Lessons from the Varsity of Life

by Baden Henry Baden-Powell, Robert Baden-Powell

My Apologies; My Education; Art and Acting; Sport; Spying and Scouting; Soldiering; Matabeleland; The South African War; The South African Constabulary; As Inspector-General of Cavalry; Life Number Two; The Boy Scouts and Girl Guides; The War; Looking Back; With 8 illustrations and 115 Drawings by the Author. The following is Powell's explanation of why he wrote this 'I didn't want to write this yarn about myself; an autobiography is bound to be an egotistical repetition of 'I" but several different people have asked me to write some of my experiences because they might be helpful to young fellows in aiming their lives. So it is mainly for these-and I include girls as well as men under the term 'fellows" -that I write, seeing that I have passed through the 'varsity' of the world above-mentioned. I don't propose to make it a formal biography beginning with my babyhood and going progressively through the years of my life. It will rather be a sort of hotch-potch or plumb-pudding, though I am afraid the plumbs will be few and you will have to pick them out for yourself." Although Powell's introduction is exceedingly modest, this book will take you on a tour of the adventures, viewpoints, and accomplishments of the remarkable man who founded scouting. Essential reading.

336 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1992

About the author

1841-1901

Reviews

[Jan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Considering the multiple geographic, cultural, societal and historic changes and conflicts the author experienced it is remarkable how little reflection it seems to have triggered.

Thereby this autobiography becomes a loosely and not very elegantly listing of 'fun' anecdotes, feigned surprises at promotions and decorations and very unconvincing 'humility', when recounting the admittedly great deeds like the Mafeking Siege and the creation of new organisations such as the Scout movement.

[Giorgio Lazzarotti · Rating 5 out of 5]

«Quando nel viaggio della vita si è superata la 75° pietra miliare e si è raggiunto il punto in cui ci si pensa due volte prima di decidere se ormai valga la pena di ordinarsi un nuovo abito da sera, è consentito volgersi indietro a guardare la strada percorsa.
Si è naturalmente portati a predicare e a mettere in guardia gli altri viaggiatori contro gli ostacoli incontrati sul cammino; ma non è meglio segnalare loro alcune delle gioie che pure si incontrano e che potrebbero altrimenti sfuggirgli?».

[Adriano Koehler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I admire BP, but his past as a hunter is not so palatable in my opinion. I can ponder that he was a man from another time, but I think he dedicated to much paper to his hunting memories, while he could have written more about his experience while training and educating people (boy scouts or soldiers). However, we can have useful tips on how to face our own difficulties. It's worth reading (and you can skip the hunting parts, which is even better).

[Becky S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was actually a very fascinating book about Robert Baden Powell's life. It started off from the beginning, in a large family and going to grade school to fighting wars in India and Africa. He is also a very good hunter, artist and actor but most of all he is a very good Scout. He learned to be a leader of all types of people and situations. His "first" life was in the military and his "second" life was starting the Boy Scouts movement all over the world. He was such an inspired man to put all his life experiences together and then pass them on to others through Scouting.