Perhaps Dover Books could be persuaded to do a reprint?

I can imagine it would be terribly popular today, to be read ironically. It sounds like something the Lemony Snicket crowd would dig.
fillyjonk | Homepage | 04.08.05 - 9:04 am | #

They should re-issue it with Gorey-style illustrations.

Mrs. Mortimer could end up with an extremely posthumous Oscar for best screenplay.

Thanks for the heads-up so I don't just flip through the cartoons and recycle this NY'er.

And now we know what Elizabeth Zimmerman was poking fun at with 'Knitting Without Tears'. "If a great knitting needle should stab you, you would cry."

xoxo Kay
Kay | Homepage | 04.08.05 - 9:26 am | #

Wow. And people think that those from the Middle Ages were cavalier about the suffering of children...they have nothing on the Victorians.
Stacie | 04.08.05 - 9:59 am | #

Thanks for the tip, I got the issue at lunch and read the article as I ate. It made me want to pop into the nearby used book store, but I ran short of time.
Faith | Homepage | 04.08.05 - 6:42 pm | #

I enjoyed the Mrs Mortimer story, too. I particularly enjoyed finding out that she wrote about all those countries without actually visiting them!
Katie | Homepage | 04.09.05 - 8:42 am | #

Mrs. Mortimer stinks faintly of Immanuel Kant. Am I wrong here? Never travelled anywhere? Wrote of worldly things? Hmmm? Coincidence?
Meredith | Homepage | 04.10.05 - 5:31 pm | #

powells.com has a copy of Peep of Day for $7 or something: http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/b...62-1857925858- 0

That's going to keep me chuckling today. My kids have it lucky - ! Sara
Sara | Homepage | 04.11.05 - 11:26 am | #

I've got a 15 month old who is just learning how to identify body parts. She may be the perfect age for your experiment. As an added bonus, it may be a helpful way for her to learn what sort of things happen when one goes down stairs face first, as opposed to learning from experience as she has been doing.

The bit about poison reminded me strongly of Alice's (she of Wonderland) rationalization of whether to drink from bottles labeled "drink me" and the potential consequences. A quick Google of the publication date (1883) makes me think there may be a relationship.
Sarah | 04.11.05 - 12:53 pm | #

You might consider interlibrary loan. I just checked and I know the Library of Congress has several copies.
bibliotecaria | 04.12.05 - 2:36 pm | #

Omigosh! I think my niece is ready for this level of instruction - though she doesn't belive the part about bones breaking when you fling yourself off of high places. Maybe I'll get it for my sister for her birthday!
Michael Tinkler | Homepage | 04.13.05 - 9:47 am | #