This book by Nicola Slawson is both informative and validating. I picked up this book because I have never come across one that speaks frankly about being single, either voluntary or involuntary. Speaking of involuntary, through reading this, I found out that female incels exist, like what???
Anyway, I take my time with each chapter because the research and stories really get me thinking. I just really liked this book and had a hard time putting it down, 10/10.

Nicola Slawson’s Single may just be the most life-affirming book that I have ever read on the taboo topic of going at life on your own. As an older Millennial who can look around at her peers and see that at least half of them have chosen the single lifestyle, I crave more information and discussion on single living. Or I at least ask society to acknowledge those of us going solo, instead of just positing questions beyond, “Why is the birth rate dropping?” and “Why is home ownership so low among unmarried singles?” Nicola’s insightful and well-researched book on the topic of singledom answers those burning questions and more as she dives into the reasons why more and more people are single and the specific challenges they face.

As someone who spent decades in a relationship, all the while knowing that I was “single at heart,” yet choosing to stay in something that was not healthy or right for me because that’s what society told me I had to do, Nicola’s Single was a breath of fresh air. Because singlehood is rarely talked about in mainstream media, at least not in a positive way, it is very difficult for those of us who are not partnered up to find support and acknowledgement. With Single, Nicola is bridging that gap, giving singles a voice and letting them know that they are seen.

I have read several books on the single way of life, but none have touched on as many varied single-specific topics as Nicola’s. All the while, I was thinking that I was the only one noticing and feeling these things, but come to find out, my personal experience is quite common within the single community. Nicola explores not only why people are single, but also discusses how it impacts them in a variety of ways, including financially, emotionally, physically, and perceptively. She acknowledges the hurdles that society places in front of singles, for one, by making it extremely difficult for them to obtain affordable housing on a single salary or not giving them the benefit of tax breaks or discounts that couples receive. She discusses how the lives of singles are rarely celebrated, in sharp contrast to their married counterparts, who receive adoration and praise simply for having found a life partner. She explores fears that singles face, such as aging alone, and the importance of support systems and community in the lives of those going solo. Each chapter of this book dives into a different area of life and its impacts on singles with the aforementioned topics serving as just the beginning of a well-rounded and thoughtful discussion on the single experience.

Nicola’s research and insight on the topic of singlehood is broad and deep, and I am so happy that she is opening the channels of communication around these issues. We need more single women with a platform to contribute to the discourse and shed light on this lifestyle trend that is becoming more and more common every day. As we march forward into an unknown future, how many more women (and men) will choose the single lifestyle for a variety of reasons and circumstances? Will singles continue to be treated as the black sheep of society, or will the world grow and shape to accommodate this growing, and important, group?