OUR PODCAST on The Dangerous Book for Boys led people to suggest some other books along the same lines. I haven’t read them, but you might check out The American Boy’s Handy Book, 211 Things a Bright Boy Can Do, and The Boy Mechanic.

I’ve given The Dangerous Book for Boys to my 8-year-old nephew. I think he’ll like it. Meanwhile, reader Tom Royce emails:

After reading your initial post on “The Dangerous Book for Boys” I promptly ordered it for my 5th grade son.

I have to say it has been most interesting. The book is never far from him and Mom is getting driven crazy for the requests for parts and tools every afternoon.

I must say that it is very refreshing to see him diving into the book and projects with such relish. The world is not set up for little boys to be little boys anymore and it is gratifying to see him have the right tool to help him.

Oh, and Dad is loving the book also.

That’s nice to hear.

UPDATE: Reader John Surratt emails:

Glenn you got me fired up. I found my uncle’s old copies of The Boy Mechanics vol’s 1 through 4 (copyrighted 1913,1915,1919,1925). I have 10 and 8 year old boys and now that cub scouts are over for the year I know how we will spend the summer. Speaking of dangerous I liked the baseball game with a pocket knife for rainy days and the 1925 Land Yacht for cruising in the summer – with a bathtub! I also noticed the sail powered motor for powering a work shop which seemed especially current now.

Sounds like fun. Let me know if the sail-power thing works.