Quotes
“Desire, doubt, destiny—there are many reasons for the shape of a family. With clarity and compassion, O’Donnell Heffington offers a timely, refreshingly openhearted study of the choices women make and the cards they’re dealt.” Ada Calhoun, author of Why We Can’t Sleep
“At once bracing and beautiful, Without Children is a timely meditation on all of the reasons why women increasingly can’t, don’t, or won’t have children—and the feminist solidarity we can all build together, whether we have children or not. I was intrigued and carried along for the book’s length by O’Donnell Heffington’s lyricism, thoughtfulness, humor, and panache.” Kate Manne, author of Entitled
“Without Children is the rich, nuanced history of women without children that has been missing from the discourse. O’Donnell Heffington skillfully avoids the trap of pitting women without children against mothers, while showing how the choice to have children has historically been dictated by—you guessed it!—the patriarchy. A necessary book, whatever your parental status is.” Doree Shafrir, author of Thanks for Waiting
“A woman with children is a mother. A woman without children has no name. Without Children, written with warmth and insight and layered with deeply personal stories, tells us this woman in fact has many names, faces, and identities—all worth knowing.” Lara Bazelon, author of Ambitious Like a Mother
“I devoured this book. O’Donnell Heffington is the rare serious historian who writes with verve and humor, bringing to life the big, hard questions of history that illuminate the present. Without Children is a signal contribution to the historical field and a vivid series of stories that are alternately shocking, funny, and inspiring.” Kathleen Belew, author of Bring the War Home
“Historian Heffington’s incisive debut examines how society demonizes women without children while increasingly failing to provide the supports that make it possible to raise kids sustainably…A cogent and well-supported polemic.” Publishers Weekly