Flying Solo: Single Women in Midlife (Paperback)

by Carol M. Anderson Ph. D. (Author), Sona Dimidjian (Author), Susan Stewart Ph. D. (Author) "A woman sits in her living room, all but immobilized by a broken leg..." (more)
Key Phrases: midlife single women, gender lag, motherhood mandate, New York, Broken Dreams, Accidental Careers (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The authors present findings gathered from interviews with 87 middle-aged single women who disprove the stereotype that marriage is necessary for a woman's happiness.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Family therapist Anderson and her coauthors chronicle the ups (mostly) and downs (minimized) of 40- to 45-year-old single women in a manner intended to evoke cheers. Based on a two-year study of 87 women, their book details, more objectively than existing self-help manuals, both the joys and the travails of living alone. Peppering their work with quotes from their subjects, the authors start and end by emphasizing the gift of going solo, and in the middle, they discuss destroying the myths of spinster-ship, overcoming divorce and the never-married syndrome, exchanging fantasies for real-life dreams, dealing with relationships, and managing the chores of everyday living. Their positive outlook is contagious and obliterates the Harvard-Yale-Newsweek contention that single women over 40 have less chance to marry than to be taken hostage by a terrorist. Even Gloria Steinem would approve. Barbara Jacobs --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 309 pages
• Publisher: W.W. Norton & Co. (October 17, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393313476
• ISBN-13: 978-0393313475
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #505,054 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An uplifting, empowering book., August 6, 1999

By A Customer

I have read this book several times and I always find it encouraging, empowering, and uplifting. The authors interview many women who have given up on, lost, or never sought the traditional route of husband-and-2.3 children. In spite of societal pressures and expectations, these women lead happy, fulfilling, satisfied lives. Some have found ways to have children and/or a significant other in their lives without the framework of a traditional marriage, and some have not -- but none of them have become the bitter, twisted "spinsters" our society would seem to expect them to be. I found this book to be an inspiration, and I think ALL women should read it; even if you're not "flying solo" now, you might find yourself doing so at some point in the future. This book can show you how to do it -- and even how to enjoy it!

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you - I agree!, August 6, 2004

By	Dasher (Bay Area, CA) - See all my reviews

I am 42 and single. I have my own business and a very .... intense, male dominated, sport/hobby that takes up most of my free time. My married friends are always trying to point to my life as "different" meaning bad. But I disagree.

My life is full. I have male and female friends and I even have a date every once in a while. I no longer let the fact that I'm not married "define me".

I thank the ladies who wrote this book for validating my thoughts. I want to share this with my other single friends who are miserable and my married friends who are stifled.

Always remember...
When we lose our fear, we become the people we envy.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not based in reality, April 12, 2006

By	K. kahn - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book basically describes single women in midlife as uniformly content, financially well-off, healthy, and lovin' it. While I think this may be true for a significant proportion of us, I absolutely know it's not true for all. Considering this book was written by a social worker, it does nothing to address the very real societal and economic problems that affect single, middle-aged women. It's a little too biased and a little too gung-ho.