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val_eris's review against another edition
2.0
For all that this book cites statistics, it continually mentions things that aren't true for the generational demographics it describes. Its general tone is that younger people who live alone are doing so to enjoy a "second adolescence", playing kickball and having sex. It's not true. Based on recent surveys, Gen Z and millennials are having later and less sex than any of the generations before. While discussing urban life, he constantly brings up the social trends in New York-- Brooklyn's kickball leagues, Greenwich village's bohemian, Manhattan beach surfers... the perspective is biased towards proportionally wealthy urban people. It creates a narrative of young adults that are immature or at least pleasure and independence motivated. The truth is that the majority of traditional markers of adulthood are not within reach for many people in these generations, whether they desire them or not. By the end of the introductory chapters, I was expecting to be told to just stop eating so much avocado toast and buying Starbucks.
wonder_kinder's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this look at the changing demographic of America with a growing population of people who live alone. the discussion of elderly living alone is important, but I felt like it was given significantly more attention than the other alones. I would recommend this to not only folks who live alone, but those trying to understand those of us that do and enjoy it.
meghan111's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 The sort of social science book that reiterates its points again and again. The main argument is a good one, though: rather than bemoaning the lonely American and wringing our hands over the ways that modern life appears to be more isolated and fragmented, we should address the real problems (which, conveniently, there are real solutions to.) The real problems are elderly people living with little support in communities that don't offer Meals on Wheels visits or have pedestrian-friendly places to go. The real problem is that no one can count on having an okay place to spend their final days; instead everyone has to fear running out of money and living in a privatized, understaffed, horrific nursing home.
Besides that, the author talks about how people have never lived alone in such numbers before, because it has never before been possible for most people. He interviews mostly middle-class people about their choices and what they enjoy about living alone, and he also interviews some residents of a New York SRO (single-room occupancy) building, people who are generally poor and marginalized.
Besides that, the author talks about how people have never lived alone in such numbers before, because it has never before been possible for most people. He interviews mostly middle-class people about their choices and what they enjoy about living alone, and he also interviews some residents of a New York SRO (single-room occupancy) building, people who are generally poor and marginalized.
leslielu67's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting stats on how and why solo living is appealing, and what it might mean for housing options (in cities, specifically, not small towns). Living alone is not the same as lonely living. Also, our devices have helped us remain connected so have fueled “living alone collectively”.
chefd's review against another edition
4.0
This book took at look at the way singles live - singles meaning never married, divorced or widowed and how the minority is slowly becoming the majority.
laulenab's review against another edition
4.0
A good read. Klinenberg was not advocating one way or the other, his book simply explores the increasingly common social phenomena of living alone and what living alone means for different age groups.
barbarianlibarian's review against another edition
3.0
a little dry and academic. it was interesting to read all the points about how worldwide culture has changed in ways that promote solo living, but at the same time housing and service resources haven't really increased. near the end is a bit about how cool Sweden is - i always seem to read about what a cool country it is, i want to move there!
fragglerocker's review against another edition
4.0
A relatively quick read on a major demographic shift in the U.S.: more and more more people are living alone. I was impressed by the author's relative evenhandedness -- presenting the pluses and minuses of single living, and not only focusing on the younger end of the distribution, but including the elderly singles. I plan to give this book to my parents to both educate them on my life path (I'm not a weirdo for being unmarried in my early 30s) and to get them thinking about their lives and their friends as they move into retirement.
tofupup's review against another edition
3.0
This feels a little outdated now, but that's not its fault. The audio book narrator was not especially interesting to listen to. I did enjoy the facts about various aspects of living alone at all phases of life and for a variety of reasons.
lorenewescott's review against another edition
5.0
This book was written as a result of sociological studies and surveys performed by the author and graduate students in various cities (mostly in the US). It's a little bit dry, but I enjoyed the mix of academic material and anecdotes.
Merged review:
This book was written as a result of sociological studies and surveys performed by the author and graduate students in various cities (mostly in the US). It's a little bit dry, but I enjoyed the mix of academic material and anecdotes.
Merged review:
This book was written as a result of sociological studies and surveys performed by the author and graduate students in various cities (mostly in the US). It's a little bit dry, but I enjoyed the mix of academic material and anecdotes.