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gohnar23's review against another edition
3.0
The book really sheds light to the ongoing 'epidemic' if loneliness but i think what this books fail to state is that there is no one singular cause of loneliness that this book may tell us, there are many reasons why people feel lonely sometimes
tristanbills's review against another edition
4.0
Loneliness isn’t the universal concept that people tend to imagine. It’s actually a product of our modern age, and a multifaceted one at that. A far cry from the “oneliness” experienced before the 19th century, loneliness involves a profound sense of lack, and affects experiences from widowhood or widowerhood to social media use. Rather than being treated like something that comes inevitably with old age, or something to be blamed on new technology, we need to understand loneliness better in its historical context.
boggremlin's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting if a little academic in scope -- discusses the concept of loneliness in culture and society, positing that it's a relatively modern concept. 2.5 stars.
brew_and_books's review against another edition
4.0
In the recent months of this year, I have found myself close to a situation where I have felt a tinge of loneliness/solitude/isolation. I believe I'm not the only one to come to grips with this feeling occasionally and that solitude is inevitable, even necessary at times. Olivia Laing's 'The Lonely City' is one of the best books of this year for me, only because it came out as something profoundly intimate and relatable. It helped me better understand my emotions when loneliness or anything in its periphery has clutched me far too often. A Biography of Loneliness adds to my experience of reading 'The Lonely City,' and I'm so satiated, exhilarated, and yearning for more such books & experiences.
Alberti builds up a strong argument on loneliness as a highly subjective and unique emotional experience whose history is not well documented or studied until the 21st century. Using different references from journal entries of an ordinary man to the illuminating instances of loneliness in the lives of Queen Victoria, Sylvia Plath, and Virginia Woolf, Alberti concurs that though loneliness can be easily identified (now), it's uneasily accounted for and is a very complex emotional state that differs as per class, community, age, gender, marital status, etc.
I have always been fascinated by the complex forays of emotions the human psyche undergoes and what circuit brings up what state, and how the chemical responses generated by seemingly small molecules give rise to such varied physical sensations. Loneliness as a state has been known and experienced by almost all, and I ain't saved from its seizure either. So reading about an all too familiar feeling that comes neither preachy nor boring has been a unique experience. It's been enlightening to know about its birth history and the identity it garnered from the 1800s to now. It wasn't just the science but the philosophical, political, and historical discourses this book took that gave it the depth I so loved. For me, it's a meticulous, thought-provoking, and exemplary work anchored around a ubiquitous feeling, totally universal.
Alberti builds up a strong argument on loneliness as a highly subjective and unique emotional experience whose history is not well documented or studied until the 21st century. Using different references from journal entries of an ordinary man to the illuminating instances of loneliness in the lives of Queen Victoria, Sylvia Plath, and Virginia Woolf, Alberti concurs that though loneliness can be easily identified (now), it's uneasily accounted for and is a very complex emotional state that differs as per class, community, age, gender, marital status, etc.
I have always been fascinated by the complex forays of emotions the human psyche undergoes and what circuit brings up what state, and how the chemical responses generated by seemingly small molecules give rise to such varied physical sensations. Loneliness as a state has been known and experienced by almost all, and I ain't saved from its seizure either. So reading about an all too familiar feeling that comes neither preachy nor boring has been a unique experience. It's been enlightening to know about its birth history and the identity it garnered from the 1800s to now. It wasn't just the science but the philosophical, political, and historical discourses this book took that gave it the depth I so loved. For me, it's a meticulous, thought-provoking, and exemplary work anchored around a ubiquitous feeling, totally universal.
ibnu12's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like this book, there's a cycle where some high-brow magazine puts out on article pointing out that a lot of people aren't doing ok and aren't realy making social or romantic connections, everyone nods there head and agrees something should be done. And the the article goes away for a bit and everyone focuses on the next cause. This is the case for a lot of issues, and loneliness in particular is unique in his theirs scant issue infastructure. There's no activist pushing for things to change( beyond perhaps pushing their alternative issue as the real true solution) or think thank woking on a set of policies to solve.
So when I saw a book soley focused on the issue on the library shelf I immediately grabbed it. The main issue I found with it, is that it's not able to decide if it's an academic work or a popular novel. There's snippets of genuinely great creative non-fiction particular the section discussing Sylvia Paths college experience but it's too bogged down in academic minutate and bloodless prose. Too much jargon from humantirie department is adopted and there are too many digressions from the core message of chronicling and explaining loneliness.
The book is also pretty uncingicng about it's core thesis that lonliness is primarily a 18th century innovation brought on by industrialization and while it's understandable the books main focus is on the UK, not exploring outside of it which such a big thesis creates a gaping flaw in the argument.
I appreciate what the author attempted to do here, I only wish they'd done it well
So when I saw a book soley focused on the issue on the library shelf I immediately grabbed it. The main issue I found with it, is that it's not able to decide if it's an academic work or a popular novel. There's snippets of genuinely great creative non-fiction particular the section discussing Sylvia Paths college experience but it's too bogged down in academic minutate and bloodless prose. Too much jargon from humantirie department is adopted and there are too many digressions from the core message of chronicling and explaining loneliness.
The book is also pretty uncingicng about it's core thesis that lonliness is primarily a 18th century innovation brought on by industrialization and while it's understandable the books main focus is on the UK, not exploring outside of it which such a big thesis creates a gaping flaw in the argument.
I appreciate what the author attempted to do here, I only wish they'd done it well
heres_the_thing's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting if a little academic in scope -- discusses the concept of loneliness in culture and society, positing that it's a relatively modern concept. 2.5 stars.