Roads to Mussoorie

starting the year with Buskin Rond's book

Roads to Mussoorie is Ruskin Bond reminiscing his life in the mountains. Having been in and around Mussoorie for decades, he has a plethora of stories and anecdotes to share. The style of writing is light, as always. You'll definitely chuckle every few paragraphs. He has also managed to share a very bite-size history of the rise of hill stations through the British colonial rule. It's done in a humane, non-white-saviour style. I enjoyed previously unknown stories of Captain Philips and his Irish aloo. Even Proby Cautley's tale of vision and resilience to bring better irrigation showed the civil minded, rare non-abusive side of the British rule.

I am glad this book didn't repackage some of the older stories with a pretty cover. It featured personal tales ranging from hill-side treks to wild parties in the 20s ft. Bhoot aunty and other local folklore.

Don't blame me if by the end of the book you're tempted to visit the mountains and take up a slow intentional life, at least for a week. After finishing the book, I spend the next hour looking up AirBnbs in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand :/

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a rant about the quality of the printing

Let me just get this off my chest, this is nothing to do with the writing. I have a bone to pick with Rupa publishers. They are consistent by being sh*tty. So many issues with this one - I found 10 typos. So silly, one run through Grammarly would have fixed it. Second, the paper quality. Were you going for that transparent-bleeding-through-the-pages look? Cause you nailed it! Why cut costs so aggressively that the reading experience is effected? Oh, and the good ol' faded pages in the middle. I would have overlooked these issues if it were happening for the first time. But Rupa publishers have time and again produced softcopies that make me want to tear it apart and use it as a kitchen towel. Please do better.