Ruskin Bond shares secrets of enjoying advancing years in new book

Long past the age when people are termed 'senior citizens', bestselling author Ruskin Bond in his next book will share how the years past 60 can be "the best years of your life".

The children's author will come out with The Golden Years on the occasion of his 89th birthday on May 19, publisher HarperCollins India has announced.

"... A book that I have written for those, like me, who can no longer climb trees, swing from the flying trapeze, or go sky-diving. There are, however, a great many other things we can do, and this book describes and enumerates some of them," the writer of The Enchanted Cottage said in a statement.

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Bond added that with a little care, dedication and love, these years are often the best years of life.

"Life may not be a bed of roses - roses have thorns, after all - but if you can make your bed with care and dedication and a little love, you may find that it’s a good bed and a good life - often the best years of your life!" he said.

Written in Bond's inimitable style involving stories, anecdotes, observations and witticism, the book is a collection of a “goofy old man’s reflections on a life well-lived".

"A new book by Ruskin Bond is always something to look forward to-it’s almost guaranteed that, when you pick up a book by Ruskin, it will make you feel better, and make the world around you seem a bit more cheerful...But the book is not just for those who’ve lived a good long life; it’s for everyone - because it’s all about the joy of life itself," added Udayan Mitra, executive publisher-HarperCollins India.