Lonely: Learning to Live with Solitude

In a boldly honest and elegantly written memoir—the first on this topic—Emily White reveals the painful and sometimes debilitating experience of living with chronic loneliness. In the vein of popular favorites such as Girl, Interrupted and Manic, Lonely approaches loneliness in the way that Andrew Soloman’s The Noonday Demon approached depression, and lifts the veil on a mostly ignored population who often suffer their disorder in silence. |

Despite having a demanding job, good friends, and a supportive family, Emily White spent many of her evenings and weekends alone at home, trying to understand why she felt so completely disconnected from everyone. In this insightful and soul-baring memoir, White recounts her struggle to comprehend and overcome her chronic loneliness, a debilitating condition that she contends deserves the same attention as depression and other mental difficulties. Interweaving her personal story with cutting-edge scientific research—as well as incredibly moving accounts offered by numerous lonely men and women—White provides a deep and thorough portrait of this increasingly common but too often ignored affliction.

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“[A] sophisticated inquiry...The power of White’s story comes from the sweeping investment she has made in tracking and tackling her loneliness. White makes the case that loneliness deserves attention and respect as a legitimate condition.” - Kirkus Reviews

“[A]n impassioned call to arms on behalf of a condition no one wants to talk about.” - Jezebel.com

“Kudos to Emily White for having written that rare book which feels both necessary and evolutionary. Lonely is a masterwork on the topic, a memoir of deep insight and revelation.” - Alice Sebold

“Lonely delves into the mind of its suffering author and takes the reader to a deeply personal place. White may be reserved in real life, but she’s fully open on the page.” - Body & Soul

“Excellent...One of the most fascinating chapters explores the rise in chronic loneliness in recent decades.” - The New Yorker, online

“White has some valid points to make about various aspects of our culture, including the underlying anomie of contemporary urban life, the “playground bully” that is Facebook, and the modern fictions we live by… She can also be scathingly funny, as when she recounts her experience in a yoga class…” - Elle

“…[White] is thorough and clear in her explanations and analysis…Lonely is a useful overview of an important and under-discussed issue.” - BookPage