Is There Still Sex in the City? by Candace Bushnell Summary

Candace Bushnell's Is There Still Sex in the City? explores the romantic and social lives of women in their 50s navigating divorce, dating apps, and societal expectations in modern New York. Through candid storytelling, Bushnell examines middle-aged sexuality, friendship dynamics, and the challenges of reinvention in a youth-obsessed culture, blending humor with sharp cultural commentary.

This book resonates with fans of Bushnell’s earlier works like Sex and the City, readers interested in midlife dating narratives, and those exploring themes of aging and female empowerment. It’s particularly relevant for women over 40 confronting societal stereotypes about sexuality and relationships.

While Sex and the City focused on single women in their 30s, this sequel-esque work shifts to middle-aged characters grappling with divorce, motherhood, and societal invisibility. Bushnell trades Cosmopolitans for existential reflections, maintaining her signature wit while addressing darker realities of aging.

• Reinvention: Starting over after divorce or career shifts
• Societal double standards: Ageism in dating and sexuality
• Female friendship: Support networks in midlife crises
• Digital dating: Navigating apps like Tinder after 50

Yes. Bushnell draws from her own divorce and dating experiences, blending fictionalized stories with memoir-like insights. The book reflects her personal observations about New York’s social scene and the “Carrie Bradshaw” persona’s evolution into middle age.

Some critics argue the episodic structure lacks narrative cohesion, while others note its heteronormative focus doesn’t fully represent diverse midlife experiences. However, fans praise its unflinching look at aging in a sex-positive framework.

The book dissects swiping-app fatigue, ghosting among middle-aged daters, and the paradox of infinite choice versus loneliness. Bushnell contrasts 1990s dating norms with today’s digital landscape, highlighting how technology reshapes intimacy.

• “Divorce is the new college”: Reinvention through life upheavals
• “Fifty is the new twenty-five”: Rejecting ageist stereotypes
• “The Second Act”: Embracing new beginnings post-50

It serves as both a spiritual successor and reality check to the original series’ fantasy, showing how characters evolve with age. Bushnell confronts HBO’s glamorized version with raw accounts of menopause, financial struggles, and societal erasure.

As Generation X enters their 50s/60s, the book taps into growing conversations about aging populations redefining sexuality and purpose. Its themes align with movements challenging age discrimination in media and relationships.

• Embrace sexual agency at any age
• Cultivate resilience through life transitions
• Build communities beyond romantic relationships
• Redefine success metrics in midlife

While not directly stated in sources, Bushnell’s history with HBO (Sex and the City) and Paramount+ (And Just Like That...) makes adaptation likely. The book’s episodic structure and built-in fanbase create strong series potential.