This image is the back cover of a 1936 book by Marjorie Hillis, called Live Alone and Like It. Hillis was an editor at Vogue and eventually married a few years after this book was published. Another of her titles was Corned Beef and Caviar for the Single Woman. It’s heartens me to know that someone had this vision way back then.
I have “Live Alone and Like It.” It’s a fun read. Hillis also wrote “Orchids on your Budget.” Your post inspired me to pull these off my bookshelf and re-read them.
That’s great, Heather. When do you first hear about it?
Last year Joanna Scutts published a biography of Marjorie Hillis called “The Extra Woman: How Marjorie Hillis Led a Generation of Women to Live Alone and Like It.” I definitely recommend it if, like me, you are interested in “spinsterhood” as a topic, or women’s history more generally. I especially liked the way Joanna Scutts related the books Marjorie Hillis was writing to what was going on in women’s lives/the women’s movement at the time more generally.
What are a few of your main takeaways from Hillis’ bio?
It’s been a few months since I read it, but I still remember the detail that Marjorie Hillis got married for the first time the year she turned 50. She didn’t publish anything while she was married, but when her husband died suddenly after 10 years of marriage she wrote a book called “You Can Start All Over” aimed at widows and divorcees.
I’m trying to imagine what it felt like in the early 1900’s to be a single woman for most of your adult life. What a maverick! According to Wikipedia, Live Alone and Love It was published a few years before she got married.
I live alone and I love it! I just ordered this book, can’t wait to read it. 🙂
Let us know how you like it, Claire.
I finished the book and I loved it! Very charming and some good advice even for 2018.
What was your favorite bit of advice?
Another good read by a life long single woman is by Luci Swindoll called “I Married Adventure” It’s really inspiring to read how she is making the most of her singlehood
When was it written, Amy?
It is a contemporary read, it was published in 2003.
I like the title.