In 2011, writer kate bolick reclaimed of spinsterhood in her popular atlantic essay, all the single ladies, and subsequent book, spinster. I was 25 at the time and already married, but i had told this awkward teenager that i was closing up his high school library for an hour so i could go home and feed my cat. This provocative pronouncement is how kate bolick opens her combination memoir spinster, which is in large part an attempt to imagine the outcomes if women were to refuse to define themselves in terms of those two questions in short, to imagine a different narrative for the shape of their lives. Jun 10, 2015 kate bolick memoir spinster is really two books in one posted by lagniappe jun 10, 2015 style feature 1 someone asked me once if i was a spinster. And if i were rating this book solely on the history provided within its.
Library journal a good choice for public libraries with a significant single patron base, readers interested in feminism, and academic womens studies collections. Making a life of ones own broadway books, 2016, and a contributing editor for the atlantic. In telling the stories of her literary awakenersfive vividlyconjured women who escaped the conventional ties of marriage and familyand in elegantly weaving cultural history into her own personal progress to maturity, bolick shows by argument and example that the single life is not a predicament to be. Making a life of ones own by kate bolick at indigo.
What do you imagine men, or married women, learning from your book. Kate bolicks new book, spinster, frolicks in singlehood. Whom to marry, and when will it happen these two questions define every womans existence. Like many engrossing books, spinster is first and foremost a product of the authors longterm obsession. Bolick s book weaves together strands of her own life with those of five women she calls her awakeners, but its an uneasy match kate bolick, the author of spinster. Making a life of ones own, was named a new york times notable book of 2015 and appeared in multiple translations around the world. Susan cain, cofounder of quiet revolution and bestselling author of quiet. Then came an affair that set her on a completely different path. So when my younger brother and his wife announced their first pregnancy, i. Brooklyn based kate bolick born 1972 is the author of new york times bestseller spinster. Apr 28, 2015 in spinster, her new book on the single life, kate bolick, possessed of all three, instead describes unmarried existence as one of long conversations, hard work, electric trysts, awkward dates and. Kate bolick news newspapers books scholar jstor march 2016 learn how and when to remove this template message.
Kate bolick memoir spinster is really two books in one. Bolicks research about being single and her quest to dive into the lives of famous spinsters provide plenty for our book club to discuss and debate. Kate bolick s blockbuster 2011 atlantic cover story, all the single ladies, ignited a conversation about how unmarried women are changing contemporary culture. One hundred and twentythree years later, kate bolicks new book, spinster. May 02, 2015 these words, innocuously placed four pages into spinster. Brooklynbased kate bolick born 1972 is the author of new york times bestseller spinster. Whom to marry, and when will it happenthese two questions define every. Using her own experiences as a starting point, journalist and cultural critic kate bolick invites us into her carefully considered. Kate bolick is a contributing editor for the atlantic and writes regularly for elle, the new york times, the wall street journal, and slate. Head over to from left to write members blogs and read their personal stories inspired by spinster.
Until my mid30s, when people asked why i wasnt married, i. Bolick writes that it wasnt until researching this book that she truly fell in love with the word spinster. In spinster, a book that sprang from her popular 2011 atlantic essay, bolick is taking back the sword, polishing it and rebranding it as shorthand for the pleasures of being unattached. Making a life of ones own kindle edition by bolick, kate. Why having an affair was the best mistake kate bolick ever.
Making a life of ones own, a new book by kate bolick, arent set in bold, but may as well be. Making a life of ones own by kate bolick my rating. Making a life of ones own by kate bolick goodreads. View kate bolicks profile on linkedin, the worlds largest professional community. With a record number of american women now unmarried more than 50 percent kate bolick offers a fresh look at going solo in spinster. Panel discussion on women and the politics of marriage c. Single people deserve worklife balance, too in every major city, people with and without children are quietly cobbling together more. Apr 03, 2015 in spinster, a book that sprang from her popular 2011 atlantic essay, bolick is taking back the sword, polishing it and rebranding it as shorthand for the pleasures of being unattached. A bold, original, moving book that will inspire fanatical devotion and ignite debate. Spinster will inspire fanatical devotion and ignite debate. Ambitious in the best way, spinster made me think differently about everything from novelistic plot to the meaning of furniture. In telling the stories of her literary awakenersfive vividlyconjured women who escaped the conventional ties of marriage and familyand in elegantly weaving cultural history into her own personal progress to maturity, bolick shows by.
For simplicitys sake, lets call me a childless spinster. Kate bolick is a former contributing editor at the atlantic. Spinster is in the words on the author, kate bolick a memoir by way of biography the story of my own comingtoadulthood woven through the lives of five women from the last century. In the first 100 pages of spinster, kate bolick writes, ive always known that a book will find you when you need to be found and she couldnt be more right. She is also a contributing editor for the atlantic, and host of touchstones at the mount, an annual literary interview series at edith whartons country estate in the berkshires. Spinster is a triumph, a provocative and moving exploration of what it means for a woman to chart her own course.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading spinster. Occasional talks of marriage but not settling and men of equal caliber are. A bold, original, moving book that will inspire fanatical devotion and. In her thoughtful followup to that article, spinster. From the 4th annual san antonio book festival, rebecca traister and kate bolick talk about their books on women and the politics of marriage. Author kate bolick wants single women to reclaim the word. In spinster, her new book on the single life, kate bolick, possessed of all three, instead describes unmarried existence as one of long conversations. I cant recall the last time a first book came with such lavish advance praise as kate bolicks spinster and from such big names, too. Kate bolicks spinster available in paperback last year, author kate bolick made a huge splash with her debut book spinster, hailed by malcolm gladwell as a provocative and moving exploration of what it means for a woman to chart her own course. For me, spinster is a worthy homage to bolicks idols and a joyful manifesto for the single life for all of us, no matter our gender or relationship status.
In spinster, a sharpwitted paean to the single life, kate bolick explains why she has consciously opted out of coupling. Jun 28, 2012 kate bolick is a former contributing editor at the atlantic. Yet bolick saw herself in maeve, a woman who lived alone for most of her life without settling into a relationship or a homethe most stable presence in her life was. Bolick, a woman in her forties, owns her identity, and encourages society to allow her to do so. Although bolick dismantles the stereotypes of single women, she willingly buys into an idea of marriage that. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. Whats surprising about spinster is how, in its charmingly digressive style, the book sets forth a clear vision not just for single women, but for all. May 05, 2015 spinster is a loaded word and kate bolick dives right in with her book spinster.
And if i were rating this book solely on the history provided within its pages, i would have to give it more stars. Yet bolick saw herself in maeve, a woman who lived alone for most of her life without settling. See the complete profile on linkedin and discover kates. Bolicks research says that any woman who wasnt married by the age of twenty three was considered a spinster. These words, innocuously placed four pages into spinster. As a 40something confirmed spinster, im a member of your target audience. Author interview kate bolick, author of spinster bookpage. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Apr 21, 2015 writer and editor kate bolick is reclaiming the word in her new book, aptly titled spinster. Kate bolick, author of spinster writer kate bolick says that, growing up, she just assumed shed get married some day but it hasnt happened. In spinster, her wise and subtle memoir, kate bolick explores that freighted termand the oftenmaligned woman to whom it is attachedand deftly, persuasively reclaims it. Writing with a bold vision and in incandescent prose, bolick gives us a users guide to going solo and a gorgeous work of cultural criticism. All of us spend at least part of our lives alone, possibly more so now than ever before. Spinster introduces a cast of pioneering women from the last century whose genius, tenacity, and flair for drama have emboldened bolick to fashion her life on her own terms.
A longing for a life lived accountable ultimately to only herself clearly drove the writing of kate bolicks spinster. Spinster by kate bolick april 22, 2015 march 19, 2016 by kaylen ralph five women guide bolick to the empowering self discovery of making a life of ones own in her debut memoir, spinster. Book club kit for spinster by kate bolick read it forward. Cultural critic kate bolicks first book, spinster, is part memoir, part cultural commentary on the changing nature of marriage and relationships. A longing for a life lived accountable ultimately to only herself clearly drove the writing of kate bolick s spinster. Writer and editor kate bolick is reclaiming the word in her new book, aptly titled spinster. When kate bolick first came across the essayist maeve brennan, she was happily living with her boyfriend in boston.
While i appreciate bolicks celebration of liberated, selfsufficient women and she is a talented writer, the book left me hungry for more. Writing with a bold vision and in incandescent prose, bolick gives us a users guide to going solo and a gorgeous. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. Sep 29, 2015 bolicks awakeners serve as an antidote to yatess emily grimes whose spinster life leaves her bereft, alone, unhappy, and utterly and spectacularly hopeless. Clint bolick books list of books by author clint bolick. She writes regularly for elle, the new york times, the wall street journal, and slate, among other. Malcolm gladwell, author of david and goliath kate bolicks spinster will take your breath away. Whats surprising about spinster is how, in its charmingly digressive style, the book sets forth a clear vision not just. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. And, starting today april 19th, this new york times bestseller is also available in paperback from broadway bookscomplete with an additional original essay. She writes regularly for elle, the new york times, the wall street journal, and slate, among other publications. According to bolick, as women, were taught from the cradle to grow up, get married, have kids.
Her 2011 atlantic cover story, all the single ladies, addressed why more and more women are choosing, as she did, not to get married. Apr 06, 2015 at 28, kate bolick was a serial monogamist who couldnt tell a lie. Making a life of ones own, bolick considers the deeper questions emerging from the statistics on single women. I was looking forward to reading spinster long before i had a copy in my hands. Met a couple of mid30s and up, kate bolicklike what happened to her women, could be childless, children or grandma, but living it up still single and partying. Author kate bolick wants single women to reclaim the word spinster kate bolick is not afraid of the s word thats spinster, a term that, historically, has usually been used for aunts and other unmarried women progressing through adulthood. Spinster is a loaded word and kate bolick dives right in with her book spinster. Bolicks research about being single and her quest to dive into the lives of famous spinsters provide plenty for our book. Elif batuman, author of the possessed kate bolick has written a heartstirringly wonderful book a diary, a history lesson, and a meditation on what it really means to be an independent woman at this moment in america. What happened to attractive postwall women you know. All of us spend at least part of our lives alone, possibly more so now than ever before, between. For me, spinster is a worthy homage to bolicks idols and a joyful manifesto for the single life.
Susan cain, cofounder of quiet revolution and bestselling author of quiet in spinster, her wise and subtle memoir, kate bolick explores that freighted termand the oftenmaligned woman to whom it is attachedand deftly, persuasively reclaims it. Once a neutral term for an unmarried woman, its come to have pejorative connotations, implying a woman alone past her prime, probably with cats. Last year, author kate bolick made a huge splash with her debut book spinster, hailed by malcolm gladwell as a provocative and moving exploration of what it means for a woman to chart her own course. In spinster, her new book on the single life, kate bolick, possessed of all three, instead describes unmarried existence as one of long. At 28, kate bolick was a serial monogamist who couldnt tell a lie.
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