Books That Celebrate Being Single

Being in a relationship seems to be a societal mandate after a certain age. When you're a teenager, it's okay if you're single. But, when you're 25 or so, people start asking you "why?"

Obviously, this isn't cool. Being single should not be the stigma that it is today. In fact, it's gotten to the point that many people stay with abusive partners just so that they can say, "Hey, at least I'm not single."

I, for one, am saying enough is enough. Other authors seem to have the same idea. If you're sick of being asked when you'll marry, maybe it's time to look at some books that celebrate being single — and all the awesome independence that comes with it!

Want empowerment? Why not go full Beyoncé with your reading list by enjoying a copy of All the Single Ladies? Of all the books that celebrate being single, few really manage to show how awesome the right to be single is like this one does.

Traister researches the phenomenon where women are increasingly finding themselves unmarried at 30 and beyond — and why it actually may be a good thing for girls on a whole. All the Single Ladies weighs the pros and cons of being single, and why so many women are just over marriage.

An ideal book for girls who want to read feminist lit, as well as people who wonder why female breadwinners struggle with relationships, All the Single Ladies is both a solid rallying cry against inequality and an incredible look into all the factors that go into marriage.

Abusive relationships are really, really common these days. And, sadly, many women and men stay in them — all because they are more scared of being single than they are about being abused by the monster they're dating.

This is especially true among women, because, well, society doesn't seem to think it's possible for a single woman to be happy without a partner and because society sees single women as failures.

This is one of those books that celebrate being single, all while giving you the valuable relationship advice that you needed to hear all these years. This book goes beyond telling you to "love yourself," and gives you direct, honest reasons why it's OK to put yourself first.

Few activists are as well known in feminist circles as Gloria Steinem. The 60s icon went from Playboy Bunny to feminist activist — and did it all while single. Yes, she was the hero of her own story without needing some "Prince Charming" to help her stand for women's rights.

If you've ever felt powerless or inadequate without a partner at your side, read My Life on the Road. It serves as both an idiot's guide to feminism and as a good reminder that you don't need a man or a wedding ring to make it in this world.

Still not feeling empowered? Still not feeling like you have enough books that celebrate being single? Wonder Women, by Sam Maggs is one of those books that show everyone that it really is a woman's world after all — if you're brave enough to handle it.

This book is a collection of 25 women who all changed history by making major inventions, innovations, and advancements in their field. Who needs to be a housewife when you can be one of the people who change the history of feminism... or the history of the world?

Being called a "spinster" is about as low a blow as it can get, when it comes to single-shaming. (It's basically a high-brow way of saying "crazy cat lady," if you don't know.)

The book is one that unabashedly confronts all the options that lay at women's feet when it comes to life as a single lady for the rest of their life — by looking at her own life as a "spinster," as well as the lives of other female writers who remained unmarried.

This is one of the few books that celebrate being single, written by a woman who chose to remain single. It seizes back the power that society has loomed over women for so long, and gives you a very gentle reminder that you are the one who lives your life — no one else.

Did you know that black women are the least likely demographic to find a husband? According to BlackNews, around 70 percent of all black women are single. Many people would find this to be a sign that something is "wrong" with them — but it's not.

In her breakout book celebrating singledom, Tamara Winfrey Harris beautifully explains why it's not a bad thing. The Sisters Are Alright is an excellent read that shows that the media smear of single ladies of all backgrounds is unfair, and why so many ethnic women bear the unfair brunt of single-shaming. It's also one of the best books that celebrate being single.

Overall, it's an excellent book for fans of intersectional feminism — as well as a brutally honest explanation as to why things are the way they are in the toxic world known as dating.

You might recognize this girl's face from The Mindy Project, but what you might not know is that she has penned one of the best books that celebrate being single. This memoir is all about her upbringing, her climb to the top of media, and the many romantic mishaps she's experienced on the wild ride that is her life.

In a weird way, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? gives us all that really cool affirmation that, yes, we can do it all without a steady guy. It also shows us that even celebs have love problems... and at the end of the day, it's better to be single and awesome than taken and lame.

She's the girl that makes being single cool — and also somehow makes you feel like you're talking to your best friend over coffee while you read her books.

Sometimes, the books that celebrate being single are funny memoirs. Other times, they're historical accounts of empowered alpha women who rose through the ranks to become major names in their fields. But, Bachelor Girl is a book that is really unlike most others in that respect — primarily because it does neither.

Bachelor Girl stops focusing on famous single A-listers, and starts looking at the ever-shifting lifestyle of the single lady. If you love feminist history, or just love seeing what life was like as a single girl in the 1920s flapper period, Bachelor Girl will be sure to please.

It never ceases to amaze me how many relationship books are also books that celebrate being single. It's Called A Breakup Because It's Broken is a book that doubles as incredibly useful post-breakup comfort and a truly empowering look at the way you should be dating.

This book reminds you — in a not-so-gentle way — that being single isn't that bad. After all, you could have been with the jerk that just dumped you, right?

If you had a jerk ex who you honestly thought was the best thing since sliced pie, Behrendt will remind you why pie is better, why you're awesome, and why you needn't take him back if he broke up with you.

Being #Single just got a lot easier with this book. Consider any of these books that celebrate being single for yourself!