unable to express what this book meant to me and I therefore thank ruskinbondofficial for writting such enchanting tales.
December 30, 2017
There is a reason why Ruskin Bond is not only one of my all-time favourites but also a very sturdy pillar in the history of Indian literature. It is safe to say that he is also the most well-loved and popular Indian writer. I loved almost all stories in this book, some made me laugh, some made me ponder over desire, grief and longing and some made me contemplate the grave social issues that are prevalent on our Earth. Out of all the stories, I liked his travelogues the best. He truly can write the most simple of stories in an enchanting and bewitching manner. At times, the poetic side of his personality shone and glimmered like a diamond suddenly caught in a shaft of sunlight.
Apart from his whimsical tales, some of his poetry was absolutely beautiful and I being a massive poetry-lover immediately appreciated him all the more.
If there are any of you reading this review who have not picked up anything by Ruskin Bond, please do so immediately and you will discover an entire trove filled with the treasure of words.
Apart from his whimsical tales, some of his poetry was absolutely beautiful and I being a massive poetry-lover immediately appreciated him all the more.
If there are any of you reading this review who have not picked up anything by Ruskin Bond, please do so immediately and you will discover an entire trove filled with the treasure of words.
December 30, 2017
No one does Indian short stories better than Ruskin Bond and R.K. Narayan. I have grown up reading their works, so I may be a bit biased, but I have yet to come across an author who capture the essence of our culture and community as simply and beautifully as these two men have.
This book is a collection of Ruskin Bond's short stories, poems, essays, extracts from his previous novels, as well as the previously unpublished novel Delhi is Not Far . As with his previous works, Bond's love for the mountains shines through, and leaves you longing for the Indian hill stations yourself.
While some may critique that Ruskin Bond's stories are too simplistic, even his harshest critics won't disagree upon this fact -- that his ordinary, everyday stories always strike the all the right emotional chords. In the Introduction to this book, Bond himself addresses his simplistic prose style: "People often ask me why my style is so simple. It is, in fact, deceptively simple, for no two sentences are really alike. It is clarity that I am striving to attain, not simplicity."
This book is a collection of Ruskin Bond's short stories, poems, essays, extracts from his previous novels, as well as the previously unpublished novel Delhi is Not Far . As with his previous works, Bond's love for the mountains shines through, and leaves you longing for the Indian hill stations yourself.
While some may critique that Ruskin Bond's stories are too simplistic, even his harshest critics won't disagree upon this fact -- that his ordinary, everyday stories always strike the all the right emotional chords. In the Introduction to this book, Bond himself addresses his simplistic prose style: "People often ask me why my style is so simple. It is, in fact, deceptively simple, for no two sentences are really alike. It is clarity that I am striving to attain, not simplicity."
August 3, 2019
The book is a very rewarding collection of Ruskin Bond's stories of love and friendship, essays, vinegttes and a few poems. Like his all other work, this reading too evokes a comforting and the good old days' feel and brings back the memories of old acquaintances and relatives.
He never ceases to capture the very 'being': the existence of life around him in the most unpretentious yet interesting manner that we cannot help but become a part of it.
His language is lucid, style: conversational and plots are free flowing, just like life ; revealing a bit of this and that.
His love for nature is evident in the description of each tree and flower which are the result of his keen observation during his long walks in Dehra, Mussorie and Delhi. He is rightly called as a 'Wordsworth in Prose.'
This book has a little of everything from Ruskin Bond's productions and is as comforting and soothing as the first gush of wind which greets you, playing with your hair when you open the window early morning.
He never ceases to capture the very 'being': the existence of life around him in the most unpretentious yet interesting manner that we cannot help but become a part of it.
His language is lucid, style: conversational and plots are free flowing, just like life ; revealing a bit of this and that.
His love for nature is evident in the description of each tree and flower which are the result of his keen observation during his long walks in Dehra, Mussorie and Delhi. He is rightly called as a 'Wordsworth in Prose.'
This book has a little of everything from Ruskin Bond's productions and is as comforting and soothing as the first gush of wind which greets you, playing with your hair when you open the window early morning.
November 23, 2017
Simplicity is a skill very few possess. Ironical as it is, it is far easier to create a story with intricacies, than it is to write one with few themes, fewer characters, but an equally engrossing effect nonetheless.
The Best of Ruskin Bond, as the name suggests, is a collection of stories from various books by the author. So you have tales from Dehra, some autobiographical accounts (I suspect), poems, essays, etc. Overall, the variety is refreshing.
I particularly enjoyed the macabre story section; the author surprises the reader with some really devious twists, so unlike the usual fare that he serves.
The Best of Ruskin Bond, as the name suggests, is a collection of stories from various books by the author. So you have tales from Dehra, some autobiographical accounts (I suspect), poems, essays, etc. Overall, the variety is refreshing.
I particularly enjoyed the macabre story section; the author surprises the reader with some really devious twists, so unlike the usual fare that he serves.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews