CABIN PRESSURE: ONE MAN’S DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO RECAPTURE HIS YOUTH AS A CAMP COUNSELOR
By Josh Wolk
You can view this book's Amazon detail page here.
Tags:
- Started reading:
- %Fri %b %2007
- Finished reading:
- %Mon %b %2007
Review
Rating: 8
A great read for those of us who have lived through the “summer camp” counselor experience.
Jeff Wolk, just prior to his marriage at age 34, decides to take a summer off and return to his boyhood shangrila of Camp Eastwind on Sebago Lake in Maine.
Each paragraph brings back memories of living away from the “real world,” the interpersonal relationships that occur between staff members, key campers and the outsiders who sometimes stumble into this world.
Every incident and event brings back memories of similar ones from our own past. Although the camp he describes is a structured ACA-type camp running standardized NRA, Red Cross and other typical programs.. and the camp that I grew up at was a BSA one.. every memory of his brings out some of the same for myself and friends who have also read the book.
The constant competition.. fitting in.. feuds.. the pecking order.. the outsiders.. the insiders.. its all there, and its all fun to relive.
The memories of camp raids, long night campfire chats, dealing with camper homesickness, distant parents, jobs, “real world” events.. this book does an excellent job of driving you to reminiscing of our own youth.
Of course, many of us are jealous of the author’s ability to escape for a year and go back. Some people I know still do every summer.
We all visit every summer… help out.. or just remember old friends and stories.
This book felt much like a camp slide show.. bringing it all back. I think it’ll be kept nearby so it can be read over and over whenever the need arises to escape back to the days of gold.
