While visiting my friend, Veek Toastia, I discovered this book on her shelf.
This is the 5th printing of the 1936 book, Live Alone and Like It by Marjorie Hillis. It is chock full of gems.
A chapter called “Pleasures of a Single Bed” and another called “A Lady and Her Liquor”
“You MUST NOT have too much antique furniture.” Amen!
Wisdom for days.
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Allee Willis
I absolutely love this book. I’m almost positive I have it (although perhaps without the illustrious cover) as the title is so familiar.
Way, way, way ahead of its time. I obviously don’t agree with the part about not having too much antique furniture but otherwise I’m sure it’s excessively sound advice!
I’m a little confused by the cover though. With all of the bellmen carrying gifts presumably for the woman, how does that make her a single woman? And what exactly does “A Guide for the Extra Woman” mean? The cover makes it look much more like a book about mistresses than a single woman.
Lisa Rios
I was wondering about the “extra woman” thing myself. I’ll assume it’s a reference to the fact that there are more women then men in this country. Obviously our main goal in life was supposed to be to get married. What about the fact that there’s more of us then them? Resulting in the “extra woman.” The one that didn’t catch herself a man. Very funny.
Rusty
The term ‘extra woman’ simply means ‘single woman’ in this case.
Perhaps what the book meant to say was:
“You MUST NOT have too much kitsch.”
Right? RIGHT?!