[basil ransome-davies]

125. And here's my shot at it.

Anyone who opens this volume in the belief that it will offer a candid and unashamed exploration of the erotic underside of life in our society will have his expectations disappointed. No light is shed here on the forbidden world of pederasty. No taboos are boldly challenged. No call for an enlarged concept of sexual freedom and identity is issued. On the contrary, Scouting For Boys evinces an almost frenzied concern with piety, sobriety, 'cleanliness' and rectitude. This didacticism, and the book's equally odd preoccupation with exotic outdoor skills, give the impression of an author floundering with his topic and soon dissipate interest. Obsessive and programmatic, it has neither the impact of dramatic personal testimony nor the objective, scientific value of a social survey.