A CHILDHOOD habit passed on by a doting father to his young son has become a treasure trove of memories, as author Ruskin Bond dips his pen in nostalgia in his latest book A Book of Simple Living, published by Speaking Tiger. This 150-page personal diary records small moments that constitute a life of harmony for our resident Wordsworth in prose.

As the title suggests, Bond’s gentle charm has gone from being simple, to simpler, as he puts pen to paper in order to sustain the sort of life he leads — unhurried, inquisitive, evenpaced and completely in sync with nature and its varied moods.

Most of us who have been fortunate to live in the hills, there is something magical about a hill station — the long walks, picnics under the deodars, moonlit walks, stolen kisses, haunted houses, trees in blossom…. Bond, the gentle muse of the mountains, looks back with affection on his early association with Mussoorie and the quaint things that make it special.

Consider this, for instance: “A cold, cold January. There is a blizzard. The storm rages for two days — howling winds, hail, sleet, snow. The power goes out. There’s coal to burn but it is hardly enough. Worst weather that I can recall in this hill station. Sick of it. Why do I stay here?

In March, there’s gentle weather at last. Peach, plum and apricot trees in blossom, birds making a racket in the branches. So this is why I stay here.”

The book is full of interesting diary entries about season change, people whom the author met and was affected in some way by them, about blossoms, birds, trees and even insects, which the author has a knack for observing, inspirational quotes and short poems make for an interesting read.

This handsome hardcover, the first title from Speaking Tiger, stands on its own and is a must-read for those who love the hills and Bond’s writings.