My strange interest with Human oddities

[a_natural_beauty]

Earlier in the year I was at half price books in Cleveland and a book caught my eye: "The lion boy and other medical curiosities" by Jan Bonderson. It had a painting of Lionel on the cover. It's been years since I had seen a book on this subject! My fasciation with human oddities started back when I was a teen and my mom gave me a book called "Very Special People: The Struggles, Loves and Triumphs of Human Oddities" by Frederick Drimmer. Either before that book or soon after I learned about the elephant man, Joseph Merrick. She also gave me a book about him which I read and I saw the 1980 movie. Over the years I saw the 1932 movie "Freaks" by Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein. And I've collected a few books here and there. All of the exciting and remarkable people I learned about impressed me! Some dealt with such harsh and hateful lives but found themselves overcoming their differences. The world of sideshows and freak shows (as they sadly were mostly referred to back then) are pretty much now a thing of the past. They were all so unique and beautiful in their own way. Over the years I haven't given them and this subject much thought sadly. But now I was excited to learn again. Without a second thought I bought this book and I have been reading it, hopefully I can finish it tonight.

Back to the book: Overall I have been enjoying it, but one chapter I had to skip because it was painful to read. It covered people who supposedly lived back from the 1700's - 1900's up to age 139 and 169 that I skimmed over. I just couldn't stand to read that. But reading about the human oddities was worth the buy since I learned about quite a few I never knew about before. Some of the other medical curiosities were about individuals who grew their nails out very long, those who's head was still reacting after being chopped off, people who have been killed and looking into their eyes after they passed on and seeing their killers, fasting artists, people who's hair suddenly turned white and the final chapter about individuals who have walked around the world. Most of these medical curiosities didn't really do anything for me, they honestly felt like filler. The author, Jan Bonderson has wrote quite a few other books like this that I do plan on reading someday. I'll probably just end up getting them at the library.

So have any of you been interested in this subject? Do you have a favorite person from the past who was considered a human oddity? I think I will write more about this subject in the future!

Comments

[hauntedrose]

I used to be a little interested when I was much younger, but eventually became too sensitive to the subject.

those who's head was still reacting after being chopped off

Morbid curiosity sent me to Google after reading this (having wondered in the past how long consciousness is retained after decapitation).

[a_natural_beauty]

Yeah, it was a pretty shocking chapter to say the least.... (About the heads!)

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Earlier in the year I was at half price books in Cleveland and a book caught my eye: "The lion boy and other medical curiosities" by Jan Bonderson. It had a painting of Lionel on the cover.<<

So cool!

>> "Very Special People: The Struggles, Loves and Triumphs of Human Oddities" by Frederick Drimmer. <<

I think I have that one.

>>Over the years I saw the 1932 movie "Freaks" by Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein.<<

My partner watched that this summer and showed me the making-of feature that came with it. Fascinating. The modern commenter was a bit put off by the way that freaks have made a living in sideshows and Hollywood because of how poorly they're treated.

Me, I tend to side with the things they've said: "The way I look, people are gonna stare. At least this way, they gotta PAY ME for it!" Some of them would've have a very hard time getting a regular job, but in show business of whatever kind, they could support themselves and have a tolerant community. In fact if you look at the circus towns, they were the first modern places to make accommodations for accessibility needs. There was a low counter for the little people and sturdy chairs for the fat ladies and so on.

>> The world of sideshows and freak shows (as they sadly were mostly referred to back then) are pretty much now a thing of the past. <<

Mostly but not quite entirely. You still see bits of them at Renaissance faires. One fellow I saw had a grindshow going with his bizarre collectibles. He had a shrunken head, complete with provenance papers, in a box labeled "See the Creepy Thing." (He didn't want to bother nonconsenting bystanders.) I think he had a preserved tattoo also. Sword swallowers and other circus-type performers still work the various carnie circuits. Very special people are uncommon but still appear occasionally. It's their choice.

>> Over the years I haven't given them and this subject much thought sadly. But now I was excited to learn again.<<

It's something I keep in mind for some of my writing. See "Carnival Candy" in Frankenstein's Family, or "The Unknown, Unpredictable Change" and "The Surest Passport to Fortune" in Polychrome Heroics. Also in Terramagne, show soups are direct descendants of sideshow performers -- their job is to let people meet a real person with visible superpowers. I try to cover a range of how different people feel about physical diversity.

If you want to ask for more, the October 1 fishbowl theme will be Cryptids, which would certainly fit some types of Very Special People. :D

>>Do you have a favorite person from the past who was considered a human oddity?<<

My favorites are the conjoined twins, like Chang and Eng. I'd love to see you write more about this topic.

Re: Thoughts

[a_natural_beauty]

I do recommend that book, "Very special people" if you haven't read it yet.

Yay! I'm glad you guys got to experience it! The making of the film would be wonderful to watch, I should try to watch that someday. Without a doubt that is one of my favorite movies.

Yes, you are correct! I recently saw a youtube video about a modern man who was similar to the elephant man. He was from the U.K. and came over here to America to visit and see some others with their own oddities, he even went down to Mexico. If you are curious I can share the link with you. :-)

Oh okay - I will try to keep that in mind, thank you!

Yes, they are very interesting. I have an old book about them, too. "The two"? I think is the title? Another old book my mom gave me when I was geeking out over this topic as a late teen.

Thanks, I will for sure! It is a fun topic and I'm not sure many know about these amazing people throughout history. Most I consider heroes.

[daryl_wor]

I've also grown up with Merrick in my upbringing which helped a lot since I was a majorly picked on kid. Plus the music in the film has long been a favourite album. His life and memories really helped over the years to not put up with baloney because he appreciated what good there was and that kind of thing. Dang, John Hurt did such an amazing job in that movie. And the guy who played Treves.

[a_natural_beauty]

Yes! I feel that movie is underappreciated! It was a masterpiece. I have it on VHS and want to watch it again someday. :-)
I'm sorry to hear you got picked on as a kid. Other kids really can be cruel. Even adults can be. I don't understand why people have to be mean to each other.

[daryl_wor]

Not a happy tale but I understand the why these days: we all hunt for acceptable behaviour that will include us to a group or tribe. I think it's rather an instinct. So when it caught-on that I had "cooties" via a couple kids at random, the rest of the class slowly followed suit, and I saw them do this with other kids over the years, so I knew it wasn't simply "me". Of course this made for awkward encounters in adulthood because they knew they had been mean and didn't know why and were still looking for being approved of by me. Weird.

Similar thing happened due to my online "infamy" in entertainment and a church I attended. Yes, we truly believe we are enlightened but as it turns out we aren't. (Oops!) ^_^

[a_natural_beauty]

yes, as sad as it is that makes sense. Kids work sort of like in a pack or similar to pack logic. And if there is a leader in such situation, they will tend to follow that kid. :-/

[daryl_wor]

Yes, sad, but I am so relieved that you understand! ^_^

[a_natural_beauty]

Of course, my friend!