Book Review: The Love Jones Cohort: Single and Living Alone in the Black Middle Class , by Kris Marsh

Abstract:

“The Love Jones Cohort: Single and Living Alone in the Black Middle Class” by Kris Marsh is a book that explores the experiences of single, Black middle-class individuals who live alone. Marsh examines how this group is influenced by structural forces while also having agency in defining their relationships, choosing where they live, accumulating wealth, and maintaining overall well-being. The book includes in-depth interviews with members of this group, providing data-rich findings and giving voice to a misunderstood and understudied population. Marsh’s work challenges stereotypes and offers insights into contemporary definitions of families, gendered expectations, and the agency of respondents within these definitions.