jessjohnnson's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
chrislatray's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed parts of this book—the "collage" assembly of it, for example—and highlighted several passages. Overall it was a bit of a disappointment, though. I don't know how much it brings to my own reflections on solitude. The sections featuring Montaigne became tedious to me; I don't make much of the guy's conclusions regardless of the amount of time he spent formulating them (maybe I'm just not smart enough to "get" these old philosophers anyway). The chapters featuring Batchelor's experiments with ayahuasca were interesting but didn't seem to add to the conversation around solitude either, and served only as a guarantee that I don't think I ever want to try the stuff (not to mention the issues I have with the cultural appropriations and descriptions of such ceremonial practices, which is a different conversation).
I accept that there is more here that I am missing, so I'll likely revisit at least parts of it. Batchelor is a good writer. He's smart and honest and self-aware. I appreciate that, and ultimately appreciate this book more than I don't.
I accept that there is more here that I am missing, so I'll likely revisit at least parts of it. Batchelor is a good writer. He's smart and honest and self-aware. I appreciate that, and ultimately appreciate this book more than I don't.
delilahbird's review against another edition
3.0
Read a few essays at a time and that’s all I could really handle. Montage format was off putting but not confusing since I didn’t do it all at once anyway. It’s a grounding book by western bhuddist standards. Essentially an ode to montaigne, I wish I was just reading him this whole time. Dry tone, I can’t count how many shamanic ceremonies he goes through, and his conclusion is essentially “My most lasting insights have occurred off the cushion not on it.” What?? Nobody who doesn’t meditate will start to after reading that. He also says Gotama is a contemporary Socrates. Whatever, I’m glad I got through it