Review of Laugh with Me by Ruskin Bond

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Name: Laugh with Me

 

 

 

 

Author: Ruskin Bond

Publisher: Harper Collins

Genre: Humor

 

Blurb: Funny things have happened to me all my life, and I find them exhilarating!" says Ruskin Bond, one of India's most loved authors, who supposedly has not one but several funny bones in his body!

'Laugh with Me' is Ruskin Bond's invitation to all readers to join him on a crazy, fun ride through a book that is funny, witty and funny again!

From swimming escapades, train adventures and courtroom dramas to mistaken identities, school episodes and much else, each anecdote will have you rolling with laughter.

"If you can see the humour in your life, and if you can laugh at yourself from time to time-- you will be a happy person."

The bright, lively pages will have you laughing with Ruskin Bond from beginning to end!

My Thoughts:

Reading the name Ruskin Bond instantly took me back to my early reading days. I can no longer remember the very first book I ever read, but one of my earliest reading memories is definitely The Blue Umbrella. And I think most of us, at some point, have read at least one Ruskin Bond book. So naturally, I jumped at the opportunity to read his latest release, Laugh with Me.

After a long and extremely hectic day, I was looking for something light to read over a cup of coffee. But once I started Laugh with Me, I completely forgot about the stress of the day.

One of the first things I loved about the book was its vibrant cover and beautiful design. The illustrations perfectly complemented the stories and added an extra layer of charm to the reading experience.

I especially enjoyed how Ruskin Bond begins the book by talking about the importance of learning to laugh at oneself. Through incidents from his own life, he turns situations that might have been disappointing or embarrassing into delightful and humorous anecdotes. In a subtle way, the book also makes you reflect on how perspective can transform unpleasant situations into meaningful or even joyful experiences.

As always, Ruskin Bond’s writing is lucid, simple, and effortlessly flowing. The book is short, comforting, and incredibly easy to read.

Recently, I’ve been trying to build a habit of reading before sleeping, though not very successfully. Most nights, I end up reading my two-year-old daughter’s books because, according to her, my books “have no pictures or colours.” Thankfully, this book came to my rescue. My daughter loved looking at the illustrations while I read and laughed along. The best part was that she genuinely enjoyed the experience, and it turned into such a lovely bonding moment for both of us.

A special mention absolutely goes to illustrator Shamika Chaves, whose artwork brings warmth, colour, and playfulness to the book. The illustrations feel lively and expressive, perfectly matching Ruskin Bond’s light-hearted storytelling style. More than simply accompanying the text, they make the book visually engaging and inviting, especially for younger readers. In many ways, the illustrations became an important part of my reading experience and one of the reasons my daughter connected with the book so instantly.

Laugh with Me felt less like reading a book and more like sitting beside a wise, warm storyteller who gently reminds you not to take life too seriously.

And lastly, wishing Ruskin Bond a very happy birthday and more years of warmth, wisdom, humour, and stories that continue to comfort generations of readers.

About the Author

Ruskin Bond is the author of several bestselling novels and collections of short stories, essays, and poems. His notable works include The Room on the Roof (winner of the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize), A Flight of Pigeons, The Night Train at Deoli, Time Stops at Shamli, Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra (winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award), The Blue Umbrella, Rain in the Mountains, Roads to Mussoorie, Tales of Fosterganj, and many more.

He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999, a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Delhi government in 2012, and the Padma Bhushan in 2014.

I would Rate the Book 4/5

 This review is powered by Blogchatter Book Review Program

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