Customer Reviews

Bachelor Girl: The Secret History of Single Women in the Twentieth Century

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

"Bachelor Girl" is an exhaustive history of single women beginning in the mid-19th century to present day (although the author spends a lot more time on the first half of the 20th century). I had no idea the lives of single women back then were so interesting. Betsy Israel discusses their jobs/careers, how they lived, and how they affected American culture. The title, though, is a bit misleading--the bulk of the book deals with how the media and society viewed single women through the ages, not on their "secret lives." My only complaint about the book was the last chapter about the modern single woman. As a single woman a few years out of college, I didn't relate at all to anything she discussed. Especially the section on "baby brides" where she describes girls fresh out of college getting married. Who is she talking about?? None of my friends from college (male or female) are engaged or married, or close to it. As far as I know, marriage among recent college grads is a rarity. She fails to point out that people from certain groups tend to get married younger than average (i.e., people in the military, deeply religious people, people from certain ethnic groups). I think she glossed over things too much in the last section. She also kind of has the consensus that singles have an "uncomfortable place in society." Huh?? As a single, I just don't see it.

But I did agree with the message she gave at the end, that everyone, whether they choose to get married or not, should make their own decisions, and the media should stop bothering them about it.

I have never read such a worthwhile book on single women. There are so many other books that claim to cover it all about single life, but I have never found one that takes in the whole picture--how single life developed in the US, going back a century, and how our attitudes and negative views of single women were forged over time. This is a media history. It's women's history. It's a story of how popular images have infected our ability to see single women with any honesty. Organized according to icons and "media archetypes" it's also a fun and fascinating read.

This was a very interesting history of single women in the last 150 years. The author did extensive research on the topic. One shortcoming that the author acknowledges--the book focuses too much on being a single woman in New York City. She does not address the history of single women on a national level. Still, it is an interesting read and I would recommend it.

I bought this book specifically because of the historical aspect of young women in the early 1900's, and found it immensely helpful as well as very well written. I have to admit I haven't read through to the end, because the novel I'm writing deals with women in that era. I found Bachelor Girl to be exactly what I wanted as a reference as well as engaging to read. I wish more writers would take upon themselves the task of presenting history in this story-telling style. Highly Recommended.

...an interesting historical perspective on what it means to be single from beyond the turn of the century to present times.
I wouldn't call this a "self help" book but more for someone who wants to know what it was like to be single way back when and to see if our values and image of single women has changed....

or hasn't it?

I really enjoyed her analysis of the cultural icons of the various decades. Her screenwriting background shows in her delightful analysis of a variety of films from the silent era all the way up through the recent television sitcoms. I think her final chapter is the weakest, but it's hard to analyize something while living in the middle of it.

I stayed up until one in the morning to finish the book which is a testiment to how well written it is.

Betsy Israel has an approach that is very readable and not at all male-bashing (she happens to be married). In a few chapters, she even honorably mentions a few males that have furthered the causes for women. If anything, most of the plights that women have been through is because of poor laws that were constructed to restrict them to one way of life. I also love how she portrays the many different single women that have struggled valiantly to bring us to where we are today. She also covers each decade's progress and setbacks all the way up to modern day.

I would recommend this book for all women to read - especially non-married women. After reading this book, you'll most likely feel relieved that you are in fact... a bachelor girl.

Janelle

Fascinating read for single & married women alike. Enjoyable, insightful and fascinating. Great pace and full of food for thought without the the anger or bitterness.

This book is a must read for every single person. I so appreciated learning the history of other women who have paved the way and struggled with similar issues. So validating to the single's experience! :) I highly recommend this book.

In 1862 W.R. Gregg suggested that to solve the problem of too many spinsters in England they should ship the excess women to settlements across the Atlantic. Replace 'Atlantic' with 'Space' and we have an amazing comic book on our hands.