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Dragon in the Tunnel
In the not so distant past, everyone's place- whether maid, ayah or cook, sahib or memsahib- was well understood. There were clear rules for negotiating (and maintaining) the vast chasm between the two sides. Today, it's a little different. There are housekeepers who are part of the middle class who ensure their children join white-collar India. There are teenage girls brought to the city by 'aunts' and 'uncles' to serve as '24-hour' help, who find themselves virtually, and sometimes literally, caged. There are employers who wrestle with the guilt of spending more on an Italian meal in a fancy hotel than on those who clean their homes- and other employers who insist 'these people' are all thieves.
- GenresShort Stories
126 pages, Paperback
Published November 20, 2017
30 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Ruskin Bond
686 books3,588 followersRuskin Bond is an Indian author of British descent. He is considered to be an icon among Indian writers and children's authors and a top novelist. He wrote his first novel, The Room on the Roof, when he was seventeen which won John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize in 1957. Since then he has written several novellas, over 500 short stories, as well as various essays and poems, all of which have established him as one of the best-loved and most admired chroniclers of contemporary India. In 1992 he received the Sahitya Akademi award for English writing, for his short stories collection, "Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra", by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters in India. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 for contributions to children's literature. He now lives with his adopted family in Landour near Mussoorie.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 16, 2022
A perfect evening read recommendation?
I would highly recommend this book of short stories by my go to author when I want to read something comforting and relaxing.
Reads almost like a memoir divided into short chapters with some dash of adventure and fun with a mix of melancholy and nostalgia, the stories will give you a sense of being a trusted friend who is listening to a friend who needs you at that very moment.
Most of these stories seem like they have been taken from the author’s real life events as there are a lot of similarities as in the author’s autobiographical book which came out a few years ago.
A few stories are fiction as you will know when you read them. There’s one story told from the perspective of a crow! It’s unique I would say and you will get to learn a few things about human behaviour from it.
The story with the book’s title amazed me as well.
The writing is one of the author’s best so far. Pick up this book. It’s so worth it.
I would highly recommend this book of short stories by my go to author when I want to read something comforting and relaxing.
Reads almost like a memoir divided into short chapters with some dash of adventure and fun with a mix of melancholy and nostalgia, the stories will give you a sense of being a trusted friend who is listening to a friend who needs you at that very moment.
Most of these stories seem like they have been taken from the author’s real life events as there are a lot of similarities as in the author’s autobiographical book which came out a few years ago.
A few stories are fiction as you will know when you read them. There’s one story told from the perspective of a crow! It’s unique I would say and you will get to learn a few things about human behaviour from it.
The story with the book’s title amazed me as well.
The writing is one of the author’s best so far. Pick up this book. It’s so worth it.
April 27, 2021
Ruskin's Bond 'Dragon in the tunnel' is a compilation of his 17 short stories reminiscing mostly about smaller towns, fewer people, lesser technologies, and simpler lives; of days full of pleasure and peace.
He starts by saying How the sparsely populated Delhi and Dehra of those days make for some of the best memories of his childhood and youth.
It's the 1940s and the author reminisces of the times he lived in Delhi. The coolness of wet khas Reed in hot summers, flights of glorious bright winged bluejays, jheels and ponds of Nazafgarh, eating jamuns in India Gate ,a day in the life of a Punjabi family in Rajouri garden, long walks in Connaught place, good food, grand weddings of the Delhiwallahs, craze for lottery tickets and many more.
We get to see the timeline of authors life explaining his early days in Jamnagar, then After his parents separation he came to Delhi to live with his father, then sent off to boarding school in Shimla and eventually returning to his home in Dehra in a Tonga after his father's death.
He continued to spend a lonely adolescence after his father's death when living with his mother in Dehra.
In his famous story 'Our trees still grow in Dehra' He remembers the time he was in Dehra, wanting to get inside the bungalow his grandfather built, wanting to climb the trees again of jackfruit, papaya, eucalyptus and many more.
He remembers smelling the orchard in his house , how he and his father used to plant trees outside the Verandah, take long walks inside the jungles , how he misses the riverbeds and small Rock Island of Dehra besides the plum, Tamarind, Coral and laburnum trees. The sight of Parakeets, mynas, bulbuls, barbets, kingfishers , winged ants emerging in the rains, geckos devouring the insects is making him more nostalgic day by day.
Tale 'A Crow for All Seasons' about talking and imagining Crows Slow, Speedy and Charm make for a wonderful and comic laugh while the Tale about 'The Kitemaker' is a heartful and emotional ride.
Bond also include some of his famous horror stories such as 'Picnic at Fox-Burn' and 'Reunion at the Regal' which is both spooky and chilling tales.
After this 2 hour read, you all will surely miss your old friends, old love and old places. Cherish your life and be more grateful to all of your blessings. Leaving you all with this beautifully written excerpt from this book :
The adventure is not in arriving, it’s the on-the-way experience. It is not the expected; it’s the surprise. You are not choosing what you shall see in the world, but are giving the world an even chance to see you. It’s like drawing lines from star to star in the night sky, not forgetting many dim, shy, out-of-the-way stars, which are full of possibilities. The first turning to the left, the next to the right! I am still on my zigzag way, pursuing the diagonal between reason and the heart.
He starts by saying How the sparsely populated Delhi and Dehra of those days make for some of the best memories of his childhood and youth.
It's the 1940s and the author reminisces of the times he lived in Delhi. The coolness of wet khas Reed in hot summers, flights of glorious bright winged bluejays, jheels and ponds of Nazafgarh, eating jamuns in India Gate ,a day in the life of a Punjabi family in Rajouri garden, long walks in Connaught place, good food, grand weddings of the Delhiwallahs, craze for lottery tickets and many more.
We get to see the timeline of authors life explaining his early days in Jamnagar, then After his parents separation he came to Delhi to live with his father, then sent off to boarding school in Shimla and eventually returning to his home in Dehra in a Tonga after his father's death.
He continued to spend a lonely adolescence after his father's death when living with his mother in Dehra.
In his famous story 'Our trees still grow in Dehra' He remembers the time he was in Dehra, wanting to get inside the bungalow his grandfather built, wanting to climb the trees again of jackfruit, papaya, eucalyptus and many more.
He remembers smelling the orchard in his house , how he and his father used to plant trees outside the Verandah, take long walks inside the jungles , how he misses the riverbeds and small Rock Island of Dehra besides the plum, Tamarind, Coral and laburnum trees. The sight of Parakeets, mynas, bulbuls, barbets, kingfishers , winged ants emerging in the rains, geckos devouring the insects is making him more nostalgic day by day.
Tale 'A Crow for All Seasons' about talking and imagining Crows Slow, Speedy and Charm make for a wonderful and comic laugh while the Tale about 'The Kitemaker' is a heartful and emotional ride.
Bond also include some of his famous horror stories such as 'Picnic at Fox-Burn' and 'Reunion at the Regal' which is both spooky and chilling tales.
After this 2 hour read, you all will surely miss your old friends, old love and old places. Cherish your life and be more grateful to all of your blessings. Leaving you all with this beautifully written excerpt from this book :
The adventure is not in arriving, it’s the on-the-way experience. It is not the expected; it’s the surprise. You are not choosing what you shall see in the world, but are giving the world an even chance to see you. It’s like drawing lines from star to star in the night sky, not forgetting many dim, shy, out-of-the-way stars, which are full of possibilities. The first turning to the left, the next to the right! I am still on my zigzag way, pursuing the diagonal between reason and the heart.
May 31, 2021
*****4.0*****
A beautiful read. The author reminisces of the times he lived in Delhi around 1940's. He talks about his childhood days, his parents separation, his mother's second marriage and his father's death. His life while growing up and how he takes each incident even though sad as an adventure.
Wonderful collection of memories!
Happy Reading!!!
A beautiful read. The author reminisces of the times he lived in Delhi around 1940's. He talks about his childhood days, his parents separation, his mother's second marriage and his father's death. His life while growing up and how he takes each incident even though sad as an adventure.
Wonderful collection of memories!
Happy Reading!!!
October 16, 2022
My favourite of these stories is The Eyes Have It. I also like Picnic at Fox-Burn and The Monkeys
February 18, 2021
Another beautiful read. The book contains a dozen or so stories/essays set in the 1950s and 60s. I enjoyed all of them. Would definitely recommend if you're a fan of Ruskin Bond or if you're looking for something good and short to wind down with.
Sharing this particular quote that stayed with me and that might also give an idea about what the book has to offer-
"The adventure is not in arriving, it's the on-the·way experience. It IS not the expected; its the surprise. You are not choosing what you shall see in the world, but are giving the world an even chance to see you.
It's like drawing lines from star to star in the night shy, not forgetting many dim, shy, out-of-the-way stars, which full of possibilities. The first turning to the left, the next to the right! I am still on my zigzag way, pursuing the diagonal between reason and the heart."
Sharing this particular quote that stayed with me and that might also give an idea about what the book has to offer-
"The adventure is not in arriving, it's the on-the·way experience. It IS not the expected; its the surprise. You are not choosing what you shall see in the world, but are giving the world an even chance to see you.
It's like drawing lines from star to star in the night shy, not forgetting many dim, shy, out-of-the-way stars, which full of possibilities. The first turning to the left, the next to the right! I am still on my zigzag way, pursuing the diagonal between reason and the heart."
July 10, 2025
I am a big fan of fiction and short stories
this is my first book of ruskin bond I accidently purchased at train station.
book start with slow pace
and initial stories were just soothing 😌
but as you progress, you will encounter all types of emotions in different stories.
and my favorite of all in this book is crow for all seasons, and the eyes have it.
this is my first book of ruskin bond I accidently purchased at train station.
book start with slow pace
and initial stories were just soothing 😌
but as you progress, you will encounter all types of emotions in different stories.
and my favorite of all in this book is crow for all seasons, and the eyes have it.
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October 15, 202417%
Got bored
Got bored
October 12, 2021
When a story, anecdote takes the reader into the world if writer, that's the kind of magic I want to read and suggest to read. Ruskin Bond's this collection did the same to me. If "A crowd for all season" narrated by a crow about humans, "the monkeys" brought of out a doubt in me Do ghosts exist "the kite maker" surely made me recollect days of kites and the way people enjoyed sight of kites in the sky now only will be seen during a particular week during January.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews