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The Armless Fiddler: A Pediscript Being the Life Story of a Vaudeville Man
284 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1935
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 25, 2014
On April 5th, 1848 C. Herman Unthan was born, without arms, into the household of the school teacher in the East Prussian village of Sommerfeld. Villagers speculated what his parents' sin might have been, to have brought this curse upon the household. The midwife offered to suffocate the baby. His father said that "wilful murder does not form part of a schoolmaster's duties" and dismissed her offer with disgust and contempt. When his mother took him into her arms she said, "It is our child; God has sent it and will not forsake it." During the boy's earliest years the father declared three rules:
"The boy is never to be pitied by anyone!
Leave the boy without shoes and socks.
Let the boy have his way--whoever helps him will have trouble with me!".
These three foundations shaped the boys life. He had an innately cheerful nature. He was "all boy" and got himself into many scrapes through which he found he could swim, undress and dress himself, feed himself, and even play a violin which was tied to a chair.
This autobiography is an engaging narrative of his life, during which he travels the world, rides horses, becomes a sharp shooter, and marries happily. He lives to the ripe old age of eighty, living through the tumultuos years of revolutions and world war. There are photographs of him shaving, typing, applying collar studs, etc.
His greatest desire was to be instrumental in opening a school for the armless. He declared that he never once felt that he would have been happier with arms. Furthermore, he never met anyone whome he had reason to envy. He was grateful to parents who taught him faith, hope, and love--the greatest being love.
It is an amazing account. To read this one will have to submit an inter-library loan request. The copy I read came from the University of Oregon.
"The boy is never to be pitied by anyone!
Leave the boy without shoes and socks.
Let the boy have his way--whoever helps him will have trouble with me!".
These three foundations shaped the boys life. He had an innately cheerful nature. He was "all boy" and got himself into many scrapes through which he found he could swim, undress and dress himself, feed himself, and even play a violin which was tied to a chair.
This autobiography is an engaging narrative of his life, during which he travels the world, rides horses, becomes a sharp shooter, and marries happily. He lives to the ripe old age of eighty, living through the tumultuos years of revolutions and world war. There are photographs of him shaving, typing, applying collar studs, etc.
His greatest desire was to be instrumental in opening a school for the armless. He declared that he never once felt that he would have been happier with arms. Furthermore, he never met anyone whome he had reason to envy. He was grateful to parents who taught him faith, hope, and love--the greatest being love.
It is an amazing account. To read this one will have to submit an inter-library loan request. The copy I read came from the University of Oregon.
March 20, 2010
Wow! This man was amazing! Very determined. He never wished he had arms, he never was jealous of those who did. He was a stuborn(he had to be), but sensitive man. Again my word fall short. But I will say that he proves that one can be happy without all the things deemed neccesary in life (even hands!). If you can get ahold of this one, READ it!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews