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I Didn't Work This Hard Just To Get Married - Successful Single Black Women Speak Out
by Nika C. Beamon
Lawrence Hill Books
ISBN 978-1-55652-819-4
Published May 2009 - Softcover - 183 pages - $14.95

Over the years the media has portrayed women as brides, mothers, grandmothers - always one of two - which is not strictly true.  There are many women who are single (single or never married at all) and successful and surviving.  Nika Beamon's fabulous book about single black women in this country reassures us (all women) through her story and the stories of others, that it's okay not to be married.  I love the title of this book and have always wondered why so many women choose college degrees they'll never use because they go and get married and have kids, which is a job in itself and for which there is no college degree.  The stories related in this book are wise and helpful and encouraging in that they impart positive attitudes and sound advice, such as not bad-mouthing your children's father, dating or not, realizing where you are in life, acceptence, adjustment, and moving on.  And, that it's perfectly okay and perfectly acceptable to be single.  I loved reading the many stories about not being married and the underlying theme of not being lonely while being alone.  Much can be learned from these stories and I truly hope that many young women will get their hands on this book and digest its contents.  I was shocked to read this (2005 U.S. Census Bureau data): "70 percent of black women and 61 percent of all women over the age of thirty live alone", and this: "By 2005, data found that 44 percent of black men and 42 percent of black women reported that they had never been married."  I don't feel so isolated and odd anymore.  After all, I'm 51, never married and never had children.
Conclusion - Lessons many women can relate to and/or learn from.  Definitely a book for The Oprah Show.  I have always maintained that even though I'm alone, I'm never lonely.  Why?  Because I won't settle for second best.