Women on Their Own includes eleven original essays that embrace a broad definition of singleness-women who never married, those who cohabit but are legally denied the right to marry, divorcees, and widows. Writers describe women who defiantly voted, single mothers who rejected dependency on public assistance, women who ran businesses, and others who found fulfillment in charitable work. Collectively, the self-reliance, creativity, and power to redefine difficult situations that these women-from a variety of cultures and countries-demonstrate make a powerful statement about the success of women on their own.