The lives of a significant number of women with one unusual trait in common—none of them have ever been married—are examined in this book. I wrote this book to share what I’ve learned about them with the world. their varied backgrounds and points of view. Only by immersing oneself in this diversity can one begin to understand the disparity between stereotypical depictions of “old maids” and the realities of single women’s everyday lives. I’ve created this book because I believe that members of cultural minorities have a unique vantage point from which they can (and often must) critically examine the norms and expectations of the majority. These fifty women, ranging in age from sixty-six to one hundred and one, provide invaluable insight into not just their individual experiences but also the broader socialization of women in the United States across all demographic age categories. All the women are now in retirement, so they can provide unique perspectives on various stages and transitions over the life span. Since they represent a wide variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds, they can also shed light on cultural differences in how women are treated.
