I must be the only person on the internet who didn't know about the Open Library until today when I read over on Bookslut that Jessa was absorbed in The Stork Didn't Bring You, a sex education guide from the 1940s that she found there. I am loving the site, particularly the really old books. Check this one out: The Artificial Mother, written by George Haven Putnam in 1894. Dedicated to "the oppressed husbands and fathers of the land and to the unknowing young man who may be contemplating matrimony," it is the story of a man who, resenting the time his wife spends caring for their ten children, makes a robot-like version of his wife out of a mannikin, a miniature organ, a turkey's gizzard and two mouse-skin drums. (If you scroll down in this article about the history of robots in American fiction, you'll find a couple of paragraphs that summarize the story.)
The author 's misogyny aside, sometimes we could really do with an artificial mother around here. Must add "turkey gizzard" to my shopping list.
Do you remember the creepy movie The Electric Grandmother? We saw it in about grade 5 or 6, and it wigged me out completely.
And yes misogyny, but also jealous of the attention his child is getting? How about growing up or giving him some attention yourself? Sheesh. I know, I know, the times, the times. But still.
Posted by: kittenpie | May 12, 2008 at 06:44 PM
wasn't The Artificial mother one of the starting points/inspirations for Neil Gaiman's Coraline? I swear I read that somewhere....
Posted by: babelbabe | May 13, 2008 at 10:34 PM
I just sent the link to my husband. We have a running joke about this particular issue. I have one very demanding son (two total), so I often joke that I'll see him in 18 years (now 13!) when my oldest son is grown. It's like the kid has radar. The instant I sit down to talk to or do anything with my husband, I instantly hear, "Mommy!"
Now where can I find an organ, a turkey gizzard, a mannequin, and some mice-skin drums? Does Sam's sell those?
Posted by: Dawn | May 14, 2008 at 10:54 AM
You think you're one step behind? HA! I have no idea what you're talking about. Open Library? I had never seen the Bible minifigs. And I am a fan of the minifig.
Your shrinky dinks are AWESOME. Where's your etsy shop?
Posted by: Catherine | May 14, 2008 at 11:42 PM