swampthing
09-17-2009, 02:24 PM
Was digging thru some old stuff around the house a few weeks ago and hit the jackpot. A great book by Ernest Thompson Seton,originally published in (I think) 1902. Illustrated by the author,even!
"Being the adventures of two boys who lived in the woods as Indians,and what they learned...."
I'd forgot I even had this one,and browsing through it,I could beat my head against a tree trunk for ignoring it for as long as I did. This was one of my favorites when I was a kid,and while it was written for a young audience,there isn't one reason in the world that those of us who claim to be grownups can't enjoy it as much as any kiddo.
Instructions for things like:
Building a tepee
Making a fire with a bow and a fire drill (You best be in good shape to try this one,AND know what you're doing. I remember making an attempt when I was a kid,and we all concluded that if we were lost in the woods without matches.it was pretty much a given that we'd either freeze,starve,or die of exhaustion after wearing ourselves out trying to build a fire with these things. But the Indians seemed to be able to do it just fine,so I guess it's possible....)
Tracking animals
Building a dam
Tanning leather
Making a bow and arrows
And all kinds of other good things.
While I hesitate to be an advocate of legally and morally questionable actions,this is a book that really needs to be passed down from one human hand to another. It's entertaining,useful,and a priceless window that we can look through and see our history.
So if it isn't available online,your local library might still have it. If this is the case,I wouldn't shed a tear were the book to be checked out,lost,and the library paid for the copy.
Seriously,go read it. It's a turn-of-the-century book,and it reads like one,but it's still a good one.
"Being the adventures of two boys who lived in the woods as Indians,and what they learned...."
I'd forgot I even had this one,and browsing through it,I could beat my head against a tree trunk for ignoring it for as long as I did. This was one of my favorites when I was a kid,and while it was written for a young audience,there isn't one reason in the world that those of us who claim to be grownups can't enjoy it as much as any kiddo.
Instructions for things like:
Building a tepee
Making a fire with a bow and a fire drill (You best be in good shape to try this one,AND know what you're doing. I remember making an attempt when I was a kid,and we all concluded that if we were lost in the woods without matches.it was pretty much a given that we'd either freeze,starve,or die of exhaustion after wearing ourselves out trying to build a fire with these things. But the Indians seemed to be able to do it just fine,so I guess it's possible....)
Tracking animals
Building a dam
Tanning leather
Making a bow and arrows
And all kinds of other good things.
While I hesitate to be an advocate of legally and morally questionable actions,this is a book that really needs to be passed down from one human hand to another. It's entertaining,useful,and a priceless window that we can look through and see our history.
So if it isn't available online,your local library might still have it. If this is the case,I wouldn't shed a tear were the book to be checked out,lost,and the library paid for the copy.
Seriously,go read it. It's a turn-of-the-century book,and it reads like one,but it's still a good one.