‘Imagine my situation as I clung desperately to the wing of the enraged bird. He was whirling me round and round as though he were a discus-thrower—and I the discus! My arms soon began to ache with the strain, and the swift and continuous circling was making me dizzy. But I knew that if I relaxed my hold, even for a second, a terrible fate awaited me.’ Things rarely go as planned in Ruskin Bond’s world, especially when cricket bats, bicycles, jungle creatures and Uncle Ken are involved. In Sporting Tales, Ruskin Bond gathers some of his most entertaining adventures where games, competitions and small challenges lead to very big surprises. There are boys who dream of glory, friends who fall out and make up again, unexpected heroes and the occasional crocodile, ostrich or ghostly interruption. Funny, fast-moving and full of heart, these stories remind us that sport isn’t only about winning. It’s about spirit. And sometimes survival.