Book Review: How to Live your Life

Title: How to Live your Life

Author: Ruskin Bond

Publisher: Harper Collins

I have a special liking for the writing style of Ruskin Bond. His writings, especially when he writes about his daily routine, his home, his life, his morning walks and his love for nature, are simple, engaging and refreshing. His words just effortlessly ferry the readers to a land where time moves sluggishly and where one gets to soak in the natural surroundings. His words coax one - to develop a fresh eye to appreciate the tiny creatures on thin blades of grass, to admire the mettle of tender hill flowers against the rocky backdrop, to look for the sparkle of fireflies and to desire to be in the wide verdure. 

How to Live your Life is a collection of his personal notes and suggestions on various aspects of life. One can call it a compilation of his wisdom simplified in the form of brief quotes and suggestions. I specifically likes the subtle way in which one chapter ends and the next one picks from the last thread of the previous one. One can keep coming back to this book to read a page or two for the peace and calmness, which are the hallmarks of his writings.

I cannot complete this review without mentioning that I expected a little more, rather much more from this book which came out as a celebration of his 88th birthday. I felt it ran too short on quality content and substance for the readers to chew on. From an author who has lived such a fulfilling life, I am not convinced that he had so little to summarise and share at this juncture of his life.