pt. I. The big decision
1. "Why can't I have what I want?"
2. Liminality and the courage to change : making the decision to become a single mother
3. Moving on : when baby makes two
pt. II. After baby, now what?
Introduction : "Where do we fit?"
4. The father as an idea
5. Romance, intimacy, and pregnancy : father involvement outside of marriage
6. Adoption and fitting in
Conclusion : ordinary lives, extraordinary circumstances
pt. III. Composing a family
Introduction : recycling and reconstituting families
7. What does single mean?
8. Downshifting careers while financing motherhood : relying on the gift-giver, the roommate, and the careworker
9. A world without men, Amen?
Conclusion : what does it mean to be a good mother?
Conclusion : projecting single mothers into the future
Epilogue : completing families, completing lives
Appendix 1 : demographic appendix : featured women
Appendix 2 : methods and sampling.