Haiku for the Single Girl

by Beth Griffenhagen and Cynthia Vehslage Meyers

Cynthia Vehslage Meyers (Illustrator)

I feel its approach,
Inevitable as death:
Internet dating.

Unsolicited relationship advice from relatives, disastrous dates, men who wear thumb rings, and the moments of deep satisfaction when a single girl realizes that (unlike her smug married friends) she can do whatever she wants with her time - it's all here in this brilliantly incisive and witty collection of haikus. Every woman - whether single or not - will laugh until she cries, and then start laughing all over again.

• ISBN10: 085786422X
• ISBN13: 9780857864222
• Publish Date: 16 August 2012 (first published 1 November 2011)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 4 June 2021
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Canongate Books
• Edition: Main
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 160
• Language: English

Reviews

[Jo]

Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.

As I'd read a comedy poetry book before and really enjoyed it, so I jumped at the chance to review another one.

Haiku for the Single Girl does exactly what it says on the tin. It's haiku poetry about being female and single. Haiku is a form of poetry I've come to quite admire, because on the surface they seem quite simple; three lines, five syllables, seven syllables, five syllables. But that's the whole poem. And I'm rubbish at all things poetry so the idea of writing a poem under strict rules and have it make sense? I'm just not that clever. But the ones in this book are so simple to understand and just hilarious!

The books celebrates and complains about singledom, whether recently single, single for a while, or post-divorce singledom. It covers dating, casual "relationships", and desperate attempts to find someone. It's just brilliant.

There are a number of extremely funny haikus, and I would normally quote a few to you, but considering the fact that younger readers may be here to read some of my YA reviews, I can't quote them as they're a little near the mark. But they had me laughing out loud! So, so funny!

There are a few that went over my head, but I think that's more to do with my own single life rather than with any fault of the poet, Griffenhagen. I just haven't experienced the things she was referring to, so didn't really understand.

Haikus for the Single Girl is a very quick read, but a great one. It's the kind of book I'd force on my girlie friends for a bit of a laugh, whether single or not. It would also make a very cool gift for anti-Valentine's Day parties. It's a great little book, and I highly recommend it!