Sex and the Single Woman

One of Bustle's Best Books of May

A feminist anthology inspired by legendary Cosmopolitan editor Helen Gurley Brown’s Sex and the Single Girl, featuring twenty-four new essays on the triumphs and heartbreaks of modern singlehood from acclaimed and bestselling authors, including Kristen Arnett, Morgan Parker, Evette Dionne, and Melissa Febos.

Sixty years ago, Helen Gurley Brown's Sex and the Single Girl sent shockwaves through the United States, selling more than two million copies in three weeks. Helen’s message was radical for its time: marriage wasn’t essential for women to lead rich, fulfilling lives.

Now, in these critical, wry, and expansive essays, twenty-four writers reconsider Helen’s advice and how it applies to their own paths, fielding topics that she couldn’t—or wouldn’t—conceive of in 1962: contraception and abortion (an omission demanded by her publisher), queer and trans womanhood, polyamory, celibacy, interracial dating, bodies of all kinds, consent, sex work, IVF, and the pop culture that both saves and fails us.

Eliza Smith and Haley Swanson’s revisionist anthology honors Brown’s irreverent spirit while also validating our modern experiences of singlehood, encouraging us all to reclaim joy where it’s so often been denied.

This collection moves beyond the original to explore the complex realities of being a woman today:
Queer and Trans Womanhood: Essays that explore identity, sexuality, and relationships in ways Helen Gurley Brown never could, moving far beyond the 1962 definition of a “single girl.”Modern Dating and Relationships: From polyamory and celibacy to interracial dating and consent, contributors tackle the nuanced realities of finding connection on their own terms.

Body and Self: Moving past fatphobia and dated beauty standards, these essays celebrate bodies of all kinds and the journey to self-acceptance and pleasure.

Single by Choice: A powerful look at IVF, financial freedom, and building a rich, fulfilling life without a partner—redefining what it means to be whole.