Women have spent centuries fighting for the right to be alone, to free themselves from the surveillance of fathers, husbands, and society. Today, at last, they can. But their solitude remains frowned upon—even by themselves, many of whom experience it as suffering or failure.

By blending historical analysis with personal narrative, Lauren Bastide invites us to change our perspective on women who are alone: those who are not in a relationship, those without children or whose children have “left the nest,” those who travel solo, those who need no one—or at least try to.

Solitude holds the promise of emancipation, renewed self-esteem, and the possibility of inhabiting the world, finally, at one’s own pace. Solitude can be an opportunity for all women, regardless of age or situation: this essay offers keys to embracing it.

14.5 × 21.5 cm – 240 pages