The Dollmaker by Harriette Arnow The Dollmaker by Harriette Arnow is the story of one woman whose genius is undermined by those surrounding her. Gertie Nevels, a tall, big-boned woman raised in the Appalacian region of Kentucky is creative, self-sufficient, strong, and resourceful. In her native home, Gertie creates for herself an atmosphere where she is able to survive any situation and has everything under control. As Wilton Eckley states in “From Kentucky to Detroit“, a chapter in his