Motherhood in Bondage.
A Signed Copy Of Sanger’s
Motherhood In Bondage
Sanger, Margaret. Motherhood In Bondage. New York: Brentano’s, 1928.
8vo.; frontispiece drawing by Kathe Kollwitz entitled “A Pregnant Woman Contemplates Death;” grey cloth, stamped in navy; covers lightly used, especially at spine (which bears a tiny white stain, not affecting spine label); a good, solid copy of a major work.
"Author's Edition" of this collection of excerpts from the thousands of letters sent by women (and by some men) to Margaret Sanger. Signed in the year of publication on the half-title: Margaret Sanger, Dec. 28, 1928. Sanger, who introduces and concludes the volume, organized the excerpts by theme: “The Pinch of Poverty”; “The Husband’s Own Story”; “Methods That Fail,” etc.
One of 500 copies numbered by hand (this is copy #286).
This compilation of heartrending letters from desperate women speaks volumes about the pain and suffering that were the norm in the days before birth control information was readily accessible. Each letter provides a vivid demonstration of the chilling effect of anti-abortion and pro-censorship laws on the women of America: “I was married at twelve. One month before I was thirteen I had a baby. I now have eleven, ten living. I don’t believe I can live if I have another;” “We live one hundred miles from the rail road. I have five children and am all alone when my babies come;” “I have been married eleven years, have four children, and have made nine trips to the operating table for abortion;” “I have ten living children and three miscarriages. We ain’t living, just merely existing, that’s all.”
Unfortunately for Sanger and for the nation’s women, “The tragic confusion about sexuality and reproduction communicated in her mail did not turn out to be popular reading material, and so few copies sold that Noah [Noah Slee, Sanger’s second husband] graciously bought up all the remainders and gave them away” (Chesler, p. 267).
A scarce inscribed copy of an uncommon and important feminist text.
(#4206)
Print Inquire
