Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation
Continuing on my feminist/sociology book kick, I finally read (well listened to) a book by Rebecca Traister.
Synopsis
From the back cover:
Today, only around 20 percent of Americans between the ages of eighteen and twenty-nine are wed, compared to the nearly 60 percent in 1960. Traister set out to investigate this trend at the intersection of class, race, and sexual orientation, supplementing facts with vivid anecdotes from fascinating contemporary and historical figures. This exhaustively researched and brilliantly balanced account traces the history of unmarried women in America who, through social, political, and economic means, have radically shaped our nation into the twenty-first century – and beyond.
Review
I was, admittedly, afraid of this book a little bit. As a twentysomething woman somewhat recently married, I fretted for a few months if I would find the subject matter discussed relatable. So I did what I should have done in the first place and Google Rebecca and found out she’s married so I could be reasonably well assured than All the Single Ladies wouldn’t be marriage-shaming. Which I realize is a weird thing to fear, but after a conversation I had with a few customers, seemed like a viable fear.
Two customers at the bookstore, one a new mother, the other the mother of a high school senior, told me they had been shamed by working moms for being highly educated women who chose to fulfill the traditional maternal role to stay home with their kids. And I realized that is something I fear from the feminist movement – being shamed for partaking in traditions such as marriage and motherhood.
All the Single Ladies is, I found, at its heart, all about choice. Choice in determining your own path and your own future as a women. For what seems like eons, women had no agency, and now we do. We have choices and opportunities. And that is the basis for Rebecca’s book – how the modern 21st century woman utilizes her decision making and choices to change and influence society and the world around her. For that, it is a spectacular read and a masterful blend of history, interviews, research, and social commentary.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Celebration of Books 