The Science of Single: One Woman's Grand Experiment in Modern Dating, Creating Chemistry, and Finding L ove - Softcover

Rachel Machacek is the author of The Science of Single, a memoir of a year she spent dating. Superfudge was her favorite book growing up, and she read it 14 times. She now favors non-fiction and short stories. Rachel lived for many years in and around Washington, DC, and now resides in Richmond, VA where she is a freelance writer and yoga instructor. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, as well as Washington Flyer, Capitol File and Richmond magazines.

Thirty-three years old and seven years single, Machacek decides to shake things up by throwing herself into the path of as many men as possible, hoping to stumble upon some surprising relationship truths along the way. Taking advantage of online dating sites, attending singles events and networking conventions, suffering through blind dates and matchmaking misfires, and subjecting herself to the so-called wisdom of dating books and coaches, Machacek commits herself to upping her suitor count and, hopefully, the odds—with mixed results. As detailed in the blog that led to this book, a year of drinks, lunches, dinners, and awkward trysts leaves her pretty much where she started, though with greater courage, self-knowledge, and faith in her gut instincts, a discovery that might seem like a no-brainer to readers. One gets the sense that the real problem might be the quality or men Machacek encounters, or the types—artsy, spiritual, and ultimately flaky—that she seeks. A better experiment would involve breaking old patterns, connecting with promising men from different backgrounds and professions, and seeing if sparks fly. (Jan.)