You're Sending Me Where?: Dispatches from Summer Camp

by Eric Dregni

Welcome! Benvenuti ! It’s summertime in northern Minnesota and a bus full of kids is about to arrive at the Italian Concordia Language Village, better known as camp . Inexplicably the chief lifeguard has chosen this moment to conduct a “missing villager drill,” prompting staff to strip to their underwear in a simulated rush to search the lake. It’s an inopportune time for a surprise visit from the Health Inspector, but there he is—just as an Italian counselor calls through the walkie-talkie, “My God, there’s blood everywhere!” He’s finally clobbered the chipmunk that’s been stealing his candy.  When at age six he had to be hauled kicking and screaming on the bus bound for camp, Eric Dregni could not have imagined this moment. But all the days and weeks of summer camp since then have shown him the abundant pleasures of this uniquely American experience—and given him plenty of stories to tell. In You’re Sending Me Where? Dregni takes us back to those boyhood days of running head-on into nature with his fellow campers and learning a few valuable lessons, such as don’t let the van driver leave you and your canoe until you’re sure there’s actually water in the “flowage.”  From discouraging summer love to soothing homesick campers to—Oh no! Bats!—taking everyone to town for their rabies shots, to the difficulty of saying goodbye, Eric Dregni’s wise, funny book reassures us that there’s still a place in the woods where, unplugged from devices and screens, children of all ages can connect with the natural world—and with each other.

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor

160 pages, Paperback

First published March 17, 2017

About the author

Eric Dregni has written nine books including Midwest Marvels, The Scooter Bible, Ads that Put America on Wheels, and Grazie a Dio non Sono Bolognese. As a 2004 Fulbright Fellow to the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Eric researched Scandinavian culture and roots for a forthcoming book. His time is divided between Italy, Norway, and Minneapolis where he is the curator for El Dorado Conquistador Museum and guitarist for the mock-rock trio Vinnie & the Stardüsters.

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very excited to discover that this book exists, because I worked at Italian camp with Eric Dregni back in 2009...the year of the rabies scare! I also remember the cook and his big hat, who both make an appearance several times throughout this book.

Dregni has quite a talent for turning both mundane and horrifying things into hilarious stories. I had previously read his book Never Trust a Thin Cook and Other Lessons from Italy's Culinary Capital, which made Italy sound almost like a whole other planet, and now this book makes northern Minnesota sound like a foreign world as well - except I'VE BEEN THERE.

The ghost of a hermit, potentially rabid bats, rivalry with the German camp, Capture the Flag gone awry, campers eating wild frogs, mascarpone tycoons, and lots of stage blood...if any of these intrigue you, you should read this book!

[Irina · Rating 2 out of 5]

When selecting which book to read I always look out for interesting topics and try to change it up between novels, biographies, mystery, humor, etc. I was intrigued by the summary provided in the description, because who doesn't love camp stories and summer adventures. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the author's writing style. The entire thing was told from his perspective and it felt very one dimensional. For example, character A did this, then he did that, and then he felt something, the end. There were a lot of stories included, and a lot of details provided, but they didn't feel cohesive and the narrative had a "stop and go" quality to it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories may sound far-fetched, but I was there for a lot of them, and they (and others) really happened. Dregni creates hilarious portraits of campers and counselors, and treats even the most outrageous characters with generosity and compassion. Laughing at them never prevents you from empathizing, especially with Dregni the narrator. Even though I knew the ending of most of these stories before I read them, I devoured the book in one sitting, cracking up the whole time. Lord, I miss Italian camp. You might even miss it half as much as I do when you have to put the book down at the end.

[Regencyfan93 · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a sense of familiarity in reading these dispatches, though my experiences weren't this eventful. This book took me back to my own time as a camper as a child and young adult. I am grateful that Eric Dregni is willing to be head of his camp, since his work is heroic in providing good experiences to children.

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My rating - 5 outstanding, 4 - I liked this and will re-read it, 3 - I enjoyed it though may not re-read, 2 - I kept going because I had to see how it ended, 1 - Whatever time I spent with this book is time I'll never get back to my regret.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm in this book!