On the very first page of Ruskin Bond’s ‘A Book of Simple Living’, is a very beautiful and serene illustration of a trail of ants. Even before I can immerse myself in the soothing words of this book, my mind goes back a decade in time. My now-tween then-toddler and I were in a park, staring at a long line of ants that he spotted. We had all the time to ‘stand and stare’ at the busy ants. I still remember feeling so calm and at ease, and experiencing a sense of solidarity with nature, even as the world around us went buzzing by. This is exactly the kind of feeling that reading ‘A Book of Simple Living” evokes.
But, is it really only nature that he talks about? As you read the short passages in the book, varied themes come out- the futility of war, the delicacy of love, sights and sounds that tickle the senses, the many pleasures of gardening, his take on collections and ‘hoarding’ stuff, work, vocation and creativity. Occasionally, a poem creeps in and these simple verses are equally enchanting. In short, these are his philosophical musings that will make our busy and wired lives happier.
This book will make you savour simple pleasures of life and the joy of little things. It is a way to detox mentally. Read it from the first to last page or just open up a random page and devour it. The writing is short, brief and simple, thus being accessible to the most busy or reluctant of readers.
Ruskin Bond’s ‘A Book of Simple Living’ is a book you may want to add to your collection. What is says remains timeless!
For another interesting article on Ruskin Bond click here.
Title: A Book of Simple Living
Author: Ruskin Bond
Publisher: Speaking Tiger
Genre: Non-Fiction
