It is very kind of people to invite me to their parties, especially as I do not throw parties myself, or invite anyone anywhere. At more than one party I have been known to throw things at people. In spite of this—or maybe because of it—I get invited to these affairs.

There’s nothing like being able to see the funny side of things in life. Whether it is a belt that decides to get hooked on to another passenger’s bag, or monkeys who visit and take refuge in the loo or even the omelettes that don’t turn out exactly the way they were intended, Ruskin Bond brings alive each of these situations with wry humour and a generous dose of wit. Party Time in Mussoorie is as much fun to read as it is to attend any of the weird and wonderful parties Ruskin Bond describes in this collection.