Clarissa Pinkola Estes

This is the book's author. She describes herself as a Latina with a mixed heritage. She happily claims to have a rather worldly outlook, which was strongly encouraged by her upbringing. She is formally educated, with not only a doctoral degree but holds a certificate with respect to her specially-formulated, post-doctoral work.

She offers readers still more of her credentials. She is a specialist in Jungian psychology. That is one reason why she is especially well prepared for writing about the Wild Woman archetype. Jung's almost entire focus was the archetype and how it influences people in real life. For Jung, as it probably also is for her, archetypes involve psychology in a way that, while true for individuals, goes far beyond the individual. The roots and branches of archetypes are from diverse sources—ethnic roots, daily life, the history of the pre-urban or even...