The Dangerous Book for Boys
by Conn Iggulden, Hal Iggulden
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Book Reviews of The Dangerous Book for Boys
Book Review: Fun and educational but fusty, and riddled with errors.
Summary: 3 Stars
This book is often fun and educational, but the frequent mistakes and "young fogey" tone get annoying. It resembles something out of the early 20th century, not just in style, but in substance.
While I was reading, every few pages, I noticed a mistake. Were they trying to bring the American edition to print in a hurry?
Although I appreciate the imperative to get away from the TV and out of the house, some more diversity in the historical sections would have been nice. I would have loved to have read some stories of brave acts by African Americans and women, for example.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed it. I have heard that a corresponding "Daring Book for Girls" is coming out in time for Christmas. I plan to read that one too -- maybe it will be better.
Addendum: here's an example of the kind of error I'm referring to. On page 161, in the section, "Finding Direction with a Watch," Iggulden writes about compensating for Daylight Savings Time, "...in summer you should subtract an hour and in autumn add one to use this technique." Of course, the second part of that sentence is wrong. If it's autumn or winter, the hour hand points to 12 when the sun is at its highest point in the sky. Unless it's currently Daylight Savings Time, leave the setting on your watch alone. Good fact checkers should have caught that.
As for the fustiness, the best example is the grammar section, where Iggulden writes, "The general rule for prepositions is: Don't end a sentence with a preposition." That rule may have been popular in the 19th century, when reformist-minded grammarians wanted to make English sound more like Latin. These days, however, it's the sort of nonsense up with which we do not put.
Book Review: Not quite correct (and not just for boys)
Summary: 3 Stars
My daughters gave me this book as a birthday present, and they've been reading it ever since. We all think it's good fun, BUT: it's really not just for boys, despite the exclusionary title. I mean, are girls not expected to be interested in knots, or soccer, or fossile, or even making water bombs? Most of the content seems pretty gender-neutral.
However, the "boys only" aspect isn't my chief complaint. Rather, I'm giving the book just three stars because it seems hurridly put together and without enough attention to detail. For example, the "rules of soccer" would be easier to understand if it included a diagram of a soccer pitch (and the rules of baseball might have been more topical for an American audience). Many flashlight bulbs are designed for 3 volts, not 9 volts, so that "Pocket Light" is really a recipe for a flashbulb. It usually takes a LOT of practice to make even a barely passable mortise-and tenon joint--angle irons or carriage bolts might be better for a new-to-woodworking boy to use in "making a workbench". Half the boys who follow "making a battery" are likely to be disappointed when the LED is first connected, because LEDs only work in one direction--so it would have been smart to suggest reversing the leads if it doesn't light up at first. The "Solar System" section mentions Sedna, but doesn't go on to say that there are a bunch of other objects like it--it just says "The rest is space and cosmic radiation", which is wrong, although, to be sure, of little practical relevance. And so forth. The selection of topics is great, but there's a lot of detail that's glossed over, poorly explained, or sort of wrong. Maybe one of the life lessons being taught here is that instructions often aren't very good.
Book Review: Incredible book for teen aged boys (as well as younger and older)!
Summary: 5 Stars
I'd read about the Dangerous Book for Boys and I got it recently for my godson. He opened the boxes from Amazon before I could get home (he was looking for the new Harry Potter book I'd ordered) and he saw The Dangerous Book for Boys.
"Who's that for?" he asked me when I got home.
I hesitated, because I had thoughts of giving it to him for Christmas, then I quickly realized that at fourteen years old, he may not like the book at all. He may find it childish and too young.
I decided that if he didn't like it, I could always return it, so I'd best give it to him right away.
With a grim look on my face, I said, "It's for you."
His face lit up and he said, "Awesome!"
He snatched it out of my hands and promptly began going through the pages. He took it to dinner that evening and showed it off to friends of mine.
I think I did okay with this purchase (and that's not too easy to do with a teenage boy...I do okay with football, baseball, and such, but books...).
The Dangerous Book for Boys is just great! I have enjoyed looking through it myself. I plan to sit down with it and peruse it once I can get it away from him. It has all sorts of neat information in it and it's presented in such a great way that boys won't feel like they're reading a text book (regarding the historical and informational content). But there's so much fun and cool content: naval flag meanings, navajo code language, several poems that all boys should know (and I have to agree with the choices), small quotes from Shakespeare that everyone should know, etc. It's just a plethora of great information and fun!
Conn Iggulden has done a great job!
Book Review: Great book that makes an excellent point....
Summary: 4 Stars
This book has good content that beckons back to an older time... a less politically correct time and a period where there was a stronger connection between fathers and boys. It honors the "wild" side of the boy and contextualizes it in a larger, more meaningful whole. Boys are certainly different from girls whether this is biological or socially conditioned or both.
The perspective that underlies this book offers much food for thought about what is in the best interest of our male children. Whether you agree or disagree with the specific point of view that underlies this unique mixture of interesting content (described above and in other reviews), you will find it interesting and provocative reading.
If you are a parent with boys, I HIGHLY recommend Real Boys : Rescuing Our Sons from the Myths of Boyhood and Parenting From the Inside Out. You will find both of these books to be indispensable and insightful. They are also good food for thought for teachers.
If you like this books, you may also appreciate Iron John: A Book About Men and a A Circle of Men: The Original Manual for Men's Support Groups. These books are similar in that they honor the boy in the man and suggest ways to get in touch with this along with more tender feelings that are sometimes not encouraged in parts of our culture.
Book Review: Wonderful book!!
Summary: 5 Stars
A good friend recommended this book, so I decided to give it a look. I'm very glad I did. The book is wonderful. As others have already said, the book reminds us that life is about more than TV programs and video games. It encourages us to slow down, take time to enjoy some simple pleasures and reconnect with the world around us. I like the fact that it's broken into manageable chapters, so younger readers won't find it too daunting. My 7 year old son can't put it down. Though we read every night, this book has truly piqued his interest. It's very rewarding to see him opt for a book instead of a video game. I think this is one of the most valuable aspects of the book. It inspires young people to want to learn.
I encourage anyone with children to buy this book. Frankly, I think it's appropriate for both boys and girls - there is no doubt that my 5 year old daughter will be fully involved in all of our adventures, experiments and lessons. She's already made her first paper airplane!
One final point - While I support everyone's right to post their opinions in a forum such as this, I would caution prospective readers to carefully consider the negative reviews posted here. I find it a bit ridiculous that some have gone as far as to criticize adults for reading the book, noting that it's "below their reading level". That assertion is absurdly pretentious and completely misses the point of the book. This book is meant to be fun. It does not purport to be serious literature. It is not meant to serve some other intellectual purpose, though I do believe it will help young people to better understand their history. Check it out for yourself - it's a winner!