The lonely stories : 22 celebrated writers on the joys & struggles of being alone

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Title:

The lonely stories : 22 celebrated writers on the joys & struggles of being alone

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Brief important moments where I was the only person on Earth.

Javelinas.

Ward.

Mother-wit.

At the horizon.

Exodus, 2000.

Maine man.

Alone time.

To speak is to blunder but I venture.

Am I still here?

Strange and difficult joy.

75 x 2.

Body secret.

Perpetual foreigner.

Woman who walked alone.

Part and apart.

Letting go.

Trading stories.

On witness and respair.

Reliquary: a quartet.

Ugly corner.

Notes from the midpoint of a celibate year.

Summary:

If you’re feeling lonely or if you’ve ever felt unseen, if you’re emboldened by solitude or secretly longing for it: Welcome to The Lonely Stories. This cathartic collection of essays illuminates an experience that so few of us openly discuss. Some stories are heartbreaking, such as Jesmyn Ward’s reckoning with the loss of her husband and Dina Nayeri’s reflection on immigrating to a foreign country. Others are witty, such as Lev Grossman’s rueful tale of heading to the woods or Anthony Doerr’s struggles with internet addiction. Still others celebrate the clarity of solitude, like Claire Dederer’s journey toward sobriety and Lidia Yuknavitch’s sensual look at desire. Thoughtful and affirming, The Lonely Stories reveals the complexities of an emotion we’ve all felt—reminding us that we're not alone. -- Amazon.

Contents:

Brief important moments where I was the only person on Earth / Javelinas / Ward / Mother-wit / At the horizon / Exodus, 2020 / Maine man / Alone time / To speak is to blunder, but I venture / Am I still here? / Strange and difficult joy / 75 x 2 / Body secret / Perpetual foreigner / Woman who walked alone / Amy Shearn -- Part and apart / Letting go / Trading stories / On witness and respair / Reliquary: a quartet / Ugly corner / Notes from the midpoint of a celibate year

Physical Description:

xvii, 252 pages ; 21 cm.

Genre:

Essays.

Subject Term:

Loneliness.

Solitude.

Publisher:

Catapult,

Publication Date:

2022

ISBN:

9781948226608

Publication Information:

New York : Catapult, [2022]

Call Number:

155.9 LONELY

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003619858	Adult Nonfiction	155.9 LONELY	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

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Summary

A collection of essays about the joys and struggles of being alone by 22 literary writers including- Lev Grossman, Jhumpa Lahiri, Lena Dunham, Jesmyn Ward, Yiyun Li, and Anthony Doerr

If you're feeling lonely or if you've ever felt unseen, if you're emboldened by solitude or secretly longing for it- Welcome to The Lonely Stories . This cathartic collection of essays illuminates an experience that so few of us openly discuss. Some stories are heartbreaking, such as Jesmyn Ward's reckoning with the loss of her husband and Dina Nayeri's reflection on immigrating to a foreign country. Others are witty, such as Lev Grossman's rueful tale of heading to the woods or Anthony Doerr's struggles with internet addiction. Still others celebrate the clarity of solitude, like Claire Dederer's journey toward sobriety and Lidia Yuknavitch's sensual look at desire. Thoughtful and affirming, The Lonely Stories reveals the complexities of an emotion we've all felt-reminding us that we're not alone.

Contributors include-
Megan GiddingsClaire DedererImani PerryJeffery Renard AllenMaggie ShipsteadEmily RaboteauLev GrossmanLena DunhamYiyun LiAnthony DoerrHelena FitzgeraldMaile MeloyAja GabelJean KwokAmy ShearnPeter Ho DaviesMaya Shanbhag LangJhumpa LahiriJesmyn WardLidia YuknavitchDina NayeriMelissa Febos

Author Notes

Natalie Eve Garrett is an artist and a writer. She's the editor of Eat Joy: Stories Comfort Food from 31 Celebrated Writers and The Artists' and Writers' Cookbook: A Collection of Stories with Recipes. A graduate of Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania's School of Design, Garrett lives with her husband, daughter, and son in a town outside D.C.

Reviews (1)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Solitude gets the spotlight in this illuminating anthology, brought together by writer Garrett (Eat Joy: Stories & Comfort Food from 31 Celebrated Writers). In "At the Horizon," Maggie Shipstead isolates herself in order to write a novel; while spending eight months alone on Nantucket, she wonders whether she is turning solitude into contentment or armor. In "Letting Go," Maya Shanbhag Lang recounts the loneliness she felt after taking in her mother, who was suffering from dementia, while Emily Raboteau writes in "Exodus, 2020" of the "particular loneliness" wrought by the pandemic in New York City, astutely pointing out that "there are many ways to be lonely. Even in a crowd." Megan Giddings describes in "Brief Important Moments Where I Was the Only Person on Earth" instances of joy that can be found solo, like being the only person in a movie theater. In bringing together the wide range of perspectives, Garrett has made a subject often feared into something uplifting: "While loneliness can be devastating, I find it deeply moving that it can also function as a portal to beauty and discovery," she writes in the introduction. Fans of the personal essay will want to check this out. Agent: Jody Kahn, Brandt & Hochman. (Apr.)

Megan GiddingsClaire DedererImani PerryJeffery Renard AllenMaggie ShipsteadEmily RaboteauLev GrossmanLena DunhamYiyun LiAnthony DoerrHelena FitzgeraldMaile MeloyAja GabelJean KwokAmy ShearnPeter Ho DaviesMaya Shanbhag LangJhumpa LahiriJesmyn WardLidia YuknavitchDina NayeriMelissa Febos

Introduction	p. xiii
Brief Important Moments Where I Was the Only Person on Earth	p. 3
Javelinas	p. 13
Ward	p. 27
Mother-Wit	p. 35
At the Horizon	p. 53
Exodus, 2020	p. 67
Maine Man	p. 77
Alone Time	p. 87
To Speak Is to Blunder but I Venture	p. 97
Am I Still Here?	p. 111
A Strange and Difficult Joy	p. 119
75 x 2	p. 129
The Body Secret	p. 133
The Perpetual Foreigner	p. 143
The Woman Who Walked Alone	p. 153
Part and Apart	p. 169
Letting Go	p. 177
Trading Stories	p. 185
On Witness and Respair	p. 199
Reliquary: A Quartet	p. 209
The Ugly Corner	p. 219
Notes from the Midpoint of a Celibate Year	p. 231
About the Contributors	p. 241
Acknowledgments	p. 249
Permissions	p. 251

Available:*

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

Summary

Author Notes

Reviews (1)

Publisher's Weekly Review

Table of Contents