Being single: for some, it means complete bliss; for others, it is a malaise that must be cured. Irrespective of one's point of view, in a society where the unattached person is viewed as an oddity, singledom comes with challenges: dealing with uncomfortable questions from well-meaning relatives and friends; the hushed whispers; the envy; and, of course, the unwanted attention from those who think singles are people of dubious morals.

Chasing the Good Life: On Being Single has a diverse crop of individuals bringing you their stories—the nonagenarian Khushwant Singh revels in gastric freedom; ‘single girl' Radhika Jha struggles to find accommodation in Delhi (she has since given up and married); Sheela Reddy lives the life of a ‘married single'; Suhel Seth perfects (or doesn't) the art of seduction; and Jerry Pinto finds unique ways to combat annoying people who ask him why he isn't married.

Through many such tales of bliss, exasperation, freedom, loneliness, self-discovery, hilarity and heartbreak (the editor, Bhaichand Patel, has found to his dismay that there is more to chasing the good life than lust and debauchery) this anthology captures the spirit of a person alone