The Unexpected Joy of Being Single

Locating Happily-Single Serenity

By: Catherine Gray

Narrated by: Catherine Gray

Having a secret single freak-out? Feeling the red, heart-shaped urgency intensify as the years roll on by? Oh hi! You're in the right place.

Over half of Brits aged 25-44 are now single. It's become the norm to remain solo until much later in life, given the average marriage ages of 35 (women) and 38 (men). Many of us are choosing never to marry at all.

But society, films, song lyrics and our parents are adamant that a happy ending has to be couple-shaped. That we're incomplete without an 'other half'*, like a bisected panto pony. Cue: single sorrow. Dating like it's a job. Spending half our lives waiting for somebody-we-fancy to text us back. Feeling haunted by the terms 'spinster' or 'confirmed bachelor'.

Catherine Gray took a whole year off dating to find single satisfaction. She lifted the lid on the reasons behind the global single revolution, explored the bizarre ways cultures single-shame, detached from 'all the good ones are gone!' panic and debunked the myth that married people are much happier.

Let's start the reverse brainwash, in order to locate - and luxuriate in - single happiness. Are you in?

*Spoiler: you're already whole.

©2018 Catherine Gray (P)2018 Octopus Publishing Group

Critic reviews

"This refreshing, unusual book needs to exist. A culture shift which repositions a single person as someone who is relationship-free, complete, and not lacking is long overdue." (The i )

"Absolutely f--king brilliant." (Florence Given)

I love every one of her books

Heart wrenching and beautiful, Catherine’s writing transports you to her world while reminding you of your own experiences. All of her books relate to everyone regardless of where you stand on singledom/sobriety/etc. because she isn’t trying to convince you of anything but gives you peace in your decisions, whatever they may be.

Lovely

I love Catherine and the way she learn more about herself everyday and share with us.

I would recommend but room to improve

The book overall is good and I enjoyed. It defiantly promoted some new thoughts and feeling on my own and social standards as well as my personal feels on these topics.
However the author has written a book about being single yet she almost constantly dates!! Yes she takes a brief hiatus but the number of guys mentioned must easily be in double figures and I presume she’s only drawn on certain relationships. Maybe call it ‘The unexpected joy of searching and reviewing’

Like a validation bath

I needed this book. Thank you for finally saying and validating the things on my heart about my single existence and making it ok to just be how and who I am. Liberating!!

New and Old Friends

This was the right book at the right time for me. The author taps into the unconscious bias that may be weighing on those of us who are single women. I’m going to steal her phrase in support of engaging in an amazing life.

Empowering and disappointing

Overall I really enjoyed this and found it to be empowering as a single woman. However, I was disappointed at the fatphobic narratives that sprung up occasionally throughout the book. Like talking about losing weight to better yourself for example. I get so tired of this being seen as a thing people must do. If we are truly trying to embrace ourselves and our singledome, then embrace your body as well.

empower singles

I loved the author’s facts around being single, vulnerability, and perspective. Thank you for helping me shift my views.

So thankful for this book

I applaud Catherine for writing a book that challenges stereotypes, outdated ways of thinking, and some of our personal insecurities about being "un-coupled." I found her account of her own very personal experiences to be refreshingly honest and beautifully vulnerable. I can honestly say that this book has changed the way my brain and my heart think about my solo life and my future. I feel unburdened and set free from the ridiculous stigma, unnecessary worry, and negativity that is often attached to being single. After listening to it on audible, I bought the book so I can soak it in again and go crazy with my highlighter! On a personal note to the author - I thank you so much Catherine for the encouragement and inspiration this book gave me. I respect your work and love the way you write! Also, I am so glad you narrated this book yourself....added more connection for me. Peace & love to all! ☮️🌟💟

Really helpful and a fun read!

I too am a serial dater, feeling like my life didn’t mean anything without a relationship. Catherine dives into why it’s okay I feel that way, and how to learn to start loving and dating myself instead. The book talks a bit about drinking which doesn’t apply to me, but I hung in there and I was really happy I did. Full of facts that seem in believable, but make you feel so much better to know they are true. If you are going through a break up, or even if you are not, I recommend this book.

This book won’t teach you how to be unsingle

Everyone single should read or listen to this book. It doesn’t teach you in anyway how to couple yourself up, but instead helps you find how to be okay with where you are in this world and that being alone does not make you lonely or behind everyone else