The Irresistible Henry House
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In the mid-twentieth century in a home economics program at a prominent university, real babies are being used to teach mothering skills to young women. For a young man raised in these unlikely circumstances, finding real love and learning to trust will prove to be the work of a lifetime. From his earliest
… More »In the mid-twentieth century in a home economics program at a prominent university, real babies are being used to teach mothering skills to young women. For a young man raised in these unlikely circumstances, finding real love and learning to trust will prove to be the work of a lifetime. From his earliest days as a "practice baby" through his adult adventures in 1960s New York City, Disney's Burbank studios, and the delirious world of the Beatles' London, Henry House remains handsome, charming, universally adored--and never entirely accessible to the many women he conquers but can never entirely trust.
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Add a SummaryBeginning in 1919, Home Economics departments in colleges across the country maintained "Practice Houses" where students received training in the domestic arts, including child care via an orphan "practice baby." Henry House was one such baby, and his fictional story, from arrival on campus in 1946 through the tumultous '60's is fascinating. Was it, as thought in the early years, a stroke of luck for an infant to be tended by a dozen pampering "moms, or a form of child abuse? Henry is handsome, smart and adored by all, but damaged by the lack of a bond with that one special person. As he grows, the reader sees the culture change through snippets of popular songs, the philosophy of child rearing, and the lives of the young "mothers." Settings such as New York City, the Burbank Disney Studios, and London at the time of the Beatles reflect a time that has forever changed our world.
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Add a CommentBest book I have read in a very long time. I cannot stop recommending this to people. Such an original story and such a sad one. However, given the circumstances of the inspiration for it, this could be a real one. Absolutely fantastic in many ways and the author gave it a very plausible feel not going overboard with the characters. What a great read! Could not put it down.
It is the middle of the twentieth century, and in a home economics program at an American university, real babies were used to teach mothering skills to young women. for a young man raised in such circumstances, finding real love and learning to trust proves to be the work of a lifetime. The author narrates the tale of an irresistible hero and thw women who love him.