Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Dangerous Books for Dads
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British brothers Conn and Hal Iggulden’s Dangerous Book for Boys is a nostalgic ode to boyhood that will enthrall every man-child. A bestseller in England and now in the U.S. in a revised American version, the Dangerous Book for Boys has received a great deal of notice for its inclusion of the more violent lost arts of boyhood, in particular hunting and skinning a rabbit. The brothers Iggulden started with a list of what they enjoyed as youngsters and added pursuits they felt were in danger of extinction for today’s boys. Other divertissements that made their list include the definitive guide to tree house building, stickball, making a go-cart and the finer points of espionage, such as secret inks, codes and ciphers (there is a difference!) and timers and tripwires, especially helpful to signal the approach of wives or mothers. The title, which may have been part of a clever and very successful marketing ploy, has irked an assorted group of pragmatists, tomboys and feminists who wonder – why couldn’t it just be the Dangerous Book for Children?
A good portion of the book is devoted to fostering the development of a well rounded Renaissance man. Some of my favorite sections are “Latin Phrases Every Boy Should Know,” “Sampling Shakespeare” and “Seven Poems Every Boy Should Know.” The heavily anglicized bias embraces stories of courage and the nobility of failure, known to Yanks if not in the stories of fallen heroes Robert Scott or Rupert Brooke, then in the Pink Floyd lyrics “…hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way…”
For those disappointed by the lack of opportunities in the Dangerous Book of Boys to put oneself in mortal peril, William Gurstelle’s Backyard Ballistics might fit the bill. A professional engineer with an interest in ballistics, Gurstelle provides step by step plans for amateur scientists to build some very explosive projects. The materials for the Cincinnati Fire Kite are simple – tape, newspapers and lots of matches – but Gurstelle’s description suggests the rewards for those with pyromaniac tendencies will be great. He advises: “…be aware that there is a certain Zen quality to making a good fire kite.” Gurstelle also highlights the contributions of the Mongolfiers, Robert Goddard, Isaac Newton and Alfred Nobel, as well as the genesis of the Roman candle and the development of the catapult in history. Numerous disclaimers as well as emphatic pleas to follow the directions with precision will hopefully prevent any unintended results.
A third option for Dads less inclined toward adventure is Neal Pollack’s Alternadad, a fine example of the newest sub-genre of Mommy and Parenting Lit, Daddy Lit and Blogging. A columnist and author of The Neal Pollack Anthology of American Literature, Alternadad offers a hilarious look at a hipster’s descent into fatherhood. Pollack is determined not to let fatherhood ruin his fun, and manages to leave his wife and infant for a little trip to Amsterdam where he almost causes a diplomatic incident at a poetry festival as a result of a little glib peyote ingestion. He is equally resolute in his desire to raise a super hipster son – it would be interesting to look into a crystal ball of little Elijah’s future to see how Pollack’s parenting experimentation may have turned out.
Some of the gender equality that has occurred in parenting in the few decades is in evidence here – Pollack may not do 50% of the dirty work, but is a participant in much of the decision making. He manages to weave in an extraordinarily broad range of literary references, including a beautiful allusion to an Italo Calvino story “Light Years” as a way of explaining how he felt about people (other parents) judging his parenting, and this makes Alternadad a delight to read.
Perhaps simply reading these books will provide the recipients with enough vicarious thrills to render any actually dangerous behavior unnecessary.
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