The Dangerous Book for Boys

A surprise bestseller in this day and age of political correctness, “The Dangerous Book for Boys” harkens back to the days before video games and overprotective adults took all the real fun and adventure out of boyhood. In this one-of-a-kind guidebook, brothers Conn and Hal Iggulden have put together all the things that boys want to do and learn about — from building treehouses and electromagnets, to identifying insects and spiders, to flying the world’s best paper airplanes. It’s the perfect book for every boy — and every man who still enjoys adventure stories and playing outside. Lavishly designed and fully illustrated throughout, it’s the perfect gift for all the boys on you Christmas list.

Ever wonder how to build a go-cart, make secret ink, or grow crystals on your windowsill? You’ll find the answers here — along with useful facts about the earth, such as the distance of the stars, why the sky is blue, and how latitude and longitude work. You’ll also find famous battles and pirate stories, essential Shakespeare quotes, a list of Latin phrases every boy should know — even an overview of the United States’ history and geography.

Some chapters and topics in “The Dangerous Book for Boys”:

The Greatest Paper Airplane in the World * The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World * The Five Knots Every Boy Should Know * Dinosaurs * Questions About the World (e.g., “What is a vacuum?”) * Making a Battery * Catapults * Fossils * Building a Treehouse * Making a Bow and Arrow * Understanding Grammar * Table Football * Fishing * Timers and Tripwires * Famous Battles * Spies, Codes and Ciphers * Making Crystals * Extraordinary Adventure Stories * Making a Go-Cart * Insects and Spiders * How to Juggle * Astronomy * Making a Paper Hat, Boat and Waterbomb * Cloud Formations * Making Cloth Fireproof * Building a Workbench * Five Pen and Paper Games * The Golden Age of Piracy * First Aid * A Simple Electromagnet * Secret Inks * Sampling Shakespeare * Navigation * Naval Flag Codes * The Moon * Skimming Stones * Pinhole Projector * Charting the Universe * Dog Tricks * Star Maps * Making a Periscope * Five Poems Every Boy Should Know * Coin Tricks * Light * Latin Phrases Every Boy Should Know * How to Play Poker * Marbles * A Brief History of Artillery * The Origin of Words * The Solar System * The Ten Commandments * Hunting and Cooking a Rabbit * The Game of Chess * Growing Sunflowers * Seven Modern Wonders of the World * Books Every Boy Should Read

. . . and many more. The authors also give a list of “Essentials” every boy should have on hand, including: Swiss Army knife (removes splinters); Compass (trusty guide); Handkerchief (doubles as a sling!); magnifying glass (look at small things, start a campfire); a marble (big one, for luck); pencil and paper (note down criminals’ car numbers!); small flashlight (read secret plans by night); Fish-hook (add stick and worm and you won’t starve); box of matches (dip the tips in wax — it waterproofs them).

For a true adventurer, of course, accidents and injuries are bound to happen, and The Dangerous Book for Boys makes sure boys can be their own first-responders: “It’s not being dramatic to say a little knowledge can be the difference between life and death.” With this in mind, The Dangerous Book for Boys offers a First Aid primer in dealing with breaks, burns, and other injuries.

“The Dangerous Book for Boys” also unravels the biggest mystery of all: girls. To this end, The Dangerous Book for Boys offers tips such as the importance of gentlemanly behavior, cleanliness, and the proper use of humor.

“The perfect handbook for boys and dads” —Daily Telegraph (UK)

“Returns boys to the wonder and almost lost world of tree houses and pirate flags. It celebrates the art of teaching an old mutt new tricks and accepts skinned knees as an acceptable risk for running through fields with the same dog yapping along. In celebrating old-fashioned boyhood and providing a blueprint on how to reclaim it, The Dangerous Book is revolutionary. It discards decades of social engineering that approaches children as being psychologically gender neutral. The book implicitly rebukes school texts that strip out gender references. Instead, it says ‘boys will be boys’; they always have been, they always will be, and that’s a good thing.”—FOXNEWS.COM

**We regret that we are unable to offer this selection to our members in Canada.

Tags: Conn Iggulden, Hal Iggulden, The Dangerous Book for Boys