The Dollmaker is a novel by Harriette Arnow. It is the story of Gertie Nevels and her family's migration from their Kentucky homeland to industrial Detroit during World War II. First published in 1954, the novel earned a 1955 nomination for the National Book Award. Its New York Times book reviewer called it a superb novel, notable for its strength and the glowing richness of character and scene. In 1971, Joyce Carol Oates characterized this novel as "our most unpretentious American masterpiece". Source: Wikipedia (en)