I had read a short piece by Maria Popova on her Brain
Pickings web site and I was intrigued by the content that Maria had posted, so
I decided to read the book itself. I had known of the School of Life books from
my acquaintance with Alain de Botton’s work and I had very high expectations.
This title more than met my expectations but in different
ways. I had expected the tome to be much heavier, more philosophical and
questioning. It was all of that and more. Maitland researched her topic
thoroughly. She split the topic into three sections: Being Alone in the
Twentieth Century, Rebalancing Attitude to Solitude, and The Joys of Solitude.
So she proposes a problem, goes into the history of our civilization’s take on
solitude and all the social and cultural constraints that we have imposed on
those that seek solitude. She talks about the alternative ways to think of
solitude and being alone, ways that debunk the cultural taboos that was imposed
by a culture that is dominated by extraverts. Finally, she talks about the joys
and satisfaction that comes with spending time only with yourself.
This is a remarkable book, one that lays out a history of a
social act which is both beloved and mistrusted by the mass culture.
Maitland writes in a leisurely rhythm, the pace of the
information flow is fast enough to keep the reader’s attention yet exciting enough
to be interesting. Her prose is lovely and loving, giving the readers a gentle
introduction to the topic; she is rigorous as well, presenting her facts with
convincing details. It was a lesson in the school of life; indeed, this is a
very engrossing and also a very educational one, perfect for the introverted
autodidact such as myself.
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