Book recommend; adults

[skeptic]

I just finished reading The Hearts of Men by Butler.  I note it as adult, as it deals with real, but more mature subjects, even as it encompasses many elements of Scouting.  If you get a chance, consider reading it.  Take a look at the synopsis on the web through Amazon or your favorite source.  I found it to be excellent; it managed to touch on many of my personal realities in Scouting both as a youth and an adult.  It does not though pull many punches in its slant and made me think a bit.  Take a look.  

[5thGenTexan]

If you have Amazon Prime, its free on Kindle

[SSScout]

Books....   see the other CUB thread....

[mrkstvns]

Curious about this, I went looking for quality reviews. Found out more about the story in a New York Times Book Review.  Now I'm intrigued. Will have to give this one a read.  Thanks for the recommendation, skeptic!

Review:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/08/books/review/hearts-of-men-nickolas-butler.html 

 

[yknot]

It was a good read. Thanks for the recommendation. I'm now reading Baden Powell: Founder of the Boy Scouts, by Jeal. I'm only about a third in, and while I'm not totally surprised because I've read some excerpts, the book is disconcerting. 

The Butler book made me think about what kind of connection the author was trying to make between scouts, damaged military men, and broken people. 

[skeptic]

Yes, the Jeal book has a great deal of innuendo, or so it seemed to me.  Having read a number of other bio's of BP, it gave me pause, for sure.  Personally, I feel after much farther study that Teal was doing a lot of what the current era is doing to BSA.  He tries to take a different historical period and make it comparable to a modern one.  That does not work, and it causes many issues, or at least so I believe.  Still, the overall depth of research makes the book a must to better understand BP.  

If you want to get an even different view, read one of the actual family memoirs or material he personally wrote that touches on his thoughts, like Rovering To Success or Lessons from the Varsity of Life.  You might also take a look at this web site; http://www.thedump.scoutscan.com/

Edited January 20, 2020 by skeptic

[desertrat77]

3 hours ago, yknot said:

The Butler book made me think about what kind of connection the author was trying to make between scouts, damaged military men, and broken people. 

I concur.  The book prompted some reflection.  I was a military brat in four different troops.  Eight different SMs.  One was a disabled WWII vet, the others were Viet Nam vets or VN era vets.  I enlisted and served 30 years on active duty, deploying several times.

Butler's characterization of veterans, in general, was a bit off, at least from my perspective.  At times, way off.  Some of the dialogue and action rang true, but much of it didn't.  And there were at least three solid errors in the book regarding military matters.  I realize it's a work of fiction and the book isn't subject to fact checking but some of the items were quite incorrect.  Likewise with Butler's depictions of scout camp and scouting as a whole.  Some things just didn't seem authentic.

These issues aside, the book makes a concerted effort to confront the reader.  Memories, the passage of time, and the toll of consequences.

Edited January 20, 2020 by desertrat77