Bachelor Girl: The Secret History Of Single Women In The Twentieth Century (2002) - Plot & Excerpts
In Bachelor Girl, Betsy Israel reconstructs the single American girl in all her manifestations -- suspicious early factory worker, bohemian, rule smashing flapper, 1970s mace toting single woman afraid of being raped or killed on her way home each night, 1980s ice queen -- using popular legend, newspaper clippings written by hysterical men afraid of new female independence, copious novels both well known and obscure, and occasionally, though sadly few remain from the earliest days of female singledom, firsthand accounts from single women themselves. Primarily about single women in NYC with a sprinkling of singles from Chicago, she's largely talking about urban women's lives; her focus is also largely middle class, white, and heterosexual.For me, the mark of good nonfiction is that it sparks a desire to read other books. Bachelor Girl certainly does that. It took a great deal of willpower not to stop every couple of minutes and log into Goodreads, adding three or four books at a time to my to-read shelf. The only thing that helped was knowing that a lot of the materials she mentions are primary source materials -- likely available, if at all, only through extensive library searches. Many (actually, it would probably be more accurate to say most) of the secondary sources she refers to are novels and movies. This, too, made me happy. She does a really good job of demonstrating how popular books and films constructed ideas of single women throughout the decades right up to Bridget Jones and Ally McBeal, and to her credit (or maybe detriment depending on your point of view), she made those two particular characters sound interesting to me for the very first time. Maybe I'll even watch those Bridget Jones movies, or maybe this will all blow over in a day, and I'll go back to not caring at all. Regardless, her analysis is interesting.I really appreciate her ability to analyze journalistic decisions rather than taking news reports at their word. She is keenly aware of the anti single woman tone of most articles -- even those that purported to be on the single girl's side. She also provides a really interesting, albeit brief, history of women in print journalism and the struggle to break out of "the 4F cookie/sweater slum" with 4F referring to food, furnishings, fashion, and family stories -- the only ones available to female reporters for a long while.I recently got to hear composition scholar Lynn Bloom speak at a conference about writing. She said that clear, approachable writing shows profound respect for one's reader. I totally dig that, and Israel respects her reader. Her tone is casual and conversational. She doesn't get bogged down by academese. I'll admit, though, that I prefer a more rigorously academic citation style over the loosey goosey one that journalists tend to favor. She has an impressive list of resources at the end of the book, but it is often unclear which source goes with which quotation while reading. Also, I enjoyed her writing style, but she has a penchant for sloppy transitions -- "Getting to the point," "But enough of that." Her transitions remind me of an awkward party guest, stumbling from one topic of conversation to the next at break neck speed in a desperate attempt to connect with one of the strangers in the room.My biggest criticism is that Israel's work fails to adequately address the lives of single women of color, lesbians, and working class women. Of the three she probably does the best job with the latter, as she does briefly examine what it was like for very low paid factory workers around the turn of the nineteenth century. She then largely abandons further discussion of poor women, however. Her discussion of women of color and lesbians amounts to no more than a dozen or so sentences in her 200+ pages. I was really disappointed by this. I would have been more forgiving if she had at least included race and sexuality analysis in her discussion of the last half century. After all, that doesn't seem too difficult to research (though SOMEONE needs to be doing the harder early research because WOC and women-loving-women did not miraculously come into existence without a history). Much of her last chapter was devoted to personal interviews, yet she never once indicated that she thought about race or sexuality while talking to her many interviewees. I don't mind reading about marriage for page after page after page as long as I get to hear what lesbian and bisexual women have to say about their concerns. I don't mind endless input from white women as long as that is balanced by representing the myriad experiences of Women of Color. Unfortunately, I got mostly marriage and white women. I guess if I get all bright and shiny, silver liningish I could say that at least this leaves room for someone else to write a more encompassing book. The thing is, I'm tired of waiting for it.In her introduction, Israel admits that because WOC "make few primary appearances in the public record until occasional stories on the 'sad,' 'dreary,' or 'dead-end' world of the 'Negro single,' circa 1966" they make an insignificant appearance in her text. She pleads, "it would be impossible, anyway, to do justice to the complexities of the black single experience in this volume. It deserves its own study." Yes, we've heard it all before: it isnt possible to include black women because it wouldn't be fair to them. Their experiences are too varied, complicated, fill-in-the-blank to be included (by the way, Israel doesn't mention whether it would be unfair to other WoC) in this book. The thing is, you can't title a book Bachelor Girl: 100 Years of Breaking the Rules -- A Social History of Living Single and then use your introduction to explain that large parts of the population just didn't fit neatly into your design. Perhaps she should have subtitled it A Social History of Living Single, White, Straight and Mostly Monied. That's a more accurate description.And for freak's sake, how do you talk about spinsters without talking about lezzies? If we didn't invent spinsterdom then we at least perfected its practice! She gives an even shorter excuse for that exclusion.I'm practical enough to know that a book cant be everything for everyone, but apologizing upfront for everything that a book is not does not let you off the hook for what I consider to be egregious omissions.Overall, I really liked the book for what it was; I just thought it could have been a lot more.
The title tells us what exactly this book is all about - Bachelor Girl.This brings us to the social history of single women as early as 13th century. You will discover the different "types" of single women of different generations, yet they suffer the same social stigma. Women were trained to be domesticated to meet their future husband's needs. Everyone expect women to get married, and whoever remained to be single suffers in workplaces with harsh working conditions and labor benefits. Thus, giving the impression that a woman cannot survive without a husband to sustain her emotional and financial needs. Society mistreated single women, maltreating them in workplaces, making them victims of violent street attacks and consistent topics of social hysteria.Israel also mentioned literary and film references that tell stories of characters of single women who are not well treated by the other story characters. Some characters even suffered until the end of the story. However, there were also prominent literary and social personalities who remained single, and somehow made it successfully, despite of the society's ire comment on their status.Numbers of divorce cases were in constant increase but women would still choose to be married. Married women treated with disgrace the single women. Media creates pressure on women to get married. Spinsterhood is a state where as the women themselves would not choose to be part of.The author's approach in telling the history is simple and easy to follow. However, it was not written in clear chorological order it would not turn off the reader. I guess, it is somewhat tongue-in-cheek presentation of the lengthy history made it easier to understand and appreciate the book. Clearly, this book is not meant to promote singlehood or a battle against single women, but this is more of a discussion on what single women experienced and are still experiencing.Despite the turn of history, being single remains a struggle to fit in the society, as everyone still expect women to get married. Single women are still pressured to conform to family and society's norm. I guess what's disheartening about the whole scenario is the fact that even your own family would pressure you to get married, like it's the only best thing you can do for your life. At this day and age, it is inevitable to be judged on your accomplishment and that clearly includes if you are already married. And if you're happy or not is out of the question.Reading this book made me understand and realize clearly how much single women suffered through all these generations. Growing old alone is still despised, and eyebrow raising cannot be helped. Truly, single women still have a lot to work on especially in proving everyone that growing old single is not the worst thing you can do for your life, but instead it's getting married for the wrong, absurd reason. Though, I must admit that nowadays, single women are more accepted than the early years, but still one must be brave enough to face the other people's questioning gaze.No, I am not about to promote singlehood here, but I hope that eventually single women will no longer be questioned with their status. I am not saying that it is better to be single, because I will honestly say that it's not. I don't think I am not that old yet, but I've been bombarded with questions on my status for how many times in a month, people will ask you about it 5 days after you just last met them, that I sometimes would rather not see old friends than answering the same old question. I mean, who wouldn't be glad to love, be loved and get married? I guess everyone wants that, but of course, marriage has to come with the right reason. It should not be a need, but a want. Something you will fight for, and stand up for. It will happen when it is meant to happen, and while we are on the waiting game, let me tell you, singlehood is bliss. I suggest that women or men should try reading this kind of book, be it about singlehood or plain womanity. It would be helpful for everyone to understand the life of women, especially the single ones, so next time you wouldn't look at them with pity. We understand the questioning, and we would enjoy surprising you with answers, but the look of pity? Oh, please, spare us those!
What do You think about Bachelor Girl: The Secret History Of Single Women In The Twentieth Century (2002)?
As Marie Claire said, A must-read for feminists with a sense of humour!!I especially liked this book by Betsy Israel for its simple way of presenting ideas on Feminism and the entire movement right from the late 1800's to the 1963 Betty Friedan movement and till even as late as 1999. It captures readers attention and certainly made me more attentive unlike while i was reading The Feminine Mystique. It has some catchy stories, some bitchy and really disgusting facts about the bowery girls and spinsters and the Career Girls, but, thats what makes this book interesting. It is devoid of all the head-spinning statistics, instead the writer narrates the tales, stories, reports, journalistic pieces in magazines, and the likes in a very believable manner! I like Israel's writing skills.This one is a great read and i believe much much better and enjoyable than all the other significant books on feminism and feminist issues and movements.
—Sharayu Gangurde
I always enjoy reading books about women who have chosen not to live conventional lives as dictated by the current societal rules and standards. Reading this book was a welcome reminder, as so many of my friends and former classmates get married or into serious relationships, that there is nothing particularly strange about being single and happy. Israel's chronological walk through the recent history of the single American woman is interesting, although sometimes not quite as in depth as could be desired. All in all, very informative as well as affirmative of alternate lifestyle choices for straight independent women.
—Crankymonkey
Finally, a book that explains the historic and cultural reasons for this obsession with getting women married off. It's fascinating really, but Give It a Rest already! At least in this day and age we aren't burned at the stake for being single, though there is still some stigma. Like being seated alone with people I didn't know at my niece's wedding, I guess because I was an "extra." (Whatever. I just grabbed my plate and joined the rest of my family at a now slightly crowded table.)Like people wondering if I'm lesbian, not because I "look" or "act" like one, but because I'm not married.I just happen to believe, as Mary Mussati used to say, "Men should be like Kleenex. Soft, strong, and disposable." Find me one worth hanging onto and I may one day change my mind.
—LizG
