No Country for Old Maids?: Talking About the ‘Man Drought’

by Hannah August

In 2013, there were over 66,000 more women between the ages of 25-49 living in New Zealand than there were men. This so-called ‘man drought’ is a hot topic for journalists and academics alike, who comment on how the situation might affect New Zealand women’s chances of finding love. Yet they rarely stop to ask women their own opinions on the matter.

in this BWB Text, Hannah August does just that, integrating interview material, statistics and cultural commentary in order to demonstrate why we need to talk differently about the ‘man drought’.

99 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 3, 2015

Reviews

[Caitlin van Hoffen · Rating 5 out of 5]

So my mum bought me this book as a joke Christmas present but the joke's on her because I actually really liked it! It really got me thinking about New Zealand culture and its strengths and weaknesses. I think everyone should read it and consider the way that single women are treated and if it reflects our largely progressive culture.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not gonna lie, ‘twas a little bit scary and a lot uncomfortable to read this given I’m a well educated, 30+, single female with imminent breeding ambitions, living in Auckland (so paddling in the pool with the worst male:female population in NZ). But truths have a habit of being uncomfortable.

Definitely worth a read to understand that it’s not (necessarily) me, and that I’m not imagining that all the single women around me seem to be supersized marriage material (and so distinctly intimidating competition in the search for a compatible partner).

No! It’s actually the reality of returning home from my OE and (thankfully) no amount of preening or burpees is gonna improve the situation.

Probably gonna need more therapy now.

Or maybe I can devise a way to change my DNA/brain so that I could be interested in loving the ladies instead of the men...

Fuck.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting and unique topic. Reads a bit like an MA thesis rather than a book you'd read for pleasure, but that's Hannah's academic background coming to the fore.