THE writer Ruskin Bond turns 83 years old today, and will mark the date by releasing the book, Looking for the Rainbow: My Years with Daddy, his first ever memoir for children, reminiscing about the time he
spent with his father. Gorgeously illustrated by Mihir Joglekar, the charming and poignant prose makes this a collector’s item.
For a countrywide release, the book will be formally launched by the author at one of his most visited bookstores in Mussourie, Cambridge Bookstores. Talking about his latest release, Bond says, “This little book is a tribute to my father who, over a short period of time, did so much to make my life meaningful for me. I wish all the children could have a father like him. I have written about him before, but never at length, and I thought it was time to thank him in the best possible way through a story woven around the events of those two memorable years. Once upon a time, in old New Delhi...”
The book begins with Bond at age eight, escaping his jail-like boarding school in the hills to live with his father in Delhi. His time in the capital is filled with books, visits to the cinema, music, walks and conversations — a dream life for a curious and wildly imaginative boy. Bond travels to his past, recalling his favourite adventures — and misadventures — with extra-ordinary charm, wit, poignance and not a trace of bitterness.
Bond’s recent releases include Confessions of a Book Lover, where he explores bookshelves in a bunch of amazing places — Simla’s Ripon Hospital, Hampstead General Hospital in London, and The Select Bookshop of Mr Rao and Ms Murthy in Bengaluru, among others. Bond opens a window to his earliest encounters with incredible writers to introduce readers to stories that played a significant role in moulding his imagination as a writer.
Looking For The Rainbow releases today. Puffin India, `250