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Unhooked Generation: The Truth About Why We're Still Single
by Jillian Straus
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Hyperion (2006-02-08)
ISBN: 1401301320
EAN: 9781401301323
Dewy Decimal #: 306.8150973
Hardcover: 288 pages
Release Date: 2006-02-08
SKU: BA08040525
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: Exactly as shown, Ex Library copy with usual stamps and stickers. Clear, protective mylar covering over dust jacket. Book itself is bound strong, has little wear and text is clean and unmarked.
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
"If every man and woman under 40 who is not in a happy, committed relationship reads Jillian Straus’s shocking, heartbreaking, and persuasive exploration of love among the ‘Unhooked Generation,’ far fewer romances will end in tears. This book will give readers the ‘aha!’ of recognition they have been waiting for. Unmissable." --Naomi Wolf Unhooked Generation is about single men and women in their 20s and 30s who are having unprecedented difficulties finding love. Based on 100 in-depth interviews, Jillian Straus examines the obstacles facing unattached women and men in an age when all the choices we have, somehow, manage to decrease our chances of finding a mate. While cell phones, text messages, e-mail, BlackBerries, speed dating, and internet dating all conspire to create a sense that there are endless options, a culture of "consumer sex" and casual hook-ups make settling down feel like settling. And as the age of first marriage goes up, the level of expectation climbs right along with it, and we start subjecting prospective mates to "the checklist." From the collapse of courtship and the death of romance to the overriding media message that single life is sexy and married life is boring, we have a culture of mixed emotions about the very concept of marriage. Confronted by a host of factors that other generations never considered in their search for love and commitment, the "unhooked generation" faces a potholed road to romance. Rich with compelling personal stories, and leavened with wit and sharp observation, this is a book that clarifies this confusing, compelling issue as no other book has -- and in its final chapter offers concrete advice for addressing the problem.
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Customer Reviews
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Must-read for any single in their 20s or 30s
Rating  (5)
Date: 2008-09-07
I had high expectations for this book, having come across excerpts that a friend provided in a blog as well as seeing rave reviews. It met those expectations and then some. Simply put, anyone who's in their 20s or 30s and single needs to read this book.
There were numerous times I nodded my head as I read this book, whether it was in agreement or because I identified with something. Straus does a masterful job of looking at the major influences that have led to the sorry state of romantic relationships between men and women of my generation. She outlines the Seven Evil Influences and brings them into focus throughout the book to demonstrate their impact on relationships now. Along the way, she shares many stories that illustrate the Seven Evil Influences, many of which are powerful and drive the point home very well.
I am admittedly a cynic when it comes to this matter, and after reading this book it's easy to feel that way even more so. But at the end, she tells a number of happy stories in the hope of illustrating the possibilities, and I can only hope that people in my generation will get to read them and then take heed. Admittedly, that seems to be hoping for a lot, and she intimates as much early on - but we can pipe dream, can't we?
All in all, this is well-done and a must-read, especially for singles in my generation.
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Gripping - I Couldn't Put It Down!!
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-12-01
If you've ever struggled with being single, this is a book you simply can't afford to miss. Using real life examples, Strauss pulls back the curtain and holds up the mirror to our entire generation. Honest, heart-felt, and helpful... this book makes you really think about what's important in life. Personally, I found it so gripping I couldn't put it down. Kudos to Jillian Strauss for writing this ground-breaking work.
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Wonderful book about why GenX is still single, and how to change your attitudes
Rating  (4)
Date: 2007-08-01
2 out of 2 customers found this reveiw helpful
Wow, this book really nailed it as to the cultural influences that cause us to remain single. As a man that has been single and dated and struggled with whether to commit, I could relate to the - the feeling is gone, there might better, or especially, that I wanted a girl I could be close to but also be the rambuxcious player. The author said she found both traits in many men. Her chapter on Marriage Lite, about the ways that GenX tries to have companionship but avoid committment, was quite enlightening as I've done those strategies.
The last chapter, and you cannot read it until the end, is about people who successfully found love. The stories were great. One of the stories (Michael and Olivia) reminded me of the girl I'm dating. I think that has convinced me to stop this rat race of always trying find better, and staying with her.
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valuable information
Rating (4)
Date: 2007-07-30
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
as a single person i found this to be a valuable read. the author talks to lots of people and shares their thoughts on relationships. it's easy to see why so many people are single and/or have a series of unfulfilling relationships. i got a little depressed about all the "facts" that are contributing to this sad situation but at the end of the day most of it is true. at some point, i just wanted to get to the last chapter where she talks about what she learned that we can actually do to make things better. in some ways i think the book would have been better if the lessons learned would have been inserted after each chapter so the book wouldn't seem so hopeless until the very end. that said, it is a good book with lots of good stories that will help you understand some of the mistakes we've all made as well as understand the behavior of others better. i walked away having a slightly different perspective and i really did feel encoraged so for that is was 100% worth it to me. the only thing i kept thinking is that you hope that i hope the men are reading this too or else things won't change for the better so easily. it's like a quote on the back of the book says "women will read this book, but men need to." ~ greg behrendt. i guess we can only change our own thoughts and behavior...this book helps you understand why that's important if you want a lasting commitment (not a big fabulous wedding, but a lasting commitment and love that endures).
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It's so true!!!
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-07-26
3 out of 3 customers found this reveiw helpful
As someone in my late 30s, when I read this book, I felt like I was reading about myself or people that I know or dated. I would say 90% of what she said was true. It helped me understand and see myself more clearly. Not only that it also gave me some valuable concepts on finding and keeping the right and long lasting mate. Here are some examples of what I noted down and tagged on my desk.
"Am I willing to become the kind of person who is capable of experiencing true love? (P. 241)
"Am I willing to think of a relationship in terms of what I can give instead of what I can get? (P. 242)
We probably have heard of these things before in several other books. But somehow reading/processing them in the context of the author's narration of how we are in this society seems to make it sink in better..at least for me.
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