How to Drive a Tank and Other Everyday Tips for the Modern Gentleman

by Frank Coles

'There is something refreshingly Hemingway-esque about Coles's Philosophy that deserves to be heard' BBC's FOCUS Magazine

'Chances are your dad can put up shelves. But does he know how to hide a dead body? Or cry with diginity? If not, this book's for him' COSMOPOLITAN, Book of the Month

A TOP GEAR magazine Book of the Month

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Call yourself a man? You do? Do you even know what a real man is? Are you a six-foot-one Adonis who wears all the latest fashions, moisturises regularly, visits spas for pleasure and never does anything wrong? Or do you drink twenty pints every Friday night, guzzle a kebab on the way home and then fart yourself to sleep? It's time to stop being the man everyone expects you to be and be the one you want to be.


Learn how to:

- Pick locks, safes and chastity belts
- Disappear without a trace in 24 hours
- Win a gun fight
- Survive the wild
- Ride a wall of death
- Work a 4-hour week
- Survive any crisis
- Make things go boom
- Drive cars sideways
- Be a great dad
…and, of course, drive a tank.

Fast-paced and funny, this is the ultimate bible for the modern man.

* A 'dangerous book for men' - how to embrace life to the full and how to be your own man * Top Gear meets 101 Things To Do Before You Die (Richard Horne)

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Humor

449 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2009

About the author

"...there is something refreshingly Hemingway-esque about Coles's Philosophy that deserves to be heard." BBC's Focus magazine.

Frank Coles is a media professional of nearly 20 years standing across TV, radio, news media, marketing, branding, publishing and the internet. He is a published author and has his own National Geographic web channel.

Frank has lived and worked all over the Middle East, SE Asia, Europe, and as far north as the pole.

You can find out more about him, watch NatGeo/YouTube videos, or contact him at:
www.frankcoles.com

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This started out with great promise. A summary of the basic "rules" for being a gentleman: Look nice, act nice, speak with authority and eloquence, have your own income, don't cause too much trouble but be prepared to step in when absolutely necessary. Yep, I think that covers it. This isn't a guide to being James Bond; though it does cover many of his skills (including baccarat and How To Jump Out Of A Plane And Live), the author points out that guns are a weapon of last resort.

The so-called everyday tips range from the macabre (How To Hide A Dead Body) to the somewhat dangerous (Make Things Go Boom and How To Drive A Tank) or whimsical (Learn To Jam In A Day, How To Tie A Bowtie) or practical (How To Be A Great Dad, How To Learn Any Language) and just plain fun (Man And Motor: this part involves supercars, racing and a drool-worthy description of the Tesla).

Although some could have done with more illustrations, the inclusion of end-of-chapter video links is a nice touch, and it's obvious the author isn't into mindless violence and highly values - and recommends - getting proper training and practice to minimise any risks and make everything safer.

Unfortunately some chapters are less practical "how to" (he never actually gives details of how to ride a motorcycle) but in general you'll find something for everyone. (And yes, I know this is targeted at men, but women will find parts interesting too.)

By the end I'd somewhat revised my opinion, and could definitely have done without the chapter on religion. This is more like a survival guide for modern man (gentle optional), containing tips for a more exciting yet balanced life, and it is packed with different concepts. An interesting gift idea for someone who wants to try something new, or if you're stuck for any ideas at all!

[Phillip · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a really good book, I got it as a Christmas present and ended up reading it myself. It has lots of tips for interesting things to do like learning guitar and how to do J-turns in cars etc i recommend this book to any gentleman.

[Chris Volion · Rating 1 out of 5]

A struggle from page one, I had to surrender and quit long before the end. It could have been kitschy fun but turned out to be both less-than-informative and tediously written.

[BlackhamBooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

ok - I didn't READ this book, I just skimmed it. I was thinking this might be something along the lines of "The Dangerous Book for Boys" ... something fun for my teenage boys to read.

But no ... just looking over the topics to be covered, I think I'll have to remove this from the "kids" reading list. Might be ok for an adult guy, but not something I'll keep around for the boys to read. There was probably some stuff they might have gotten a kick out of, but too much stuff I don't need them reading about (I'm sure they get plenty of "education" at school and such, but I don't need to provide more for them!)

[David Schuster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. I now know this author better than many of my friends. He has written the book I thought I might write - the one that says "hey reader, here's a bunch of stuff you should know that I had to figure out."

It's incredibly varied, and somehow goes FOREVER without really dragging per se, although some chapters did not interest me at all. I liked the book. The problem came near the end, when he told me he doesn't believe in God and I shouldn't either (duh). I thought we were PALS, Frank! What the heck?!?

[Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was great, not only does it teach you how to drive a TANK!!!
But it covers:
Handbrake turns
How to disappear without a trace
Live fast die old how to ride a motorbike
It just covers so much I'll be here all day listing everything got this book teaches.
This would be a fantastic stocking filler for any man in your life.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hardly a serious book, but it is kinda funny.

[Auntie Jpeg]

Was free eBook purchase for 2-days on amazon.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novel and interesting read!

[Joyce Fendley Wood · Rating 1 out of 5]

Fail

Fail

I failed to get the point of.the book. I thought it was going to be something else with meaning and deep philosophical views. nah

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't take yourself or this book seriously when reading. It's a comical light read that may have some handy tips.

[Kevin Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laugh-out-loud funny - a raucous Englishman goes on a series of crazy adventures and provides a snarky how-to guide for each.

[La Fay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious. A great read.

[Budd Margolis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Every high school senior should receive this book.

[Odhran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, and makes me want to do a lot of the things here, but loses an entire star because of the author's hatred of sensible punctuation. JESUS CHRIST PLEASE USE COMMAS.