Amazing Tales for Making Men Out of Boys by Neil Oliver
Amazing Tales for Making Men Out of Boys by Neil Oliver
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Monday, 20, Apr 2009 09:13
Penguin paperback, out April 30th, 346 pp, £8.99.
In a nutshell...
A captivating read, tiresome in some places.
What's it all about?
Neil Oliver steps back in time to chronicle the glorious deeds and classic episodes that have shaped some of our most revered heroes.
Lamenting the loss of "manly men", Oliver recounts the bravery and sacrifice of legends such as Scott of the Antarctic and Neil Armstrong, in a bid to revive the heroic man of bygone days.
From the Battle of Trafalgar to Rorke's Drift, Oliver relates these events with unhindered enthusiasm and awe.
He attempts to remind boys that "sometimes it was more important to die a hero than live a coward's life".
Who's it by?
Neil Oliver is presenter of the BBC series Coast as well as an archaeologist and broadcaster. His television credits include Two Men in a Trench and The One Show.
As an example...
"Heroes and manly men don't conform to a look or to a style and they have come from all classes and every race. They are a rare breed and, most inconvenient of all, they don't know they are heroes and so cannot identify, far less introduce themselves as such."
Likelihood of becoming a Hollywood blockbuster
Doubtful. This book is bursting with valiant tales spread across a huge time scale. This makes it impractical for the big screen.
What the others say
"Told from the heart with both a passion and breathless awe for the deeds recounted that leaps from every page." - Sunday Telegraph
"A great book... I shall treasure it." - Sir Ranulph Fiennes
So is it any good?
Neil Oliver's passion and enthusiasm for men of duty and heroic deeds is unmistakeable. The sense of wonder and wistfulness is clear in the storytelling and for the most part, the reader is hooked.
The interludes concerned with Scott of the Antarctic keep the reader intrigued, but may have fared better were they confined to a single chapter, in line with the telling of the other tales.
Emotive tales, such as the sinking of HMS Birkenhead off the coast of South Africa in 1852, are, however, gripping. The idea that the men on board the sinking ship nobly sacrificed their lives to sharks, in order to save the woman and children first, touches the heart. This later became known as the 'Birkenhead Drill'.
At times Amazing Tales reads slightly like a history textbook, but that is a minor gripe. This book will appeal to history buffs and will leave the reader feeling inspired.
8/10
Natasha Meeajane