baronessekat | 2018 reading challenge: a book about mental health

The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone by Olivia Laing

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

really a 2.5

This was a tough book in a great many ways. The author looks at the unique phenomenon that occurs in large cities...the feeling of utter loneliness when surrounded by thousands, if not a million +, people. How this situation effects the mental health and at times physical health of the sufferer.

She also looked at the works of several famous artists who have lived in New York City and how they expressed abject loneliness through their art.

All in all I found this book to be... okay. When she really touched on the feelings of loneliness and how it because an almost cyclical, self-perpetuating creature, I found myself emotionally reacting with "Yes.. that is it exactly. I know that feeling all too well." It caused me to do a bit of self-observation and recognizing that I need to watch for these things in myself and in others that I know.

I cannot say that I would recommend this book to any of my friends, but I would not dissuade them should they express an interest.

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