The unfit heiress the tragic life and scandalous sterilization of Ann Cooper Hewitt

 

Title of the book: The Unfit Heiress; The Tragic Life and Scandalous Sterilization of Ann Cooper Hewitt 

Author: Audrey Clare Farley 

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Publishing Date: 2021

ISBN: 978-1-5387-5335-4

Summary:

At the turn of the twentieth century, American women began to reject Victorian propriety in favor of passion and livelihood outside the home. This alarmed authorities, who feared certain "over-sexed" women could destroy civilization if allowed to reproduce and pass on their defects. Set against this backdrop, The Unfit Heiress chronicles the fight for inheritance, both genetic and monetary, between Ann Cooper Hewitt and her mother Maryon.

In 1934, aided by a California eugenics law, the socialite Maryon Cooper Hewitt had her "promiscuous" daughter declared feebleminded and sterilized without her knowledge. She did this to deprive Ann of millions of dollars from her father's estate, which contained a child-bearing stipulation. When a sensational court case ensued, the American public was captivated. So were eugenicists, who saw an opportunity to restrict reproductive rights in America for decades to come.

Author Info:
(From goodreads)

Audrey Clare Farley is a scholar of twentieth-century American culture. She earned a PhD in English from University of Maryland, College Park and now teaches in the history department at Mount St. Mary's. Her writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The New Republic, and many other outlets. She lives in Hanover, Pennsylvania.

Personal Opinion:

Scandalous seems to be a light word in terms of subject matter in this book. My general feeling is disgust and anger when I was done reading. The tale of Ann Cooper Hewitt, especially as it pertains to her life around the trial is well written and engaging, and for readers that enjoyed Rebecca Skloots book about Henrietta Lacks, it will be a true pleasure to read. It was written with a 21st century lenses, although the author did her best to get the readers to understand the time Ann Cooper Hewitt occupied. The author does an excellent job in furnishing profiles of Ann's parents, although I wished that more of Ann's childhood would have been available, like why she tended to do things she had done at three. ( Excessive masturbation is usually a sign of child abuse, isn't it?) While a great deal of the book was occupied by Ann Cooper Hewitt, the eugenics also made an appearance frequently, as well as its history. ( Eugenics, broadly defined, is controlling birth.) The author does pay attention to the race and socioeconomic aspects of eugenics, but they dont take center stage as Ann Cooper Hewitt does. A highly recommended read that I will talk more about in the future.   

This was given for review 

4 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)