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kitkat962's review against another edition
4.0
"You can be lonely anywhere, but there is particular flavor to the loneliness that comes from living in a city, surrounded by millions of people. One might think this state is antithetical to urban living, to the massed presence of other human beings, and yet mere physical proximity is not enough to dispel a sense of internal isolation"
Sentimental and exquisite. Highly recommended that you have the time to sit down, read this book (and google a lot, since my knowledge of art is non-existent)
Olivia Laing discussed loneliness in artworks and the artists in such beautiful prose, "People stretched, building shrunk, infinitesimal disturbances in the fabric of reality"
Sentimental and exquisite. Highly recommended that you have the time to sit down, read this book (and google a lot, since my knowledge of art is non-existent)
Olivia Laing discussed loneliness in artworks and the artists in such beautiful prose, "People stretched, building shrunk, infinitesimal disturbances in the fabric of reality"
geetswrites's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.5
meremeth's review against another edition
The right person would love this book.
This book reads like a series of academic essays on art. It's got some memoir sprinkled in but I'd say it's primarily about art.
I loved the memoire portions, but I found the deep dives on the artists and art works boring just because I'm not particularly interested in those artists (American men)
This book reads like a series of academic essays on art. It's got some memoir sprinkled in but I'd say it's primarily about art.
I loved the memoire portions, but I found the deep dives on the artists and art works boring just because I'm not particularly interested in those artists (American men)
lenlenlen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
marxell's review against another edition
the few sentences specifically about loneliness were great. however 99% of what I read so far is about the life of artists I don't care about; saw that it will keep being this way, hence the DNF.
sadie_g's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
brisingr's review against another edition
5.0
When I read the title of this book, Adventures in the Art of Being Alone , I took art metaphorically, but it's literally a book that, starting from Laing's own experience of loneliness in New York, goes on to dissect the artworks and life of several artists that lived in the same city in the past century.
I kept thinking while reading this book: I am not particularly enjoying it. I am not a huge fan of visual arts, and so much of this book is just exactly that. But now, having finished it, I don't see how I can rate it anything lower. It's literally such an engaging book, mixing Laing's own personal anecdotes with some really easy to understand history on loneliness. There's also so much heart, so much kindness towards this emotion, so much understanding pertaining the experiences of loneliness. And as someone who is lonely in a new city - no friends, no partner - this book has provided me the kind of solace that its authors found, years before me, in art.
Highly recommended to anyone who wants an accessible non-fiction about the art scene of the past century, or just a slight memoir filled with knowledge.
I kept thinking while reading this book: I am not particularly enjoying it. I am not a huge fan of visual arts, and so much of this book is just exactly that. But now, having finished it, I don't see how I can rate it anything lower. It's literally such an engaging book, mixing Laing's own personal anecdotes with some really easy to understand history on loneliness. There's also so much heart, so much kindness towards this emotion, so much understanding pertaining the experiences of loneliness. And as someone who is lonely in a new city - no friends, no partner - this book has provided me the kind of solace that its authors found, years before me, in art.
Highly recommended to anyone who wants an accessible non-fiction about the art scene of the past century, or just a slight memoir filled with knowledge.
awen_mair's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
4.25
Really recommend this book if you like art and counterculture! I liked how Laing made the art relevant to her - I thought this provided a nice narrative thread throughout, even if it started off a little formulaic. Definitely gave food for thought.