All The Lonely People, by Sam Carr - Brian
This is a book of short real-life stories as told by people interviewed by the author. The theme of the book is loneliness, and whilst it was difficult to read some of the stories, they are written with compassion and empathy, and in a way that normalises loneliness as a part of being human. We can all have moments of feeling lonely whether due to bereavement, being separated from loved ones, excluded by others, or feeling alone in our experiences.
I took this as personal learning; the times I have felt alone were a shared human experience so, in a way, I wasn’t alone, and this book gave me a sense that I need to be prepared for future loneliness. That one way or another it’s inevitable.
I appreciated the scattering of references to psychology and psychoanalysis and I felt it was fine “to take them or leave them”– depending on whether I wanted to find out more or not.
So, an interesting read for those with an interest in human experiences at a personal level or professionally.
Brian