Boyhood Heroes

[Gooner Girl]

I was a big fan of Hal and Roger Hunt in the Willard Price Adventure series. Great kids books. Probably banned for political incorrectness of some sort I'd imagine.

I read those too. Gained most of my early zoological knowledge from these 'adventure' series. They collected animals for their fathers zoo on Long Island if I recall?

Also enjoyed the Willard Price books. Jennings was a favourite as well, and loved anything by Enid Blyton. Enjoyed Biggles in my teenage years (also enjoyed having a good excuse to go into the bloke I fancied's bedroom and borrow from his vast collection ) but as a right little rough, tough, tree climbing tomboy I mostly wanted to be Just William.

[LeverEnd]

Dan, kids are no more or less imaginative than they have ever been. I've had genuinely interesting chats with kids that I teach, often 'geeky' ones who have honed their imaginations through the fantasy worlds they visit in computer games. They are fascinated and inspired by these things and one of the pleasures of being a teacher is talking to a kid who is really passionate about something, whatever it is.
Some of the school sports stars I've met (who are always out playing games and sports) have been the least imaginative. One has nothing to do with the other. Far from all kids are like this of course, but there are many out there. You just haven't met them.

[Burnden Paddock]

Kids don't read, eh? Two words. Harry Potter!

[TANGODANCER]

My daughters were kids in the seventies/eighties so I can't remember exactly what they read. Enid Blyton is ageless, Beatrix Potter, Bridge to Terrabithia and The Weirdstone of Brisingamen come to mind as remembered reading along with old favourites like Anne of Green Gables, Black Beauty, Follyfoot and all the Girls Own thingumies. They, like most young kids, loved stories.

[Gooner Girl]

^ if my two kids had their way I would read books to them all day. They love them and we have loads, probably far too many (can you have too many books?) They always have a bedtime story every night and we usually (time allowing) get through several more during the day. On Tuesday afternoons when they go to my mums whilst I'm at work I think she pretty much usually sits and reads to them non stop for about 2 hours ( the sucker that she is!)

I can recite pretty much all 20 of the 'Farmyard Tales' books.

[Lord Kangana]

I read loads of books. I own f*cking thousands.

Fat lot of good its done me. I should have stuck to video games, if you ask me.

[Montreal Wanderer]

I read loads of books. I own f*cking thousands.

Fat lot of good its done me. I should have stuck to video games, if you ask me.

I read all the time and have many thousands - have thrown out thousands too for space reasons. However, my daughter gave me an old ebook reader so I have stopped buying books. It is loaded with, inter alia, a lot of old books I read 50-60 years ago in my parents house. These include (you will be pleased to hear, Tango) all of Sapper's Bulldpg Drummond books and A.E.W. Mason's stuff including the Four Feathers. I am currently re-reading Dumas' Musketeer trilogy.

[Burnden Paddock]

My first 'hero' as I recall, was Casey Jones. I really, really wanted to drive a train.

[TANGODANCER]

These include (you will be pleased to hear, Tango) all of Sapper's Bulldpg Drummond books and A.E.W. Mason's stuff including the Four Feathers. I am currently re-reading Dumas' Musketeer trilogy.

And I hope ( I know you'll have Hammond Innes and Alaister McLean, Dennis Wheatley etc) P.C Wren's Beau Geste, Ryder Haggard, G.K.Chesterton, Edgar Rice Buroughs, Conan Doyle, Sir Walter Scott etc, etc.

[Montreal Wanderer]

These include (you will be pleased to hear, Tango) all of Sapper's Bulldpg Drummond books and A.E.W. Mason's stuff including the Four Feathers. I am currently re-reading Dumas' Musketeer trilogy.

And I hope ( I know you'll have Hammond Innes and Alaister McLean, Dennis Wheatley etc) P.C Wren's Beau Geste, Ryder Haggard, G.K.Chesterton, Edgar Rice Buroughs, Conan Doyle, Sir Walter Scott etc, etc.

I have all of Innes and McLlean in hardcopy along with Scott's complete works, along with much of Buroughs, Wheatley, Haggard and Conan Doyle. Oddly enough I have Chesterton's poems but only a book or two of his short Father Brown stories.
All the missing Haggard, Doyle and Buroughs are on the e-reader, along with some R.L Stevenson. I have seen the movie Beau Geste, but have never owned or read the book. I'll look for it in epub format.

[CrazyHorse]

I read loads of books. I own f*cking thousands.

Fat lot of good its done me. I should have stuck to video games, if you ask me.

I read all the time and have many thousands - have thrown out thousands too for space reasons. However, my daughter gave me an old ebook reader so I have stopped buying books. It is loaded with, inter alia, a lot of old books I read 50-60 years ago in my parents house. These include (you will be pleased to hear, Tango) all of Sapper's Bulldpg Drummond books and A.E.W. Mason's stuff including the Four Feathers. I am currently re-reading Dumas' Musketeer trilogy.

Yeah well I can't read. Or write.

[jaffka]

When we were playing football and all arguing over which player we were being, the names glen hoddle, Trevor Francis, Trevor brooking and platini would come up.

When it was rugby, everyone wanted to be Des Drummond.

[Bruce Rioja]

When we were playing football and all arguing over which player we were being, the names glen hoddle, Trevor Francis, Trevor brooking and platini would come up.

When it was rugby, everyone wanted to be Des Drummond.

Haha

I always bagsied being Asa Hartford for some reason. My younger brother, who struggled with the concept, always used to bagsy being West Germany.

[jaffka]

I missed out Kev keegan there.

Notice no scousers or manure. Proper upbringing as at gage time Liverpool were the main constant best team and Bryan robson wasn't as injury prone.

[Worthy4England]

When we were playing football and all arguing over which player we were being, the names glen hoddle, Trevor Francis, Trevor brooking and platini would come up.

When it was rugby, everyone wanted to be Des Drummond.

Jarzinho for me.

Oh and Tony Neary for the rugger. Until the bastard concussed me.

[thebish]

My first 'hero' as I recall, was Casey Jones. I really, really wanted to drive a train.

Casey Jones
Steamin' and rollin'
Casey Jones
You never have to guess
When you hear the tootin' of the whistle
It's Casey at the throttle of the Cannonball Express


awwwwww yes!

[Gary the Enfield]

My first 'hero' as I recall, was Casey Jones. I really, really wanted to drive a train.

Casey Jones
Steamin' and rollin'
Casey Jones
You never have to guess
When you hear the tootin' of the whistle
It's Casey at the throttle of the Cannonball Express


awwwwww yes!

[Bruce Rioja]

My first 'hero' as I recall, was Casey Jones. I really, really wanted to drive a train.

Casey Jones
Steamin' and rollin'
Casey Jones
You never have to guess
When you hear the tootin' of the whistle
It's Casey at the throttle of the Cannonball Express


awwwwww yes!

There was a boy at our school called Kevin Jones who we used sing that to, only replacing Casey with Kevin, obviously. Oh how we laughed at our own jokes back then. Still do.

[jaffka]

When we were playing football and all arguing over which player we were being, the names glen hoddle, Trevor Francis, Trevor brooking and platini would come up.

When it was rugby, everyone wanted to be Des Drummond.

Jarzinho for me.

Oh and Tony Neary for the rugger. Until the bastard concussed me.

That should be a claim to fame.

[TANGODANCER]

Wilson. The greatest fiction hero of them all. He once broke the world long jump record with a bloke on his back. Unfortunately there were no officials there to see it.