Press

Praise for Spinster:

New York Times bestseller

National Bestseller

*One of Flavorwire's 10 Books That Will Define the Conversation in 2015*

*One of USA TODAY's 10 Best Summer Must-Reads*

*One of Newsday's Books Not to Miss*

*One of Publishers Weekly’s Top 10 Social Science Titles of 2015*

*One of Bookpage’s “15 Books We Can’t Wait to Read in 2015″*

*One of Vogue.com’s Recommended Spring Books for 2015*

*Featured in Bookish’s Spring Preview* 

*Featured in Bustle’s Spring Preview*

“What’s 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 women: to disregard the reigning views of how women should live, to know their own hearts and to carve out a little space for their dreams.” —New York Times Book Review

“Awakened and inspired by the lives of five historical women, Bolick revels in her own singledom in this blazingly smart memoir, which argues that “spinster” should be a coveted destination, not a dirty word. Her eloquent, provocative story illustrates how charting a unique course can make any life truly singular.”—People

“Bolick weaves memoir, feminist theory, and biographies of five forgone writers into a riveting, essential text. Bolick’s voice crackles with wit, sharp criticism, and breathtaking metaphors as she makes an enticing case for spinsterhood.”—Entertainment Weekly

“Bolick’s rich chronicle makes Spinster one of the most important works of feminist cultural history of the last 20 years…Let this remarkable memoir stand as an important political reckoning for womens’ trajectories, and a moving personal effort toward that greater vision.” —National Post

“Bolick’s evocation of the untethered state is often beautiful, her metaphors precise and lyrical in the manner of her heroines. More important, she does not flinch from describing just how alone alone can feel…Bolick is adept at spotting the unexamined confusions and curious silences that have arisen in the wake of an incomplete sexual revolution—and that bedevil those of us who are living outside of our culture’s sturdiest institutions.” —Elle

“A pleasing, intelligent book. Bolick’s minibiographies of her five awakeners are captivating, and she is great company on the page–perhaps she will prove to be an awakener for a new generation.”—TIME

“Bolick’s intimate exploration of spinsterhood celebrates the courage of defining for oneself what it means to be happy.” —Newsday

“In Spinster, a sharp-witted paean to the single life, Kate Bolick explains why she has consciously opted out of coupling.”  —Harper’s Bazaar

“Provocative…A uniquely American quest for a life without regrets – and without a partner.” —Associated Press

“Stemming from Bolick’s fantastic Atlantic cover story, “All the Single Ladies,”Spinster expands on that initial work, in a beautiful piece of cultural history that should prove inspiring and thought-provoking for women of all ages. Bolick takes us deep into her own story as a single woman, and explores the lives of her “awakeners” — women like Maeve Brennan and Edna St. Vincent Millay, who served as models and warnings of the rich life that could be made, free from the constraints of a traditional marriage.” —Flavorwire

“Something to celebrate…[Spinster offers] models for women’s lives distinct from the demands of the domestic realm.” —The Week

“In this beautifully articulated memoir-cultural/historical examination mashup, Bolick shares both her own reasons for remaining unmarried, as well as sharing examples of great spinsters throughout history (such as Edna St. Vincent Millay and Charlotte Perkins Gilman), absolving the term’s negative connotations in the process…Bolick’s newest is an inspirational treatise that will help define a nascent generation of women who choose to live happily independently.” —Bustle

“While the stereotypes of spinsters are mostly unflattering—cue the cat lady, the bag lady and Grey Gardens—Bolick’s Spinster offers a corrective through nuanced portraits of women who love and are loved, and who choose to place their work and their friends at the center of their lives. Engaging and informative,Spinster offers a decidedly non-“Sex and the City” portrait of the challenges and opportunities of single life.” —Bookpage