The Little Book of Happiness by Ruskin Bond

Name: A little book of Happiness

Author: Ruskin Bond

Publisher: Speaking Tiger

Ruskin Bond is one of the most beloved writers of all the time in India. In this anthology, he brings to the readers, a code for happiness. Happiness is the emotion for all of us thrive in life. We’re doing everything we can for achieving this coveted “happiness”. But in the midst of a quest for happiness, we all forgot so many things. Hence we end up in despair.

‘To find happiness, look halfway between too little and too much.’

Like most of his writings, this anthology begins with recalling an incident happened in his life which makes him think about what is the meaning of happiness. Later observing some of the people in his life, he arrives int he conclusion that happiness means different things to different people.

Happiness is not waiting to be found; there’s no use looking for
it. All we need to do is to find the barriers within ourselves that we have built against it. Trust in people, in life is a good way to begin.

For the beloved writer, it will be

I’m quite happy on a rainy day because then I can curl up on a sofa, visit Blandings Castle with P.G. Wodehouse, enjoy a village cricket match with Mr. Pickwick and his
Dickensian friends, or go rowing on the Thames with Jerome K. Jerome’s three men
and a dog. A good book on a rainy day is happiness for me.

As a writer, I am also happy when I have completed a story or poem or essay and feel pleased with it.

So he advises us to find the cause behind our happiness which will be a unique thing.

We all have to do something in life, and if our occupation or vocation or profession
gives us pleasure, well, that’s happiness.
So choose well, my friend. Before you launch out on the journey of life, make sure
that the career or lifestyle that you have chosen is something that you really want to
follow.

This is something we all want to hear for a long time. With so many memories on his life, he is recollecting the little joys in his life through the quotes and poems of his favorite authors.

This will brighten up your day

If we have never been unhappy, how will we know when happiness comes

This is must read for everyone. Truly a little book of old man’s wisdom worth sharing. As a gift to others, it contains all the qualities to be perfect. The book also leaves some pages to pen down all our thoughts after reading those thoughts at the end of each chapter. Ruskin Bond himself wants us to write down something inspired by his anthology!!

Rating: 4/5

Some of the honorable mentions are:

‘If a straw can tickle a man, it is
an instrument of happiness.’
—John Dryden

 

‘If a straw can tickle a man, it is
an instrument of happiness.’
—John Dryden

‘Don’t cry because it’s over, smile
because it happened.’
―Dr Seuss

‘For every minute you are angry
you lose sixty seconds
of happiness.’
―Ralph Waldo Emerson

If one day you should lose all
your money, who knows—you
may become a happy yogi!
(If not, make peace with
your misery.)

If one day you should lose all
your money, who knows—you
may become a happy yogi!
(If not, make peace with
your misery.)

He ends this little book with some beautiful lines:

Dear reader, may you have the wisdom to be simple, and the humour to be happy.