This book investigates the social and psychological validity of the single lifestyle, challenging the pervasive cultural stigma that equates being unmarried with loneliness or failure. Margaret Adams, drawing from her own experience as a happily unmarried individual, synthesizes years of sociological observation with qualitative data. She constructs a framework that highlights the autonomy, professional fulfillment, and rich social networks available to those who remain single by choice or circumstance.

Readers frequently note that the prose offers a refreshing, counter-cultural perspective on independence that remains relevant for those navigating modern social expectations. Experts highlight this as a foundational text for understanding the shift in social attitudes toward singlehood during the late 20th century.