Ruskin Bond

'We took the railcar from Kalka. It glided over the rails without any of the huffing and puffing of the steam engine that dragged the little narrow gauge train up the steep mountain. I would be travelling in that train in the years to come, but on this, my first to Shimla, I was given the luxury of the railcar.' There is the past, just out of reach; fog-obscured yet perceptible. The stories of school-time spent in a chaotic prep school in Chotta Shimla in the company of 'The Four Feathers', or the sumptuous stopover 'Breakfast at Barog' on the way. And there is also the time spent in 'Grandfather's Garden', a lavish green expanse where the epic dramas of the animal kingdom are everyday occurrences. Ruskin Bond's Glimpses of the Past are-at once-hilarious tales of a richly-lived life and poignant peeks into Mussoorie's storied history and culture. But, above all, it is an invitation to experience a time gone by, delicately remembered and recorded by an author whose entire life is mired in the mountain mists.

'Looking up, I notice a number of bright paper kites that flutter, dip and swerve in the cloudless sky. I cannot recall seeing so many kites before. "Is it a festival today?" I ask. "No, Sahib," says the rickshaw boy. "Not even a holiday." "Then why so many kites?" He does not even bother to look up. "You can see kites every day, Sahib."' Hitch a ride with Ruskin Bond on A Journey through the Vibrant Land, meeting a variety of quirky characters in diverse places and circumstances. Whether it is 'The Last Tonga Ride' in Dehra, 'On the Road to Delhi' or being 'Footloose in Agra', his vibrant prose weaves evocative images that highlight a world beyond the apparent. Told with characteristic wit and poignancy, his stories become snapshots of specific times and places, forming a collage of a world in transition. So come aboard and join the adventure. It will be a journey to remember.

There couldn't be a more perfect person to tell us how to be what we want to be than Ruskin Bond! Ruskin Bond followed his passion for writing, and did he wanted to and became what he wanted to be - a writer!" I was determined to be a writer. It was the thing I did best. And shouldn't our lives be directed towards doing what we do best?"

'The world around me-be it the mountains or the busy street below my window-is teeming with subjects, sights, thoughts that I wish to put into words in order to catch the fleeting moment, the passing image, the laughter, the joy, and sometimes, the sorrow.' Amid all the vagaries of life, joy is what tethers us, lending meaning to our existence. In the modern-day rat race, we often forget its value, prioritizing material goals over something that is as hard to obtain as lightning in a bottle. But is there a way to make life joyful even as we engage in the daily grind? Secrets of a Joyful Life attempts to answer that question through its delightful and sweet stories. Take a breather as you immerse yourself in Ruskin Bond's expressive and gentle prose, and see life through the eyes of the writer on the hill-sometimes slow, sometimes crazy, but always carrying in it pockets of joy.