Before the advent of the first Pacman quarter guzzling video machine made way at local convenience stores than to arcades, boys had to find ways to entertain themselves. A few months ago I found this book just drew me like a bee to honey. THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR BOYS by Hal Iggulden is a cool trip to my youth when I lived the life of a dangerous boy, today’s boy has lost that sense of danger. I was shocked to learn that Walt Disney picked up the right to make a movie out of this book. The more I contemplated about it, I think it’s a coup for Disney and boys of the world who forgot to be boys and not drones behind computers and video consoles. If the movie is made right, this will be a blueprint for many young boys. Equal parts droll and gorgeous nostalgia book and heartfelt plea for a renewed sense of adventure in the lives of boys and men, Conn and Hal Iggulden’s The Dangerous Book for Boys became a mammoth bestseller in the United Kingdom in 2006. Adapted, in moderation, for American customs in this edition (cricket is gone, rugby remains; conkers are out, Navajo Code Talkers in), The Dangerous Book is a guide book for dads as well as their sons, as a reminder of lore and technique that have not yet been completely lost to the digital age. Recall the adventures of Scott of the Antarctic and the Battle of the Somme, relearn how to palm a coin, tan skin, and, most charmingly, wrap a package in brown paper and string. The book’s ambitions are both modest and winningly optimistic: you get the sense that by learning how to place a splint or write in invisible ink, a boy might be prepared for anything, even girls (which warrant a small but wise chapter of their own).
