Lone Fox Dancing: My Autobiography

Lone Fox Dancing: My Autobiography 

- Ruskin Bond

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One of the greatest regrets of my reading journey is not finding Ruskin Bond in my childhood. Where I grew up, I had very limited access to reading material beyond school library and Russian books from Mir and Raduga, and later on, my father's collection. So, even though I might have heard of Ruskin Bond during my student life, I didn't get to read one of his books until I moved to NCR for work. I fell in love with his writing, simple but delightful, and with a timeless charm. I keep on repeating myself, but I can't get over the fact that his writing makes me feel nostalgic for the times I haven't lived in, for the places I haven't been to.

I have read some of his 'Rusty' books, and also 'The Room on the Roof', which if not exactly semi-autobiographical, provide a glimpse into his early life. And I was very curious to know more about his life as a child, how and where he grew up, and how he came to spend his entire life in India. Therefore, when his autobiography came out, it went into me to-read list immediately. I purchased it a few months back, but I was in a sort of reading slump, so didn't pick it up until last week. But once I started reading it, I found it hard to put down ... it is not a keep-you-on-the-edge thriller, it is just so enchanting, that it pulls you in and keeps you there.

What I love most about his writing is, that it is simple, and the charm lies is what he tells you, and how he tells it. I don't know if anyone else has written in such a rich manner about the small hill towns ... that makes you feel that you are seeing it all with your own eyes, traveling those roads with him .... perhaps the only thing missing to make the experience complete is the cool pine-scented air. I loved his description of the life in early 1900's in the princely state of Jamnagar, in the hill towns of of Dehradoon and Shimla. He describes his troubled childhood with candor, also his grief at separation and loss of his father; it is heartbreaking, but because you feel empathy for that lonely child, not because he wallows in self-pity as he writes it. I also found a new insight into the lives of British people at the time of Indian Independence ... many of them also suffered - as usual, the poorest of them, who had spent all their lives in India, had rarely or never been to England, and now were left with no means and no country of their own. Through his words, you can see the changing life through almost a century, his own circumstances from privilege to poverty to struggle to well-deserved fame, the changing face of hill stations and the benefits as well as the cost of development.

He turned down the chance of a comfortable life in England, and quit a well-paying job in Delhi, to follow his dream. He remained a struggling writer for many decades, but the world is definitely richer for it.

Long Pending (mini) reviews - III

Ruskin Bond - Room on the Roof/Vagrants in the Valley
It is a beautiful novel of adoloscence and coming-of-age, of youthful innocence and friendship. The story is warm and endearing, and flows at an easy, constant pace. It is tinged with a subtle sadness, borne out of loneliness and hardships of living in small villages in the hills.  I was almost sorry when Rusty has to end his carefree adventures and move towards adulthood, realizing the inevitable business of growing-up.

This is also written in Ruskin Bond's own special style - in first person narrative, simple yet charming language, and with vivid descriptions of people and places. In fact, it is difficult to believe that it was his first novel written at the age of 17!

Alistair Maclean - Golden Rendezvous

Maclean was the one who made suspense thrillers the first of my favorite genres (and it is only in last few years that I started enjoying other genres more). However, in this one, he wasn't at his best. His protagonists are typically highly intelligent and resourceful, and the story line usually borders on believable. But the protagonist in this one is too super-human, and quite a few turns are either predictable or completely defy logic, to make the story quite unbelievable. But it is still edgy, and action-packed, and has dialogs with that sharp wit which I so love about Maclean. Despite its shortcomings, an enjoyable way to spend a few hours.

Jeffery Archer - And Thereby Hangs A Tale
 

I have read quite a few of short story collections by Archer, and found some of them quite wonderful. But I remember that the last one I read wasn't that great, and this one felt like a total waste of my money (bought it at a railway station stall at the MRP). Some of the stories were good, but perhaps only one or two that were really amusing. Most of them were quite a drag, and I trudged through them, only because I kept hoping to come across another good one. Most of the stories were inspired by real-life incidents, so all I can say is - reality is not always stranger (or interesting) than fiction. 

James Herriot - All things wise and wonderful

I bought a copy from a second-hand stall, and what a gem it was! (as opposed to the brand new copy of the Archer's story collection).

I had read a few of Herriot's stories in Reader's Digest magazine editions long time back, and remember loving them - they were warm, amusing and brought forth some wonderful lessons of life. I remember craving to read more, but for many years, I didn't really have much hope. In last few years, I found about his books. But I never saw them at a bookstore, and was reluctant to order online, since I wasn't sure of the format of the book. So, the used copy I found seemed a pretty good deal - it was an original print, and was in quite a good shape even though it was old (and I love old books, as long as the pages are not brittle.)

This is the third book in the series, and covers his training days as a RAF pilot during the WW-II. The general mood is a little dark, quite naturally, due to the context of the war, but it is brightened by the stories from his vet days that are interspersed with those of the training. It frequently happens that a thought or an event will trigger a memory - that is the manner that he has adopted in this book. He is a gifted story-teller, and kept me enchanted through the nearly 400 pages. I love his sense of humor - most of the stories make you smile, and some even leave you laughing silently (though there are some sad ones too). As I read on, I found some stories that I could recall reading all those years ago! And it made me want to read the earlier two books, which I hope would be more cheerful, even more.

Long Pending (mini) Reviews - II

Arthur Golden - Memoirs of a Geisha

This is a book I had wanted to read for a long long time. But I wasn't sure I wanted to buy my own copy, so the library membership proved to be a good answer. I had always assumed that it is autobiographical, and was also led to believe so by the cover and the preface, but later on learnt that it was perhaps more of historic fiction.

It is quite a big book, but very engrossing and captivating, with a beautiful, fluid prose. It gives a wonderful insight into the geisha culture and life, their trials behind the sophistication they present. I found it captivating, but I couldn't be as ecstatic as many of the reviews of the book and the movie I had come across.

Anita Nair - Goodnight And God Bless

I had read two of her novels earlier, and loved them, and was therefore encouraged to read this collection of musings. It was very well written indeed, with a lovely collection of memories and thoughts, giving an aura of calm and peace. I find her writing poetically beautiful, she seems to paint an interesting picture into the mundane. I savored it slowly, but at last I had to return the book (and also was looking to read something fast paced). I finally bought a copy of my own a few days back, it has been on my bedside, and I love reading a few pages before going to sleep.

           

R K Narayan - The Painter of Signs

Unfortunately, another of Narayan's book I didn't like. The writing itself was wonderful, with engaging descriptions of people and places, but the story didn't work for me. I couldn't sympathize with either of the two main characters. Raman, the painter, is rather self-centered, weak character. Daisy, the fiercely independent woman and family-planning evangelist, is humorless and inexplicable. The treatment they give each other is deplorable, and Raman's behavior being truly abominable.

Ruskin Bond - Book of Humor

Ruskin Bond's writing always has a charm and humor. He is a natural storyteller, and his simple yet elegant language and vivid descriptions are heart-warming. But this collection of humor stories, narrated in his inimitable style, is absolutely delightful. One can't help but love the adventures (and misadventures) of young Rusty, and feel just a little twinge of sympathy for his loneliness. When I finished it, I felt that I must have a copy in my collection, and I hope that Sid can enjoy it in near future.