No Regrets: Dr Ben Reitman and the Women Who Loved Him

by Mecca Reitman Carpenter

The story of the legendary Ben Reitman, told by a daughter who dared explore her family's hidden past, searching in letters and family records for the secrets of her long-dead father, and the women (most famously, of course, Emma Goldman) who loved him.

212 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1999

Reviews

[Margaret Klein · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating life. This book is much more readable than the Emma Goldman book. It does a better job of keeping the book in some sort of chronology. Now I think I understand. The reason it is hard to follow the chronology is that Ben Reitman did not have one woman after another. He had them simultaneously. He would woo them, they would succumb, they would get angry, they would disappear but they almost always came back. And they all knew about each other. Was this some tragic character flaw of Ben's? Maybe. I think perhaps what disappoints me most, not in the book, but in Ben, is that he seemed to never quite live up to his potential. Anarchist, hanging out with Emma Goldman and in fact, managing his career. Champion of hoboes and prostitutes. Yes. Even starting a Hobo College. Creator of prevention and treatment of general disease. Yes. But never able to hold a job for long and never satisfied with any one woman at a time. Knowing three of his daughters made this an especially painful book. Ben abandoned his children from several women, Helen (Jan), Brutus, Mecca, Medina, Victoria. The baby, Olive, was born after her father's death. Each child, as they got older, has needed as they have told me come to terms with their father. The author, the first of those last daughters, wrestles with her father, at times praising him and at times her anger comes through. Sometimes, her chance of voice from first person to third person confused me and I found myself rereading pages to follow the story.While he championed free love, I think what we learn from his life, is that love is not free and there are consequences. He achieved one of his goals--immortality--through his children. While he accomplished much in his flamboyant life, imaging the world a better place, saving countless live, it left me hoping for more. I kept hoping for happiness for Ben, for Medina, their mother, for Mecca, the author, but it did not seem to come.

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

men suck

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mecca Carpenter is/was a friend of mine and I actually got to read and comment on this book before it was published. She does a fine job of telling an interesting story about a very complex man living in interesting times. It also provides an interesting glimpse of radical feminist Emma Goldman--a not-so-nice person, perhaps.

[Ginnetta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned some men will do what they want no matter who gets damaged.