Friends of my Youth

by Ruskin Bond

I needed a friend but it was not easy to find one among a horde of rowdy, pea-shooting fourth formers, who carved their names on desks and stuck chewing gum on the class teacher's chair. Had I grown up with other children, I might have developed a taste for schoolboy anarchy; but, in sharing my father's loneliness after his separation from my mother, I had turned into a premature adult.' There is no telling where friendships might be made and how. Friends of My Youth is a collection of short stories by Ruskin Bond on how little and almost seemingly insignificant incidents of life can lead us to the person in whom we may find a companion, a comrade. These are the stories of how unknowingly, at times, friends are found and how they help eliminate our loneliness or become partners in crime in our personal missions. Narrated with utter simplicity, the tales make for a delightful remembrance of the friends made in the early years of life.

144 pages, Paperback

Published December 5, 2021

About the author

Ruskin 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.

Reviews

[Rakshita Nagayach (books_n_unicorns) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruskin Bond's "Friends of My Youth" is a collection of short stories where he goes down his memory lane, remembering all the fun times he had in his pre-teen and teenage years.

Gradually with every finished book, I am turning into a fan of Bond's writing. The childlike innocence in his stories have the power to keep the reader glued to the book.

'The Four Feathers' would be my favourite story in the book, for the pure innocence and wit dripping from the tale. 'Masterji' is a surprising yet tickling story while 'Breakfast at Barog' makes you want to hug the little boy in the story. 🧡

I would absolutely re-read these stories at some point of time, and gift copies of this book to my teen nephews and nieces. Because beautiful reminiscing of childhood days is a pleasure that should be rejoiced once in a while.

Gladly giving this book 4 out of 5 stars and an infinite amount of warm hugs to the author.

[Vijaysrj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple , warm and nostalgic , one of the best of Ruskin bond !

[Aruna Kumar Gadepalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collection of 18 pieces of writing of Ruskin Bond.

[M.J]

Very pleasant read.

[Meem · Rating 3 out of 5]

He is a good writer and the stories were. nice. the only thing i didnt like is how he boast about being a writer in every 3 sentence