The Lost Lore of a Man's Life: Lots of Cool Stuff Guys Used to Know But Forgot About the Great Outdoors

by Denis Boyles

Time was, a man had to know certain things in this life. He had to use his callused hands and the knowledge passed down through the generations to carve a homestead from the wilderness and to feed his family by hunting and trapping animals or coaxing crops from the earth. But today, as men trade hammer and ax for computer and fax, and a cabin in the woods for a place in the burbs, these manly skills are in danger of disappearing forever. To the rescue comes Denis Boyles, columnist for Men's Health magazine, with a priceless treasury of forgotten lore and dozens of projects designed to rekindle that dying ember of machismo. Culled from U.S. government pamphlets, turn-of-the-century publications and old scouting manuals, this guide to lost lore contains projects on camping, hunting and fishing, farming and much more. Such skills as sending smoke signals, tracking a bobcat or moose, turning a bike into a steam-powered motorcycle and building a cozy log cabin are all included. In a world full of mama's boys, The Lost Lore of a Man's Life is the ultimate guide to reclaiming a man's lost heritage.

Genres: Nonfiction, Survival, Outdoors

210 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1900

Reviews

[ryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

recreates the vintage language and tone; often pleasantly, though occasionally to its detriment. did not need twenty pages on how to construct a fishing rod. could have used more diagrams, particularly where they were referenced but not present.

[Yisrael Dubov · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a "How to" book at all!

The book claims to teach how to do various outdoor activities, but then proceeds to give very little instruction when doing so. It's like saying "here's how to start a fire with sticks: take a stick and make a fire". Yes, I may be exaggerating a bit, but not by much, I assure you. It really is that uninformative.

Is there one or two ideas expressed well in this book? Sure. But there are also better books out there with far better value on the subject(s)

[Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

An odd little book. The compiler freely admits, this is not his material; he has collected it from various sources. This is a collection of "old-time" wisdom about camping, roughing it, and living outdoors. Sometimes it comes across ridiculously dated, humorously so, but mostly, it is full of good common-sense survivalism. There's a lot to be learned here, and if I were stuck in the woods, I'd feel safer and better prepared for having read this book.

[Sean Hendricks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I see what they were trying to do, but it didn't work as well as I had hoped. Repetitive entries, longer-than-necessary sections, and a lack of accompanying diagrams made it less than valuable as a resource.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

everyone that enjoys the outdoors should read this book. You will learn a few things or at least have some new things to try out