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Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
From Library Journal
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most helpful customer reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
SOLITUDE, WHERE THE JOURNEY BEGINS,
This review is from: Solitude: A Return to the Self (Paperback)
The subtitle of "Solitude", by noted British Psychiatrist, Anthony Strorr is "A Return To The Self." It is about knowing the self - you. There are many great books about solitude - Merton, Thoreau, Emerson and Grumbach, but this well written book is not about just solitude; it is about the value of solitude. The most interesting thing is that Storr first sets the stage by discussing the importance of relationships.He starts with: "Love and friendship are of course, an important part of what makes life worthwhile." And then: "If we did not look to marriage as the principle source of happiness, fewer marriages would end in tears." and "If it is accepted that no relationship is ever ideal, it makes it easier to understand why men need other sources of fulfillment." And finally, "Two opposite drives operate throughout life: the drive for companionship, love, and everything else which brings us closer to our fellow men; and the drive toward being independent, separate, and autonomous." He implies that isolation is a psychological prison out side of society. Cults that isolate people are outside of the accepted mythology of humanity. If you cannot share your insights with your relationship or your community then you have experienced something other than solitude. Storr reminds us that solitude is at it's best when it is an individual excursion from a fulfilling relationship. Storr explains the need for the paradox of the comfort of companionship versus the solace of solitude. Solitude is not about an escape from life, but a re-entry into life with new insights from your time of solitude. Please be patient with his summary of psychological history, because it is the explanation for the need of solitude in our lives. This is the perfect book to read if you are starting your journey for the meaning of life. Your personal enlightenment, wherever it comes from, only has value when you share it with the place you came from. To embark upon Joseph Campbell's "Hero's Journey" start with this book.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Let's hear it for solitude!,
By lonebeaut (land of enchantment) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Solitude: A Return to the Self (Paperback)
Frankly, I've always wondered why most humans choose to run around in herds when they could have much more fun (and learn more) listening to their own thoughts. This book, written with great intelligence and insight, proves just how powerful (and un-neurotic) solitude can be. You can't create in the midst of the madding crowd, and a creative, original life is what we all should strive for, whether we're socially inclined or solitudinous. It's easy, and safe, to jump on the social bandwagon. Storr talks convincingly about the value of the other side of the coin, about those who get away and listen to their own music, and are not afraid to play it out loud.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Meditation with plenty of truth stirred in the mix,
By Zerzura (Chino Valley, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Solitude: A Return to the Self (Paperback)
Yes, Storr argues that solitude is not the indicator of insanity (impending or otherwise) that American culture often sees it to be. Yes, he includes often touching micro-biographies of some of the greatest artists of the near and distant past (and never without stooping so low as to 'show off' all he's read or listened to)---the biographical selections are so well-tuned to his thesis that it's obvious he's not grasping at straws, but drawing from a wealth of experience in the humanities....But the best thing about this book is the author's way of making argument and biography read like a prose poem. As important as his argument is, Storr's style and the pace of his presentation are gentle and very unpretentious. Instead of merely selling a ramshackle semblance of new age guru-spiel, as many of his peers have attempted to do, Storr pursues the wonder of our species, inviting us to go with him. This is as much a pleasurable read as it is an informative one!
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