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What Members Thought
I don’t usually read books like this one. But I have to admit, it was kind of life changing.
I absolutely loved this book and I will pass it to all of my female friends. Do not be put off by the historically off-putting term "spinster". This book was an ode to women who have carved out their own suitable, beautiful life, often against convention. Kate Bollick is a reflective and lyrical writer. High high praise for this one!
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Not sure if this is really a 3 or 4 star book, but I'm so glad to be reading modern views of what a woman's life can be, 4 stars it is.
I think the interesting issue of this book is whether single women chose actively to avoid marriage or if they simply allow themselves to be single until a suitable partner comes along. The portrayal of single women in America is usually that they are all desperate to get married, which I think is untrue. In my experience, men seem pretty interested in "locking d ...more
I think the interesting issue of this book is whether single women chose actively to avoid marriage or if they simply allow themselves to be single until a suitable partner comes along. The portrayal of single women in America is usually that they are all desperate to get married, which I think is untrue. In my experience, men seem pretty interested in "locking d ...more
Reader, I devoured it.
Bolick is a great writer; she makes non-fiction lyrical, which can be exceedingly difficult. Couple that with the fact that this book explores a topic exceedingly close to my heart -- spinsterhood and the social pressures around it -- and I was sold within the first few pages. I was somewhat skeptical about the "five awakeners" approach; it seemed like it could be gimmicky. It doesn't feel gimmicky at all, though, and it provides a jumping off point for some really wonderfu ...more
Bolick is a great writer; she makes non-fiction lyrical, which can be exceedingly difficult. Couple that with the fact that this book explores a topic exceedingly close to my heart -- spinsterhood and the social pressures around it -- and I was sold within the first few pages. I was somewhat skeptical about the "five awakeners" approach; it seemed like it could be gimmicky. It doesn't feel gimmicky at all, though, and it provides a jumping off point for some really wonderfu ...more
This was a really interesting way to frame a meditation on feminism and choosing to be independent in life, but around 2/3 of the way through it got tedious. The Edith Wharton chapter is where it all came crashing down for me. If I wanted to read historical passages about interior design, I'd have sought that out. The book struggled to recover after that.
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Jan 04, 2015
Julianne Dunn
marked it as to-read
Mar 31, 2015
Sarah
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Apr 05, 2015
Gerald
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Apr 05, 2015
Katy
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May 12, 2015
Hazel
marked it as plenty-of-other-books-in-the-sea
Aug 14, 2015
Colleen
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Sep 05, 2015
Shelley
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Dec 20, 2015
Danielle
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Jan 02, 2016
Tika
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Jun 20, 2016
Margaret Pinard
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Nov 15, 2016
Sarah
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Apr 16, 2018
Caitlin
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Jun 11, 2018
Anna
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May 30, 2019
Teri
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Jul 13, 2025
Artemis
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