Review of “The adventures of Rusty’ by Ruskin Bond.

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Title: The Adventures of Rusty Collected Stories

Author: Ruskin Bond

Publisher: Penguin Random House India Pvt. Ltd

Genre: Fiction, Indian Literature.

Pages: 278

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3ydrF79

Book Blurb:

From the time he was a boy living with his grandparents in Dehra, surrounded by an assortment of odd animals, people, and relatives, to when he gets sent away to school, then makes his way to London and becomes a writer, Rusty’s had more adventure than we can count.

The Adventures of Rusty- contain his best, funniest, most exciting escapades. In these pages, there’s Toto, the monkey that traveled in a bag on a train; an encounter with a leopard; life as a young writer in a faraway London’ and the return home to roots that were always loved and never forgotten.

About the Author:

Do I even need to give an introduction to this proficient writer/author?

But if you are a new reader or wish to introduce reading to your kids at home then go with Ruskin Bond’s books.

Born in Kasauli (Himachal Pradesh) in 1934, Ruskin bond grew up in Jamnagar (Gujarat), Dehradun, New Delhi, and Simla. His first novel The Room on the Roof, written when he was seventeen, received the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize in 1957. Since then he has written over five hundred short stories, essays, and novellas and more than 40 books for children.

He received the Sahitya Akademi Award for English writing in India in 1993, the Padma Shri in 1999, and the Delhi government’s lifetime achievement Award in 2012.

He lives in Landour, Mussoorie, with his extended family.

My Thoughts on the book

At the beginning of the book, the author clearly says he is Rusty himself. Perhaps, the author as a little boy was Rusty.

The book is a collection of short stories, which are in turn the experiences and adventures of Rusty’s childhood till he becomes a young man who turns out to be a writer.

When it comes to writers it is hard to know which one of their stories is fiction and which one is true. Well, for me that’s the beauty of being a writer.

Rather than having siblings to grow up with; Rusty had the experience of having odd pets from a monkey to a tortoise, a python, and a great Indian Hornbill. Thanks to his grandfather who had immense love for nature that naturally was blessed down to Rusty himself as well.

Down to earth, well-brought-up, and even after life being so harsh Ruskin or Rusty still didn’t turn sour with time due to the test that life kept throwing at the boy. In turn, the young boy turned out to be a well-soft-hearted person which clearly is depicted in the book.

I don’t remember coming across any of Ruskin’s stories during my school days but recently I did discover him through his other book which was also a collection of short stories under the title “Friends in small places.” which was another masterpiece and helps you get out of the reading slump if you are one going through the same.

Read here: How I managed to pull myself out of a year of Reading Slump?

Since then I am on the lookout to read his works more.

Ruskin has a way to charm the reader from his first few sentences itself. His writing style is simple and easy to read. There is magic in the way he tells his stories.

The best part about this book was, I loved how the author has given minute details about his childhood, the places he’s been to, and the experience he’s had from his young age till the time he actually became a writer.

As a writer, I am so fascinated by the minute details the author has shared that I feel ashamed of myself for the fact that since the past 8 to 9 years of writing experience, I still haven’t honed my skills to a level where I could write even a short story by giving so many details that the reader would actually visualize the picture while reading it.

As a reader, I not only loved reading this book but also, felt like I am a part of Rusty’s adventures. When the author explains his old days in his native place, the house of his grandparents that he misses, the climbing on the tree that he misses, and the empty feeling of belongingness, it felt so relatable.

There is a part in this book where the author walks through the jungle to reach a waterfall where he used to have fun during his childhood days and also missed his friends who were a part of that memory. This very part of the book reminded me of my own native place and took me down to the memory of how I also used to walk through the jungles in my native with my cousins and the fact that it is all lost now.

I miss the aura, the essence of those times. And this book took me down memory lane that I had completely forgotten that it even existed.

The book is great for those who wish to get back to reading, and want to get into the habit of reading, and best for kids as well.

I am not in a position to rate this book and this is why I just shared the experience I had while reading this book. So for a while, till I don’t feel I am worthy to rate books I will only share my 2 cents of thoughts on them and not really rate them.

I am a beginner with book reviews (that’s what I feel) and it will take me time to get a hang of it.

So let me take your leave here and get back to you with another book review soon.

Have you read this book or any of Ruskin Bond’s work? Do share your experience.

Also, what’s your current Read? I am currently reading Rich Dad- Poor Dad by Robert. T. Kiyosaki.