Review of Dr. Nicole Roccas's "Under the Laurel Tree: Grieving Infertility with Saints Joachim and Anna"

Author Nicole Roccas has done a great service to the Orthodox world—and beyond—by creating Under the Laurel Tree: Grieving Infertility with Saints Joachim and Anna. The premise of the book is a necessary one in so many ways. For one thing, speaking of infertility from an Orthodox perspective makes her work a rarity. More than that, focusing on the grieving process means that the work is fitting for a variety of audience members. In my experience, there are more books written about how an author waited on God and finally received children. While I think that Under the Laurel Tree would still appeal to people whose infertility ended with the birth of a child, I really value the book’s focus on the journey of walking with God through the grief of infertility—on the spiritual growth to be gained through the struggle of infertility—rather than on the idea that being “cured” is defined by becoming a parent. As Dr. Roccas eloquently states in one of the “golden lines” of the book: “Healing from the shame of infertility comes not when/if we finally get pregnant, but rather when we ultimately surrender to our full worth as men and women, children of the living God whose image we bear and whose love we can never escape.”

I also really enjoyed her in-depth look at the story of Joachim and Anna, as told in the second-century work The Protoevangelium of James. Dr. Roccas discusses the somewhat controversial nature of the source material (some in the Orthodox Church have questioned its authenticity, but the Church has drawn upon it heavily to design the feasts of the Virgin Mary that are celebrated during the Church Year). As Dr. Roccas explains—and I agree—even if there are any historical inaccuracies in the details, they do not diminish the value and authenticity of the emotional experience that The Protoevangelium portrays. Each chapter of the book’s main section begins with an excerpt from the story of Joachim and Anna. I found that the parts of the story that Dr. Roccas quotes were at times confusing, but her commentary helped to clarify what could be gleaned from the story even when the details were hard to understand for someone coming from our modern context.

Dr. Roccas expertly weaves humor into the book, so that I found it surprisingly funny despite the serious subject matter. Her writing style is so relatable and goes a long way toward making the reader feel understood and accepted for whatever feelings he or she may have experienced during infertility. That being said, I would recommend this book both for those who have experienced or are experiencing infertility, and for those who have not but wish to better understand the experience.

I am so thankful that this book is available now as a resource in the Orthodox world. I so enjoyed reading my review copy and am delighted to recommend it to others!