The world is in lockdown; real life sucks. So I am taking a break from it — one book at a time. Welcome to my quarantine-reads series, y’all!
Ruskin Bond holds a special place in my heart. He is the first Indian author I read for leisure. Granted, it started due to a summer school project. Still, I truly enjoyed his poetry and prose and continue to find pleasure and comfort in them for over a decade now. He made everything feel beautiful and straightforward: the mountain, the forests, love, loss, sorrow, boredom, everything! He also becomes a central figure in my romantic relationship, exchanging his books and spinning memories around his words. In my years at university, I lost connection with his writing (and books in general). My then-beau gifted me a copy of Love Among the Bookshelves that stayed in my bookshelf for longer than I’d like to admit. One evening, I picked it up to read something while sipping my tea. And suddenly, reading Bond talk about the memorable relation he shared with his books over the years was the only push I needed to get back into reading for leisure. And I am happy to report, it’s been going well. Last year, I read three of his books, of which his autobiography Lone Fox Dancing, was my favourite. Until recently, I haven’t been someone who truly adores autobiographies or reaches for them, but this one, it felt like a fairytale. Don’t get me wrong, his life wasn’t easy, quite the contrary. But the ease and simplicity with which he told his stories made them almost magical! Whether you’re a fan or just someone who heard his name in English class, give that one a shot. It was no surprise that I picked his book on solitude, nature, and simple living as my first Quarantine Read.
a perfect book to read in times like these
It’s Day 8 of the self-quarantine journey, and this book is the right kind of celebration of solitude, nature, and universe that I needed. It is a collection of musing by Mr. bond over the years, encapsulating his love and wisdom on writing, flowers, mountains, solitude, love, friendship, and all heartwarming things. This book is a hardback version of “curling in a warm blanket with candles burning while sipping hot chocolate with mellow music in the background.” It is calming — almost meditative. I have few books in my collection that I call my “forever books,” the ones whose hard copy I would always cherish and keep around to reread. This is definitely one of them. So let’s wrap this whole virus situation quickly so I can go visit Mussorie, spend some time in the mountains, reread this gem, meet him and get it signed by him.
His advice on practise over perfection merged with following your desire is on point!
Love your art, poor as it may be…’ I have never regretted following this precept, despite the fact that it was sometimes difficult to make ends meet as a writer. The gift of putting together words and sentences to make stories or poems or essays has carried me through life with certain serenity and inner harmony, which could not have come from any unloved vocation. (pg. 73)
I always admired his work for its simplicity. This is solid advice for every breathing soul who writes anything at all!
Not Foster himself, but his immortal line of exactly two words: ‘Only Connect.’ As in life, so in art: only connect. I have always believed that to communicate and be readable is all that a writer should aim for. People ask me why my style is so simple. I think it is because I want my readers to feel what I feel, to see what I see, and big words and big sentences get in the way of this sharing. It is clarity and honestly that I am striving to attain; there can be no lasting connection with my readers without these. And to be clear and open is to be simple. (pg. 122)
other works by Ruskin Bond
There are many more fantastic works by Mr Bonds that are equally entertaining for all age groups but these are my top picks. :) 1. Love Among the Bookshelves, 2014 2. The Room on the Roof, 1957 3. Delhi is not far, 1994 4. Lone fox Dancing, 2017 5. Time stops at Shamli and other stories, 1989