"Solitude" is a thought-provoking and insightful read that challenges the negative perceptions of being alone. It encourages readers to embrace solitude as a path to deeper self-understanding and personal fulfillment. Whether you're seeking to enhance your creativity, improve your mental health, or simply find a moment of peace in a hectic world.

We live in a world in which we are hyper connected and seemingly available absolutely all the time. It can be exhausting. An antidote to this state of being is to actively seek out solitude. In this book that is written by academics, the average reader can also learn a great deal. The authors include a psychologist, a science writer, and an expert in studying solitude in lab conditions.

The authors help readers to understand the benefits of alone time (as distinguished from loneliness) and the ways in which it can boost well-being. There are many advantages as becomes clear, even if it is sometimes tricky to be alone with one’s self.

The authors note the limitations of their work in an emerging field of study. They acknowledge that most studies have been with college students or older adults and that more needs to be understood about other age groups. They also acknowledge their largely Western perspective. Despite this, there is much of value in this title.

I found this book to be quite readable and informative. The reader is immediately drawn in with the description of Beryl Markham and her solo flight. There are many instances of people’s stories along with the information in this title. It is definitely worth a look and some thought.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Cambridge University Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

A Great Read

The authors explains what solitude is, and states that quite often Bill Gates goes to his secluded cabin deep within one of Washington state's fjords just to relax and do some problem solving quite a few times a year.

They explain that solitude is not the same as loneliness, isolation, or withdrawal, even though those states are associated with the condition of being alone. They discuss the history of solitude, and some of the many types of solitude.

The author provides data from a recent survey by researchers in Germany looked at epidemiological and experimental studies from 2007 to 2018 that found that noise from aircraft, road traffic, and rail traffic – and the chronic stress it causes – represents a significant risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. That state that these studies indicate that chronic noise exposure contributes to 48,000 new cases of heart disease in Europe each year (by promoting the development of vascular dysfunction and high blood pressure) and disrupts the sleep of 6.5 million people (causing an elevation of stress hormone levels and oxidative stress).

This is a great book on the whys, types, and benefits of solitude. I highly recommend this book for those seeking all around well-being and a day to day way to escape stress and burnouts.

This is a scholarly work that, for me at least, was dense and repetitive without offering much enlightenment. DNF.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Excellent! If you need or crave "alone time," you're not weird. In fact, your need for solitude is perfectly normal.

Though written by three academicians, this book is highly readable for the rest of us. The tone is highly readable, and I enjoyed the self-deprecating asides and playful digs at each other made by the authors. Based on their own research and that of other experts in various fields, the authors make a strong case for the normalcy of the human need for time in solitude. People who have figured this out and regularly indulge in solitude are not psychopathic "loners," as popular culture has made them out to be. Time in solitude, in fact, is good for the human brain and psyche. Solitude in the natural world is even better, and the authors make many helpful suggestions on how to get this needed alone time.

Personally, I found this book highly affirming. As a creative writer, I need Alone Time every single day, or I get fussy. After reading this book, I will never again apologize for this need.

Highly recommended for those who struggle to justify their need for solitude or those who seek solutions for the anxiety and noise of our current reality.

A Fascinating Read

I found this an extremely positive and informative read. A great incite into the human psyche and scientific research surrounding 'solitude'.

The three researchers/authors have given such indepth accounts of our perceptions of alone time and experiences, both positive and negative. This book references the history of solitude, cultural and religious beliefs, self-reflection, relationships and mental and physical benefits.

This is a must read for those that enjoy their alone time as well as those who struggle to cope with their own company, an absolutely fascinating read for anyone.

Some of the sections were a little lengthy, however it is definitely something I would read again and again.

Thank you to Netgalley, the authors and Cambridge University Press for this ARC.

"Solitude" is an easy to read and comprehensive guide to the positive sides of being alone. At the same time, it's still an honest account that solitude isn't positive for everyone in all circumstances, and that getting benefits from solitude can take some work- and it can be easier from some people to access than others. I liked best the historical and contextual accounts of how solitude have been accessed over time, and how variable it can look for different people. As an educator and a mental health clinician, it was easy for me to see how I might use this to teach and to guide folks to reflect on whether and how solitude might be a part of how they work towards their mental health goals- especially in such a busy world where we are so overwhelmed with information all the time. My only quibbles were that some of the chapters dragged a bit for me, but I found it easy to spend more time on the sections that were new and needed more reflection, and less on the sections that didn't need as much time.