The Unfit Heiress

The Tragic Life and Scandalous Sterilization of Ann Cooper Hewitt

By: Audrey Clare Farley

Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan

Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

For listeners of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and The Phantom of Fifth Avenue, a pause-resisting drama of fortunes, eugenics, and women's reproductive rights framed by the sordid court battle between Ann Cooper Hewitt and her socialite mother.

At the turn of the 20th 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.

This riveting story unfolds through the brilliant research of Audrey Clare Farley, who captures the interior lives of these women in this book and poses questions that remain relevant today: What does it mean to be "unfit" for motherhood? In the battle for reproductive rights, can we forgive the women who side against us? And can we forgive our mothers if they are the ones who inflict the deepest wounds?

©2021 Audrey Clare Farley (P)2021 Grand Central Publishing

Critic reviews

“Expertly blending biography and history, and using the life of Ann Cooper Hewitt as a backdrop, Farley has created an absorbing biography effectively explaining how the legacy of eugenics still persists today. Hewitt’s story will engage anyone interested in women’s history.” (Library Journal)

“The Unfit Heiress is a sensational story told with nuance and humanity with clear reverberations to the present. Historian Audrey Clare Farley's writing jumps off the page, as Ann Cooper Hewitt, once a one-dimensional tabloid fixation, is brought into full relief as a complicated victim of her time, standing in the crosshairs of the growing eugenics movement and the emergence of a 'over-sexed' and 'dangerous' New Woman. But most importantly, this book is a necessary call to remember the high stakes and terrible history of the longstanding fight for control over women's bodies." (Susannah Cahalan, number-one New York Times best-selling author of Brain on Fire)

“This book is as timely as ever. A gripping tale about the atrocity of systematic reproductive control.” (Booklist, starred review)

"In Audrey Clare Farley's book, the fascinating and unsettling case - and the worldwide media sensation it caused - is carefully revisited to expose what it meant to be considered an unfit parent and how easily family can become foes." (Town and Country)

Where is the edited version ?

Would be a great essay but book much too long and boring! I usually love these types of books/stories.

Such an important story

The author skillfully weaves the horrific personal experiences of one while examining the social legal and economic impact of the history forced sterilization. This is an overwhelming task to say the least and she does it with such attention to detail and skill that I was absolutely riveted. Sadly it reveals how far still are from reproductive rights and justice and gender, economic and social equality. Highly recommend.

Tragic

For me, the story was an emotional roller-coaster; so horrible to think this actually happened.

History unfolded

Inequality in America goes far deeper than I ever imagined. It was an unusual conversation that I had with my eldest daughter about Eugenics the day before I purchased this audio book. It went on being practiced for far too long in our recebt history. I am sickened by the thought process of White men towards all women. I recently heard on the news that the push for White women to reproduce again is still a thing. I have no more words that I can say. I am a Christian woman who does not believe women should be barefoot and pregnant.

An eye opening true story of eugenics and evil on wonen.

Anne Cooper Hewitt endured a horrible crime by her own narcissistic mother. Sterilizing her to gain her inheritance. The justice system failed Anne and countless other women who were sterilized without consent. How dare these medical professionals participate in this inhumane act. It’s a part of history that all men and women should be informed. The narrator was excellent to listen to.

hard to rate and read

This wasn't what I expected. it was more a book in eugenics and sterilization history in America. A complex topic to cover. Personally I never realized that so much information was available about the actual widely accepted practice to sterilize Mexicans, blacks, Mexican Americans, "unfit" people, and of course the poor. I didn't realize how deep and disgusting this practice was.

Interesting topic; audiobook narrator not great

This is an interesting topic - it's really a book about eugenics with Ann Cooper-Hewitt showcasing its devastating effects. In terms of the writing, the book lacks a couple of things that would have made it better. First, in-text references to source material. We get a lot of "Ann felt [emotion]" but absolutely no mention of how the author knows this. It could have referred to recovered letters, diaries, etc, but if the source is footnoted, that does not appear in the audiobook, and many statements felt as if the author was just guessing as to what happened rather than stating what *did* happen. I read a lot of nonfiction and always appreciate a clause saying "according to a letter to so-and-so in March 1902" or similar.

The book also lacks some critical details about Ann's adolescence. She was repeatedly referred to as oversexed, etc. The author does specifically mention how she was in the same bed as a boy when they were kids in an institution, and also how she put her hand in her diaper as a toddler. I do realize that either of these incidents by themselves would have been enough for prudish turn-of-the-century Americans to form a lifetime negative opinion of a child, but the book really seems to lack information about Ann's teen years. There are references to specific incidents involving her mother, but I was left feeling as if we missed large chunks of her life leading up to the trial. Again, I absolutely believe that one childhood "indiscretion" (as defined by prevailing social ignorance) could have been held against her for life, but it did feel as if the details of her youth were limited and rushed.

And finally, for the audiobook listeners, I really didn't like the narrator. She over acted. Ann's mother said some really terrible things to her over the years, and the words speak for themselves. The narrator used a dramatically hautey tone when speaking as the mother, and a patronizing tone when speaking as various proponents of eugenics or the various men who ruined Ann's life. These people *were* terrible people, but their words alone were enough of an indictment of their character that we didn't need the extra embellishment.

Astonishing and well told story

The story was well reviewed and rightly so. The author did an astonishing job of unraveling the story of eugenics and Ann Cooper Hewitt's life. The narrator is outstanding and is a reminder to authors not to narrate their own books.

Strange times devaluing women’s rights

As what is happening today, there is much said regarding thr right of a woman to control her body and reproductive purpose. Children were raised by nannies or left to their own devices. Minor ladies had even less control and the human race used excuses to prevent multiple births from becoming a drain on society. Things are not moving forward….

Interesting but...

I bought this book thinking it was a biography and the much of it was. Ann Cooper Hewitt was an interesting person who grew up with a difficult mother and a father who only had limited influence on her childhood. This portion of the book was very interesting, albeit sad. However, the latter portion of the book continued past Ann's death in the 1950's to talk about sterilization in America up to the present. This latter portion of the book was not what I thought I had purchased.