Vinayak Hegde's Reviews > The Beauty of All My Days: A Memoir [Hardcover] RUSKIN BOND

This is the second memoir of Ruskin bond that I have read. The first one is Lone fox Dancing Review . Like the earlier memoirs this books contains his personal experiences from his life organized on certain themes. Why there are some stories that read from the earlier book (such as the his days at granny home and Mrs Keller), there are few more new anecdotes and vignettes of people such as Sir Edmund who were left behind from the days of the Raj (or those who chose to stay on in Independent India due to various personal circumstances). The book contains many photographs from his life which adds context and colour to the autobiographical text.

Ruskin bond's writing is as mellifluous full of witticisms and mischievous observations such as those below:

In parts of India it is said to be lucky if a wall lizard falls on you the luck varying according to the part of your anatomy on which it lands I had no such luck. The lizard fell occasionally on my bed or on the floor and I was quite happy to be spared its reptilian blessings.


Well, I had just peeled my egg and was busy buttering my toast when I realized that I wasn't alone at the dining table. A glassy black jungle crow was sitting near the salt cellar watching me with beady eyes. And before I could say good morning, he seized my peeled egg and flew off through the open window. Now I have known crows to steal eggs (usually the eggs of other birds) but this was the first time I had seen one make of with a breakfast egg. It was already boiled and peeled. If it had waited a moment longer he would have had it with salt and pepper.


One misty morning, I encountered a group of tourists from the Punjab berating their guide for bringing them to Landour's summit where all they could see was a local cemetery. The cemetery does have the best view. Unfortunately the inhabitants are not in the best position to appreciate it.


The most powerful of men strut across their domains as though they are gods or favorites of the Gods, and then they vanish like fallen leaves. At least the dead leaves serve a purpose - they enrich the soil. Mankind pollutes it.

I hope I have piqued your interest in the book to read it.