Boing Boing reminded me today of one of my favorite books as a troublesome lad: The American Boy’s Handy Book: Turn-of-the-Century Classic of Crafts and Activities. This 1890 tome — still in print — provided instructions for creating endless items of mischief, things that would horrify most parents today: the basics of taxidermy, how to make an exploding hot air balloon, a blow gun, an igloo, how to handle a gun or affix knives to a kite. It was written by Daniel Carter Beard, one of the founders of the Boy Scouts of America. Get a copy for the eleven year old in your life.
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When I had an eleven-year-old in my life, indeed he had a copy of this book and loved it. I did, too! Thanks for reminding me of this really cool book.
Ah yes… the book that made kite clubs cooler than they could every be in real life.
Great book. Still have my copy on the shelf over my desk.
I still have my battered copy. And I still frequently refer to the chapters on snowball warfare and the building of boats.
Yeah, the snowball warfare was probably my favorite too. I think I still need to get a gang together someday and stage one of those snowball fights.