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shamanicshayminI got a book at Half-Price Books today called Classic Toys of the National Toy Hall of Fame by Scott G. Eberle and the Strong National Museum of Play. Basically it dedicates a chapter of classic toys such as Barbie, Raggedy Ann, the Atari 2600, teddy bears and Crayola crayons into their histories and how they were created, what inspired their invention, and the significance they had for the time periods in which they were played with up into today. Which is exactly the sort of research I'm looking for regarding my novel. :o It's published in 2009 though, so the book is missing its most recent inductees like playing cards, the Game Boy, and the NES. Darnit, I wanted to read about those! ;;
It's still fascinating though. Did you know Candy Land was invented during the polio epidemic of the 1920s-1930s? Eleanor Abbott was a schoolteacher who was an adult victim of the disease, and during her recuperation, she made up Candy Land and other games to brighten up the spirits of polio-stricken kids at the hospital. :o
Teen Talk Barbie, 1991, altered by the Barbie Liberation Organization. In 1993 the BLO swapped the voice boxes in three hundred Teen Talk Barbies for the boxes in Hasbro, Inc.'s G.I. Joe. Unsuspecting customers found Barbies that barked "Dead men tell no lies," and "Eat lead, Cobra." p. 19.
I'm no fan of Barbie at all, but that is incredibly awesome. Most badass Barbie ever. ♥
For grown women, Raggedy Ann often generates powerful and vivid memories. Recently a reporter interviewed a number of California women about Raggedy Ann. The stories that emerged remind us how children find comfort in a dependable stuffed companion and strength in looking after a dependent, even as events swirl beyond them. One woman remembered hugging the doll tightly while tanks rumbled through the streets in Tehran in 1978. Another recalled holding Raggedy Ann desperately as her family fled the Japanese invasion of Luzon during World War II. As the young girl crossed a precarious rope bridge, she dropped the doll, and the rushing water below swept it away. Although the details of the family's eventual internment began to fade, the moment she lost her Raggedy Ann remained a searing, emblematic memory. Another woman reached further back in time to a car trip from Iowa to Minnesota in 1930, when, worried about the real possibility of highway robbery, her parents pinned the family's traveling money inside the apron of the Raggedy Ann she cuddled for security. p. 164-165.
Aww. :( ALL MY FEELINGS, RAGGEDY ANN. ALL MY FEELINGS.
Raggedy Andy may have played the second banana, but the little brother had his own distinctive, unwaveringly sunny and puckish personality. Where Raggedy Ann is charming and somewhat watchful, Raggedy Andy is impish and heedless. Adventures befall Raggedy Ann, but Raggedy Andy is the instigator and perpetrator of his escapades. Usually an emphatic dare is enough to get things going... ...None of these misfortunes are Raggedy Andy's fault exactly, but he is not completely blameless either. He is no angel, but he is forgivable because he is so cute. p. 241-242.
I noticed that about Raggedy Ann Stories and Raggedy Andy Stories too! I personally enjoyed the latter a little more 'cause as much as I love his sister, Andy made shit happen. <.<;;; So that resonated with me better. I still like the contrast between the two though, which makes Andy much more interesting than if he was a genderswapped clone of Ann or a cardboard "boyfriend" counterpart.
Not from the book, but I find these stickers adorable. Stupid fucking ragdolls. It's not like I like you or anything. /tsun-tsun.The "Good job!" one looks like Andy is about to confess to a crush.
Jayden's been reviewing Weiss Kreuz episodes and Jax has been doing the dub Sailor Moon series. So I'm feeling tempted to review/screencap the three Raggedy Ann cartoons made by Fleischer/Famous Studios. :o Anyone interested?
It's still fascinating though. Did you know Candy Land was invented during the polio epidemic of the 1920s-1930s? Eleanor Abbott was a schoolteacher who was an adult victim of the disease, and during her recuperation, she made up Candy Land and other games to brighten up the spirits of polio-stricken kids at the hospital. :o
Teen Talk Barbie, 1991, altered by the Barbie Liberation Organization. In 1993 the BLO swapped the voice boxes in three hundred Teen Talk Barbies for the boxes in Hasbro, Inc.'s G.I. Joe. Unsuspecting customers found Barbies that barked "Dead men tell no lies," and "Eat lead, Cobra." p. 19.
I'm no fan of Barbie at all, but that is incredibly awesome. Most badass Barbie ever. ♥
For grown women, Raggedy Ann often generates powerful and vivid memories. Recently a reporter interviewed a number of California women about Raggedy Ann. The stories that emerged remind us how children find comfort in a dependable stuffed companion and strength in looking after a dependent, even as events swirl beyond them. One woman remembered hugging the doll tightly while tanks rumbled through the streets in Tehran in 1978. Another recalled holding Raggedy Ann desperately as her family fled the Japanese invasion of Luzon during World War II. As the young girl crossed a precarious rope bridge, she dropped the doll, and the rushing water below swept it away. Although the details of the family's eventual internment began to fade, the moment she lost her Raggedy Ann remained a searing, emblematic memory. Another woman reached further back in time to a car trip from Iowa to Minnesota in 1930, when, worried about the real possibility of highway robbery, her parents pinned the family's traveling money inside the apron of the Raggedy Ann she cuddled for security. p. 164-165.
Aww. :( ALL MY FEELINGS, RAGGEDY ANN. ALL MY FEELINGS.
Raggedy Andy may have played the second banana, but the little brother had his own distinctive, unwaveringly sunny and puckish personality. Where Raggedy Ann is charming and somewhat watchful, Raggedy Andy is impish and heedless. Adventures befall Raggedy Ann, but Raggedy Andy is the instigator and perpetrator of his escapades. Usually an emphatic dare is enough to get things going... ...None of these misfortunes are Raggedy Andy's fault exactly, but he is not completely blameless either. He is no angel, but he is forgivable because he is so cute. p. 241-242.
I noticed that about Raggedy Ann Stories and Raggedy Andy Stories too! I personally enjoyed the latter a little more 'cause as much as I love his sister, Andy made shit happen. <.<;;; So that resonated with me better. I still like the contrast between the two though, which makes Andy much more interesting than if he was a genderswapped clone of Ann or a cardboard "boyfriend" counterpart.
Not from the book, but I find these stickers adorable. Stupid fucking ragdolls. It's not like I like you or anything. /tsun-tsun.
Jayden's been reviewing Weiss Kreuz episodes and Jax has been doing the dub Sailor Moon series. So I'm feeling tempted to review/screencap the three Raggedy Ann cartoons made by Fleischer/Famous Studios. :o Anyone interested?
