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A review by barrettcmyk
How to Be Alone by Sara Maitland
2.0
Picked this one up at the library -- it was sitting at the checkout counter when I got there, and since I already had "how to be happy" (which was excellent,
go read it) in my hands, I guess I figured this dovetailed in some way. Worst case, I hoped this might help me find some new ways to carve out alone time (driving down the toll road doesn't count thanks) and maybe be a bit more... Centered? Clearer?
Anyhow. Maitland is a woman who, after living a good portion of her life surrounded by a large group of family and friends, decided to move to a very very rural area of Scotland. As in, 20 minutes to the nearest shop, rural. In the book she partially talks about why she chose the lifestyle, but mostly she's making a case for why we shouldn't fear solitude, as a society. She does a brief whiz through history and famous loners (secular and religious), which is interesting. Moreso is the point she raises about our contradictory views on aloneness: how can we fear doing things alone or being alone, or have negative connotations with aloneness... While at the same time champion independence? Or the creativity that often comes from solitude?
Maitland offers up a few little nuggets on how to be alone (spoiler: take small steps), but mostly the book aims to confront the perception that being alone is somehow a bad thing. Nothing earth shattering here, but an interesting idea in itself.
go read it) in my hands, I guess I figured this dovetailed in some way. Worst case, I hoped this might help me find some new ways to carve out alone time (driving down the toll road doesn't count thanks) and maybe be a bit more... Centered? Clearer?
Anyhow. Maitland is a woman who, after living a good portion of her life surrounded by a large group of family and friends, decided to move to a very very rural area of Scotland. As in, 20 minutes to the nearest shop, rural. In the book she partially talks about why she chose the lifestyle, but mostly she's making a case for why we shouldn't fear solitude, as a society. She does a brief whiz through history and famous loners (secular and religious), which is interesting. Moreso is the point she raises about our contradictory views on aloneness: how can we fear doing things alone or being alone, or have negative connotations with aloneness... While at the same time champion independence? Or the creativity that often comes from solitude?
Maitland offers up a few little nuggets on how to be alone (spoiler: take small steps), but mostly the book aims to confront the perception that being alone is somehow a bad thing. Nothing earth shattering here, but an interesting idea in itself.