Playing the Tuba at Midnight: The Joys & Challenges of Singleness [Paperback]

Roberta Rand (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1995

In this light and humorous book, Roberta Rand highlights the ups and downs, opportunities and challenges, pitfalls and possibilities of the single life.

Product Details

• Paperback: 117 pages
• Publisher: Intervarsity Pr (August 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830816909
• ISBN-13: 978-0830816903
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,503,459 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally--The Truth For Singles!, December 11, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Playing the Tuba at Midnight: The Joys & Challenges of Singleness (Paperback)

This book offers a candid, often humorous look at the "joys and challenges" of being an older single woman in today's society. Directed at those in their mid-30s and older, it is not a "how-to" manual for finding the man of your dreams; rather, it seeks to encourage women at this stage of life to let go of the idea of marriage as the only and ultimate goal in life and make the most of their singleness. It addresses issues such as beating loneliness and isolation, household and personal organization, credit and debt, romance, taking vacations, surviving Christmas and other "family" holidays, accepting your appearance, PMS, the dangers of giving sex to get intimacy, finding identity in Christ, and learning to reach out and serve others as a way to meet the need for relationship. The purpose of the book can be summed up in the author's closing paragraph: "It is good to know who you are. When you are secure in your identity as a treasured child of God and have finally decided to trust his intentions for you, you are freed to devote your energies to those pursuits that really count--mainly furthering the kingdom of God. Freed from the panic of having to control every circumstance in our lives, you and I can live gracefully single.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A refreshingly honest and witty look at singleness., October 4, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Playing the Tuba at Midnight: The Joys & Challenges of Singleness (Paperback)

Rand writes her reflections on 30+ years of singleness in this witty and honest book. She writes from a Christian perspective, but without the cloistered and unrealistic attitudes that seem to pervade much of such literature. Rand makes it clear being single brings with it difficult and lonely times. She doesn't sugarcoat the frustrations, but doesn't resort to self-pity, either. An articulate and strong writer, Rand's sense of humor and pithy observations make this book a delight to read

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Humorous Look at (sometimes) a Difficult Time in Life, October 3, 1999

By 

Traci (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Playing the Tuba at Midnight: The Joys & Challenges of Singleness (Paperback)

Although it doesn't talk about playing a tuba, it lets you in on some of the positive aspects of being single. It's rather hard to play the tuba at midnight if you have a sleeping spouse, isn't it?

When I bought this book some time ago I found it humorous, uplifting and realistic. Being single can be difficult, especially after 30, and sometimes you need something to lift you up. Growing tired of the "how to find your perfect mate" books, I will dig out and dust off my copy of this book and read it. It's always nice to have a good laugh every now and then.