Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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92 of 98 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb Fun, 12 Aug 2006
I have to write, primarily to disagree with Mr Mitchell.
This may not be the greatest book ever, but it fills a huge hole, and I for one look forward to Volume II.
I and a friend, when we were about 10, made a go-kart just like that described, and the paper aeroplane detailed in this book comfortably beats my previous "favourite design", (gleaned from a Rupert Annual many years ago). You learn something every day.
It's a great book and while learning bits of Shakespeare won't be to everyone's taste, there will be something - many things in fact - that WILL be to everyone's taste. I bought my copy on impulse in a book shop for £18.99, I'm here buying another for the 50+ year-old friend with whom I built the go-kart all those years ago! :-)
If you have kids, or grandchildren, or godchildren (or simply remember being one yourself) buy it!
SB.
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97 of 104 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
'Dangerous' by name, dangrous by nature!, 4 Dec 2006
I was browsing my local bookshop when this gorgeous bookcover caught my eye. I picked it up flicked through it and realised that it was the perfect gift for my son's 11th birthday.
Now my son is one of those little boys for whom the only Tv channels begin with the words 'Discovery' or 'History', and whose interests could largely be summed up as 'sharp, pointy things'(historical men with big knives and extinct animals with big teeth.) He is also very creative;he spends hours drawing or building things - ballistae out of toothpicks, rafts out of twigs, castles out of cereal boxes, toilet roll holders and sticky back plastic. And this is where the 'Dangerous' bit comes in.
Not only have I had to haul off down to the dump to find him old pram wheels to make is own go-kart, he is now fully equiped to make is own bow and arrows. Which it transpires are even more effective that a coathanger and a 'laccy band... then there's the catapults and the tripwires.
I am also in danger of going deaf as I am constantly regaled with historical trivia about the British Monarchy, famous battles, astronomy,cricket and rugby, insects, the solar system, the Ten Commandments, clouds, light, trees, pirates, chess and the world in general (although I have to admit that this is only marginally worse since the arrival of the book).
So far I've managed to keep him from making fire-proof cloth (because he'll want to test it afterwards), and I think I've convinced him that you can't build a damn great tree-house in a ten-foot Elder tree, but I havn't managed to stop him taking his siblings pocket money since he learnt how to play Poker.
He was recently asked by a coy young lady to comment on the condition of her hair, which query elicited a very blank look and the response: 'Yeah... Are we allowed in the ball pit yet?' - so I don't think the pages about 'Girls' are going to cause me any problems yet, although they had me in stitches.
What else can I say? I love this book (so does my son). It's marvelous. Buy it. Today. Even if you're not a boy. Although if you keep boys - of any age - around the house and you just want a quiet life maybe you should keep it hidden.
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57 of 61 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Female member of the species, 14 Oct 2006
Can I just add a few words as a female member of the species and one time tomboy, who found this book, bought for my son, a brilliant read. I couldn't put it down until I'd skimmed through the whole book and I know I will go back again to 'dip in'. The projects are brilliant and the lists of facts such as kings and queens, clarify greatly the hotch potch of facts I've been carrying round in my head for many years. The book design is absolutely perfect too - reminscent of the Boy's Own type books I always found more interesting than those designed for girls.
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