The Love Jones Cohort: Single and Living Alone in the Black Middle Class

by Kris Marsh

Drawing from stratification economics, intersectionality, and respectability politics, The Love Jones Cohort centers on the voices and lifestyles of members of the Black middle class who are single and living alone (SALA). While much has been written about both the Black middle class and the rise of singlehood, this book represents a first foray into bridging these two concepts. In studying these intersections, The Love Jones Cohort provides a more nuanced understanding of how race, gender, and class, coupled with social structures, shape five central lifestyle factors of Black middle-class adults who are SALA. The book explores how these Black adults define family and friends and decide on whether and how to pursue romantic relationships, articulate the ebbs and flows of being Black and middle class, select where to live and why, accumulate and disseminate wealth, and maintain overall health, well-being, and coping mechanisms.

Genres: Romance, Nonfiction

244 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 9, 2023

Reviews

[Racquel · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️ I wanted more from this book. The statistics and data was there but I wanted to know more about the participants lives. I think having more participants in the study would have been better as well. This is a good book maybe for those that are not already living as a black SALA and are curious, but if you are already living this lifestyle there is no new insight to be gained.

[Letisha Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely amazing account of the complexities of the Black middle class and single hood!

[Madeline Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audio book version of this book which was fantastic.
Lots of data and insights that highlight how an entire segment group of Americans are rendered statistically invisible because they aren't typically considered a family: Single Adults Living Alone
This book demonstrates the financial challenges of Black adults, specifically women in this situation, and the constraints of societal expectations. A good read for anyone who wants to better understand the nuances of family dynamics and the calculations that go into expanding a family (or not).