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Scout Camp
Scout Camp: Sex, Death, and Secret Societies Inside the Boy Scouts of America | James Renner
2 posts | 2 read | 1 reading
In this timely and deeply personal true crime memoir, acclaimed journalist, author, creator of the True Crime This Week podcast, and former Boy Scout James Renner, explores the dark side of an American institution, its pervasive culture of sexual abuse, and the traumaticeven deadlyrepercussions of its long-buried secrets. In the summer of 1995, at the largest Boy Scout camp in Ohio, a night of sexual violence ended with one counselor dead and another hospitalized. The death was ruled accidental. It wouldnt be the last death associated with Seven Ranges Reservation. James Renner, too, was a counselor at Seven Ranges that year. He was always sure there must be more to the story of Mike Klinglers death, because Renner also knew firsthand that the 900-acre camp was not the safe getaway it was portrayed to be. On Friday nights the boys were ushered into the woods for a frightening ceremony in which they learned the rules for becoming good young menand, above all, that keeping secrets was a Scouts duty. No matter how dark the secrets were. Determined to face his demons, Renner embarks on a journey back to that tumultuous summer and exposes a clandestine society that left indelible scars on the Scouts and the staff who were there. For Renner, it meant opening up about his twisted upbringing, his issues with trust and sexuality, and a lifetime of self-medication. The result is a deeply personal, no-holds-barred, and vitally important true crime memoir.
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review
britt_brooke
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Mehso-so

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Less about “sex, death, and secret societies,” and more about this guy‘s personal experience. That‘s worthwhile, but slap “memoir” on the actual cover. This is not the deep dive, journalistic endeavor, sprinkled with personal account, I‘d hoped for.

CSeydel Yeah, I was wary of this one when I heard about it. To be clear I have zero trouble believing that abusers of various stripes would be attracted to the BSA organization or find cover there, and some people have had horrific experiences. But both my husband and my son consider their time with Boy Scouts absolutely life-changing (in a good way) and I hate to see the whole org painted as evil because of one guy‘s tragedy. 4d
britt_brooke @CSeydel I know that‘s gotta be tough when your guys have had such positive experiences. 4d
68 likes2 comments
blurb
deeannloso
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“In this timely and deeply personal true crime memoir, acclaimed journalist, author, creator of the True Crime This Week podcast, and former Boy Scout James Renner, explores the dark side of an American institution, its pervasive culture of sexual abuse, and the traumatic—even deadly—repercussions of its long-buried secrets.” UPDATE: I had to switch to Audible because the print is too small. 🙄

jen_the_scribe I had heard about this. My daughter was in Girl Scouts but I refused to let my son be in Boy Scouts because of this. 1mo
deeannloso Yeah, I always thought there was something a bit weird about the whole thing. 1mo
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