Ah, The Good Old Dangerous Days
Do you often find yourself thinking back to when you were a child? When things seemed simple and there were no cell phones, laptops, and wireless…anything? Well, Conn and Hal Iggulden have thought back to those technologically innocent times and these brothers from across the pond decided to create a volume of knowledge for today’s youth which harkens back to this much simpler time.
Originally a best seller in England, The Dangerous Book for Boys was redeveloped for release in the United States. Slight changes, such as substituting The U.S. Constitution for British Patron Saints, were made to appeal to us Yanks. This volume contains a wealth of knowledge from varying fields such as science, literature, and history, but also more child specific information like how to play stick ball and marbles, and how to talk to girls. The Dangerous Book was written to satisfy some of that boyhood curiosity innate to all young lads that can’t be gratified by video games alone. The information in this book may seem old fashioned to some; I mean who cares about Robert Scott’s trek to the Arctic or the outcome of the Battle of Thermopylae? But the appeal is in that childhood quest for knowledge, and in provision of heroes that don’t have perfect hair or wear tights. The Dangerous Book wasn’t meant to rid the world of its technological ways, but to teach kids that there is fun to be had without modern conveniences. As much as The Dangerous Book is contrived for young boys, adults can find enjoyment by flipping through its pages. As the back cover tells us, it is “the perfect book for every boy from eight to eighty.” Reading this book brought me back to my days as a young lad too (though it really wasn’t that long ago). Indeed, the Iggluden brothers did an exemplary job of compiling stories and facts that would keep any youth, teen, or adult glued to these pages and scheming to “recapture Sunday afternoons and long summer days.”
Yes, much like Frosted Mini-Wheats, The Dangerous Book for Boys brings out the kid in all of us. If you’ve ever wondered ‘How do I skin a rabbit AND tan its hide?’ then this is the book for you. And if you ever felt a little sorry not knowing anything about the Seven Wonders of the World, whether ancient or modern, or had a horse you needed to hitch but forgot the right knot, then you can always refresh your knowlege, or gain a new wrinkle in that old noodle of yours.
The Dangerous Book for Boys
on Amazon
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Collins Books (May 1, 2007)
on Amazon
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