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My Adventures as a Spy
Written during the first years of World War I by a British military hero, this charming volume introduces the essentials of spycraft. Sir Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts and storyteller extraordinaire, developed his spying skills in South Africa and conducted some of his most inspired work in the Balkans, where he worked undercover as a butterfly hunter. In brief, breezy chapters, he explains how to adopt disguises, hide messages, create diversions, escape capture, and perform other thrilling maneuvers.
"A good spy no matter which country he serves is of necessity a brave and valuable fellow," Baden-Powell declares. His attitude toward espionage as a sport, in which the players appreciate and honor each other, brings the emotional exhilaration of a well-played game to these tales of danger and adventure. This book will captivate anyone with an interest in spying and the history of espionage.
"A good spy no matter which country he serves is of necessity a brave and valuable fellow," Baden-Powell declares. His attitude toward espionage as a sport, in which the players appreciate and honor each other, brings the emotional exhilaration of a well-played game to these tales of danger and adventure. This book will captivate anyone with an interest in spying and the history of espionage.
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1915
80 people are currently reading
423 people want to read
About the author
Robert Baden-Powell
289 books106 followersRobert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell , British general and first baron Baden-Powell, founded the Boy Scouts in 1908 and with his sister Agnes Baden-Powell founded the Girl Guides in 1910.
This also known lord and lieutenant in the Army wrote of the movement.
Charterhouse school educated Baden-Powell, who afterward from 1876 served in the Army in India and Africa until 1910. In 1899 during the second Boer War in South Africa, Baden-Powell successfully defended the besieged city of Mafeking. He wrote several also read military books for reconnaissance and training in his African years. Based on those earlier books, he wrote Scouting for Boys , which Pearson published in 1908 for youth readership. During writing, he tested his ideas on Brownsea island through a camping trip that began on 1 August 1907, now seen as the beginning.
Baden-Powell and notably Olave Saint Clair Soames, his wife, after their marriage actively gave the movement. Baden-Powell lived his last years in Nyeri, Kenya, where he died.
This also known lord and lieutenant in the Army wrote of the movement.
Charterhouse school educated Baden-Powell, who afterward from 1876 served in the Army in India and Africa until 1910. In 1899 during the second Boer War in South Africa, Baden-Powell successfully defended the besieged city of Mafeking. He wrote several also read military books for reconnaissance and training in his African years. Based on those earlier books, he wrote Scouting for Boys , which Pearson published in 1908 for youth readership. During writing, he tested his ideas on Brownsea island through a camping trip that began on 1 August 1907, now seen as the beginning.
Baden-Powell and notably Olave Saint Clair Soames, his wife, after their marriage actively gave the movement. Baden-Powell lived his last years in Nyeri, Kenya, where he died.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
November 6, 2013
Seriously, when you learn that the founder of the Boy Scouts was once a spy, how could you not read his adventures, especially when they are so short? The fact that the author constantly interchanged the word spying with scouting only served to make me laugh a little more.
Baden-Powell's memoirs are brief, simple, and to the point, with a tone consistent with other books of the time. His adventures are briefly described, without great detail or action, and leave much to be desired. He offers a rudimentary course in scouting...err...spying, with a handful of insights that might be new to today's reader, but not many. It was moderately interesting, though more so because of the identity of the author than anything else.
Baden-Powell's memoirs are brief, simple, and to the point, with a tone consistent with other books of the time. His adventures are briefly described, without great detail or action, and leave much to be desired. He offers a rudimentary course in scouting...err...spying, with a handful of insights that might be new to today's reader, but not many. It was moderately interesting, though more so because of the identity of the author than anything else.
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July 4, 2025Audiobook (po polsku)
October 6, 2022
Sir Baden-Powell had an interesting life. This books gives an insider’s view to spycraft before WWI. I found it entertaining, even though (or, perhaps, because) none of the stories mention James Bond technology. Baden-Powell had to do his job with courage and deception.
October 7, 2024
Creo que como lectura, fuera de ser Scout y de estar interesado en la vida de BP, es, aunque muy interesante, también un tanto pesada.
Ahora, creo que dentro de la vida Scout, y/o teniendo el interés por la vida del autor o del espionaje, se vuelve sumamente interesante, sobre todo al tomar en cuenta que no se trata de una novela, sino de las aventuras de alguien quien verdaderamente fue un espía. Me fascinó especialmente aquellas partes en las que detallo sus métodos para ocultar planos en dibujos.
Ahora, creo que dentro de la vida Scout, y/o teniendo el interés por la vida del autor o del espionaje, se vuelve sumamente interesante, sobre todo al tomar en cuenta que no se trata de una novela, sino de las aventuras de alguien quien verdaderamente fue un espía. Me fascinó especialmente aquellas partes en las que detallo sus métodos para ocultar planos en dibujos.
November 10, 2017
A slim volume, collecting various anecdotes of Baden-Powell's activities as a British agent. Occasionally shows its 100 year ago in its attitudes, but is otherwise an engaging bit of real life "boy's own adventure".
December 15, 2017
Ideas are written in a short and clear way. It gives some of the aspects of the great Boy Scout founder. Most of the stories are from the period before WWI (Book Published 1915) and the stories give good hints about different cultures at that time. (German, Japanese, South African, Balkan, etc..)
June 24, 2018
Good Short Read
This is a good short read about Mr. Baden-Powell’s exploits as a spy. There is nothing in-depth but still interesting.
This is a good short read about Mr. Baden-Powell’s exploits as a spy. There is nothing in-depth but still interesting.
November 20, 2018
It was interesting but the language mistakes annoy me too much in several places.
July 21, 2019
Some of the stories were funny.
October 3, 2022
Fascinating stuff, written in a fun and conversational tone. Left me wanting more.
July 19, 2015
An extremely entertaining read! I loved learning about the founder of scouting and his "prior life" of spying. Anyone would enjoy reading this book from young children to adults. I could imagine most of what was happening as if I were there along side of Baden-Powell just like a good story book. Because these are actual true events that took place, it makes it all the more thrilling!
Learning about his adventures spying and his skill and love for acting, I can totally see how and why the scouting program was put together the way it was. All the silly skits and songs you hear in scouting are right in line with Baden-Powell. Learning about how to survive on the land, navigating around using a compass, tying knots, working as a team, and more that we do in the Boy Scouts of America are all shown here in this book as Baden experienced it as a young spy.
Learning about his adventures spying and his skill and love for acting, I can totally see how and why the scouting program was put together the way it was. All the silly skits and songs you hear in scouting are right in line with Baden-Powell. Learning about how to survive on the land, navigating around using a compass, tying knots, working as a team, and more that we do in the Boy Scouts of America are all shown here in this book as Baden experienced it as a young spy.
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March 21, 2023literally started reading this on a speed reading app since two years of my preping for the SAT. Still havent finished it but i still sometimes continue to read it from time to time and the ideas just fall into place no matter the time of my being in touch with the book.
Woody Allen once said "I took a speed reading course where you run your finger down the middle of the page and was able to read 'War and Peace' in twenty minutes. It's about Russia."
Lesson: dont read War and Peace as a speed reading experiment
This one isnt as thick so you can keep up on a speed read, plus i dont think mine is as fast to finish it in 20. But still i love the short stories in this book but cant restate even some of my favourite ones which proves speed reading is a scam, so just,,,,, r e a d
Woody Allen once said "I took a speed reading course where you run your finger down the middle of the page and was able to read 'War and Peace' in twenty minutes. It's about Russia."
Lesson: dont read War and Peace as a speed reading experiment
This one isnt as thick so you can keep up on a speed read, plus i dont think mine is as fast to finish it in 20. But still i love the short stories in this book but cant restate even some of my favourite ones which proves speed reading is a scam, so just,,,,, r e a d
March 19, 2014
Who knew the founder of the scouting movement was a spy?
A fun little book. Being written so long ago, it feels like reading an old black and white spy movie. Very easy and quick to read, it starts with more of an instructional manual and bridges into anecdotes. Not heavy on the meat, but definitely worth a quick read.
A fun little book. Being written so long ago, it feels like reading an old black and white spy movie. Very easy and quick to read, it starts with more of an instructional manual and bridges into anecdotes. Not heavy on the meat, but definitely worth a quick read.
October 6, 2011
A quick read, this book relates a few basic hints as to how to be a good spy and tells of a few of Baden-Powell's experiences. I would have liked more background of his adventures and more follow-up. But it was still fun to read.
August 14, 2015
Fun read
I imagine that Lord Baden Powell was quite the character in life. It would have been fun to know him. His book is fun and quick to read and gives a little deeper context and background to his authority on "Scouting"!
I imagine that Lord Baden Powell was quite the character in life. It would have been fun to know him. His book is fun and quick to read and gives a little deeper context and background to his authority on "Scouting"!
May 15, 2010
Lord Robert Baden-Powell is still my hero! Long live the Scouts of the World!!
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November 6, 2012Ingenioso, y entretenido, para los que fuimos alguna vez scouts, altamente recomendables.
December 5, 2016
Okay. I did not know that he was a spy and felt pulled to read this by an extraordinary force of curiosity.
I could read it again.
I could read it again.
March 14, 2015
Some interesting nuggets, but not much on narrative or flow.
March 1, 2016
Very entertaining if somewhat formal. Really takes you back into what we imagine as the true cloak and dagger times.
Want to read
November 2, 2019Synopsis: of scouting fame, the author was an officer and spy in several wars. He goes into the details of spying from disguises to foreign police.
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October 29, 2013Very much interesting......
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May 9, 2019Awsome
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews