Scouting for Boys: The Original 1908 Edition (Dover Books on Sports and Popular Recreations) [Paperback]

Robert Baden-Powell (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Dover Books on Sports and Popular Recreations

The blueprint for the Boy Scout movement, this hugely influential manual is a must for anyone interested in scouting, youth education, and outdoor activities. The celebrated British general not only provides energetic tips on camping, tracking, and woodcraft, but offers proper Victorian-era advice on manners, self-discipline, and, above all, good citizenship. Includes the original illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Edited, annotated and introduced by Elleke Boehmer, professor of colonial and post-colonial literature at Nottingham Trent University in England, this fascinating volume tells us alot about Baden-Powell, his movements and even to some extent the particular point in time when scouting was born"--Washington Times "Scouting for Boys was written in the spirit of Peter Pan and Kipling's Kim; the games and plays and campfire stories are full of good ideas and good fun. The chapters on tracking, woodcraft, camp life and chivalry are full of simple (sometimes lifesaving) bits of practical information and exercises that teach children how to be observant, courteous and innovative."--Los Angeles Times

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Elleke Boehmer is Hildred Carlile Professor in English at Royal Holloway, University of London. She is the author of many books and articles on postcolonial writing and theory. She has also written short stories and three novels, most recently Bloodlines.
--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (February 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486457192
• ISBN-13: 978-0486457192
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #155,136 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > Children's Books > Sports & Games > Camping

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The British Empire wants your help", June 16, 2004

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Scouting for Boys: A Handbook for Instruction in Good Citizenship (Oxford World's Classics) (Hardcover)

At the very beginning of the twentieth century, retired General Robert Baden-Powell, the hero of the siege of Mafeking, coalesced his ideas for an organization to train young British boys in scouting for the British Empire. Not a very organized thinker, Baden-Powell borrowed heavily from all sorts of unrelated resources - newspaper articles, military dispatches, fiction, and much more - and produced this, his first book on scouting. Originally published as six separate books, this book brings all of them together, complete with original illustrations.

Now, as might be expected from its roots, this book reflects a lot of the biases and ways of thinking from Edwardian England. But, leaving that aside, this is a fun and interesting book that shows clearly the forms that have stayed with the Boy Scouts movement to this very day. The introduction was written by Elleke Boehmer, a professor of Colonial and Postcolonial literature, and is a fairly predictable deconstruction/analysis of B-P and his movement.

Now, as a newcomer to Scouting (my son is a Tenderfoot) did I find anything useful in this book? I sure did. Robert Baden-Powell was very knowledgeable about the subject, and this book sure shows it. (I never thought of tying my shoes like that!) Of course some of the information is out of date, especially the first-aid information, so it isn't really usable by the boys "as is." But, this is a nice resource, one that shows you where Scouting started.

Oh, and I must say that I actually enjoyed the somewhat jumbled organization of this book. It isn't as scholarly and antiseptic as modern Boy Scout books, and the stories and tales laced throughout make the reading much more fun. Plus, I did find the focus on some subjects, such as logic and deductive reasoning, to be quite interesting. I loved this book, and highly recommend it to you!

66 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars SM202, December 31, 2004

By 

SM202 (TN, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Scouting for Boys: A Handbook for Instruction in Good Citizenship (Oxford World's Classics) (Hardcover)

I was an Eagle Scout as a boy, and now I'm the founding Scoutmaster of my sons' troop. As such, I was anxious to get a copy of this hard cover version. Baden-Powell's work is a classic and well worth the read. The problem with this edition is the Introduction by Elleke Boehmer. Without it, the book is a 5-star. Ms. Boehmer appears a non-believer. Reading her is like taking a pessimistic art critic along side while viewing an art gallery. Far more benefit (for all concerned) would occur without her input. For each positive she states about BP, she mentions a negative. She also spends just over two pages discussing homosexual tendencies (pp xxxii-xxxiii) within BP's works, something which is out of place in this work. I started to list several quotes, but I think one sums it up best of all from the back cover: "She has never been a scout, but she did once shake hands with Lady Baden-Powell at a jubilee celebration in South Africa." I guess that must make her an expert.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book That Changed The World, January 20, 2000

By 

Derek J. Wheeler (Belfast, Northern Ireland.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Scouting for Boys: A Handbook for Instruction in Good Citizenship (Paperback)

This book is the basic foundation of the largest youth organisation in the history of the world and has been printed in more editions and languages than most other books apart from the Christion Bible. It was designed to be read by young people and to motivate them to develop all of their skills. It continues to be a major force in motivating young people to prepare to be active citizens in society. However it also contains simple truths for adults on the nature of young people and how best to help them learn and to achieve their full potential. It is required reading for adults educating or working with young people. Read it, enjoy it and then come join Scouting.