Infertility and the Creative Spirit

Roxane Head Dinkin, PhD, a clinical psychologist practicing in Bradenton, Florida, who has long dealt with the problems of infertile women, and history professor Robert J. Dinkin have created an informative book showcasing seven prominent women who struggled with infertility and became creative powerhouses in a variety of fields. Unable to have children themselves, the Dinkins utilized their combined expertise and discovered how these seven women had worked through their infertility issues and honed their creativity to more fully utilize their talents:

• Juliette Low, founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA • Joy Adamson, wildlife conservationist and author of Born Free • Josephine Baker, entertainer and adoptive mother of twelve • Frida Kahlo, innovative artist • Emma Goldman, anarchist and birth-control advocate • Ruth Benedict, leading anthropologist • Marilyn Monroe, film star and sexual icon

Infertility produces a profound loss for women who hold the expectation that they will reproduce. Infertility and the Creative Spirit clearly illustrates the connection between the desire and inability to have children and lasting accomplishments in other areas of life, showing how infertile women contribute to the next generation.

ROBERT J. DINKIN is Professor of History at California State University, Fresno. His earlier books include Before Equal Suffrage (Greenwood, 1995) and Campaigning in America (Greenwood, 1989).