4 h 8 minAudiobook4 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook edition · 4 h 8 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
Must a woman marry to find her place—or can she watch the marriage market with a smile?
In The Love Affairs of an Old Maid, Lilian Bell brings wit and warmth to questions of courtship, independence and an unmarried woman's place in society. Her heroine looks at the marriage market with a clear eye, inviting you to consider what love promises and what freedom means.
Marriage offers security to women in the world Bell explores, but it also gives society a powerful say in their choices. This gentle social comedy turns toward men, manners and the expectations surrounding romance. Bell's lively, conversational style keeps those questions close to everyday life, where a sharp observation can reveal more than a grand declaration.
What you’ll discover
- A clear eye for courtship Look at romance through a heroine who watches the marriage market rather than simply accepting its rules.
- Wit with warmth Enjoy bright humour that makes room for tenderness as well as sharp observations about social manners.
- The value of independence Consider what women weigh when the promise of love meets the desire for freedom.
- Society and its expectations Explore a world where an unmarried woman's place raises questions about choice, belonging and security.
- A lively woman's voice Meet Bell's conversational style and her interest in the lives and choices of women.
Who will love it
Readers who love witty narrators, drawing room society, and short chapters full of gossip, feeling and human insight will enjoy Ruth's company, as will anyone fond of cats, tea and friendship between women.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Ruth Becomes an Old Maid
- Two Marriages That Pull Unevenly
- Confidences from Rachel, Percival and Sallie
- A Lonely Child and a Frank Girl
- Charlie Hardy and His Romantic Trouble
- Nellie Mayo and How the Story Is Told
Who’s who
- RuthThe narrator, who turns thirty and becomes an Old Maid, and who happily collects and comments on her friends' love affairs.
- TabbyRuth's cat, who often hears her private jokes and worries.
- Rachel PercivalA brilliant, sensitive woman with a sharp wit, who wants a husband with a sharper mind and a stronger will than her own.
- Sallie CoxA cheerful flirt with a secret heartache, who gives splendid parties and hides her feelings behind a smile.
- Charlie HardyA charming, weak-willed man who is engaged to one girl and in love with another, and who fears a scene.
- Louise KingA tall, passionate young woman who loves with her whole heart and holds high ideals.
- Nellie MayoA gentle mother of five who worships her husband and gives everything to her family.
- Pet WinterbothamA young girl who calls herself honest and practical and wants advice about which suitor to marry.
Formats and delivery
- eBook
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- Read by Lucas Linden, complete. It opens once the recording is online.
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- The key ideas in about 4 minutes, to read today.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
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- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
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The Love Affairs of an Old Maid
by Lilian Bell · 1893
On the eve of turning 30, Ruth locks her love letters in a tin box and hands her friends' secrets to her cat.
Medium level2–5 hours to readEnglish
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In short
If you are Ruth, you turn other people's hearts into your kingdom. The Love Affairs of an Old Maid is a comic and tender novel in sketches by Lilian Bell.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Ruth Becomes an Old Maid
On the eve of her thirtieth birthday, Ruth sits with her cat, Tabby, and gives herself a stern talk. Tomorrow she will be an Old Maid. She writes the number 30 again and again until she can laugh back at it. Her jokes cover a real ache.
She folds her old photographs and letters into a locked tin box, like a wedding dress never worn.
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Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 4 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1893
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 2 h 40 min
- Level
- Medium level
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What is The Love Affairs of an Old Maid about?
It follows Ruth, who turns thirty and calls herself an Old Maid. She becomes the confidante of her friends, hearing about engagements, quarrels and marriages, and tells each story to her cat, Tabby, with humor and warmth.
Who is Tabby in The Love Affairs of an Old Maid?
Tabby is Ruth's cat. Ruth addresses her private thoughts to the cat, which gives the chapters the feel of a diary and lets her speak frankly about her friends and herself.
Who wrote The Love Affairs of an Old Maid and when?
Lilian Bell, an American author who died in 1929, wrote it. It is a work of fiction set in a society of parties and engagements, and it appeared around the turn of the twentieth century.
The author
Lilian Bell
1867–1929 · American novelist and travel writer
Lilian Bell (1867–1929) was an American novelist and travel writer. She was born in Chicago and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. She wrote The Love Affairs of an Old Maid, published in 1893. Her books included fiction and accounts of travel. She died in 1929.
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