Scan barcode
sualmeida's review against another edition
2.0
Humm... Not sure what to say about this book.
I initially picked it up to "review" it before giving it to a friend. I then changed my mind about giving it to said friend.
I chose this book because it seemed that it would convert people to the wonders of living alone.
I found it to be a book for people who live alone but don't enjoy it and want to find ways to be happier in their loneliness. I was expecting something more along the lines of "here's what you're not missing out on by living alone" and what I found was something more of the likes of "yes, sharing a space with a loved on is wonderful and don't give up on that, but in the mean time, here's how you can feel less sorry for yourself".
With this I mean no disrespect for people who don't like to live alone and are looking for someone to share a space with. You do you.
I was just expecting a bit more of support and tough love (if I'm going to be honest).
I don't know, maybe I'm too sceptical and don't know how could anyone not love to live alone.
I initially picked it up to "review" it before giving it to a friend. I then changed my mind about giving it to said friend.
I chose this book because it seemed that it would convert people to the wonders of living alone.
I found it to be a book for people who live alone but don't enjoy it and want to find ways to be happier in their loneliness. I was expecting something more along the lines of "here's what you're not missing out on by living alone" and what I found was something more of the likes of "yes, sharing a space with a loved on is wonderful and don't give up on that, but in the mean time, here's how you can feel less sorry for yourself".
With this I mean no disrespect for people who don't like to live alone and are looking for someone to share a space with. You do you.
I was just expecting a bit more of support and tough love (if I'm going to be honest).
I don't know, maybe I'm too sceptical and don't know how could anyone not love to live alone.
justsomeguy42's review against another edition
Law of Attraction adjacent esoteric stuff.
neni's review
slow-paced
1.5
This was quite disappointing, but then again, considering the title and the genre, I suppose I might have had too high expectations.
I enjoyed the first few introductory chapters, where the author introduced the themes around living alone and the challenges it poses, as well as its potential advantages. There were some interesting tidbits of information around statistics and cultural preferences regarding living alone. The chapter on Spirituality was also, surprisingly, not terrible. With a somewhat unoriginal, but quite well put together, narrative on different perspectives around spirituality, and what it can mean for different people (minus the "energy visualizing exercises" which I just can't, for the life of me, take seriously).
However, the rest of the book was a complete waste of time. The pacing is practically non-existent, the themes are all over the place: it goes from general platitudes about the importance of exercising, to food recipes, to advice about interior design. It felt very cliché, generic and basic, with the structure and depth of a shopping list. Most of the advice was either completely ridiculous and unrealistic (more on that later) or just so basic and obvious, I was struggling to figure out what the intended demographic for this book was. I think most adults, even if they've never lived alone, know most of these things no? I refuse to believe most people are this incompetent at life.
Every other page, there was an "inspirational" quote from some random known celebrity/historical figure (from the Dalai Lama to Dr. Phil and Oprah LOL), giving the impression that the author just went to a quotes website and started to put them in randomly throughout the book, in an attempt (failed) to make it more insightful and cultured. It had quite the opposite effect.
One of the things that annoyed me the most was how limited and privileged the author's views were. She gives off very clear "straight white American woman in her late 40s, early 50s, who thinks she's figured things out" vibes. I don't have anything against that exactly, but I was expecting her to not be so clearly focused on this stupid, shallow, superficial, consumerist, fake "woke" rhetoric, that Americans seem to love so much. Like, in the chapters about Finances and Spirituality she makes sure to reinforce how important it is to save money, to only buy things you value, to not get overwhelmed with the need to buy stuff. But then literally every other advice she gives on anything (hobbies, food, "self-care", home design and organization) is ALL about STUFF. About buying cute things and fancy self-care items. She also seems to think that because she's lucky enough to be an author and is able to work from home and control her own schedule, that everyone else also has that luxury. She seriously goes on and on about "morning routines" with like 20 steps (including meditation, of course!!), and making "themed international dinners" for yourself if you can't afford traveling. Like C'MON. Seriously? That's so out of touch AND condescending, I don't even know what to say.
Overall, this is not only super weak in terms of content, but incredibly out of touch with reality. While there are some interesting points in the middle of all this, they could have been adequately expressed in an essay, instead of this highly generic prototype of the self-care book with a ton of unnecessary info.
Maybe if you're a straight, white, fairly wealthy girl, let's say, in her late teens or early twenties, this MIGHT be useful to you, but I think you'd be better off just reading something else to be honest.
I enjoyed the first few introductory chapters, where the author introduced the themes around living alone and the challenges it poses, as well as its potential advantages. There were some interesting tidbits of information around statistics and cultural preferences regarding living alone. The chapter on Spirituality was also, surprisingly, not terrible. With a somewhat unoriginal, but quite well put together, narrative on different perspectives around spirituality, and what it can mean for different people (minus the "energy visualizing exercises" which I just can't, for the life of me, take seriously).
However, the rest of the book was a complete waste of time. The pacing is practically non-existent, the themes are all over the place: it goes from general platitudes about the importance of exercising, to food recipes, to advice about interior design. It felt very cliché, generic and basic, with the structure and depth of a shopping list. Most of the advice was either completely ridiculous and unrealistic (more on that later) or just so basic and obvious, I was struggling to figure out what the intended demographic for this book was. I think most adults, even if they've never lived alone, know most of these things no? I refuse to believe most people are this incompetent at life.
Every other page, there was an "inspirational" quote from some random known celebrity/historical figure (from the Dalai Lama to Dr. Phil and Oprah LOL), giving the impression that the author just went to a quotes website and started to put them in randomly throughout the book, in an attempt (failed) to make it more insightful and cultured. It had quite the opposite effect.
One of the things that annoyed me the most was how limited and privileged the author's views were. She gives off very clear "straight white American woman in her late 40s, early 50s, who thinks she's figured things out" vibes. I don't have anything against that exactly, but I was expecting her to not be so clearly focused on this stupid, shallow, superficial, consumerist, fake "woke" rhetoric, that Americans seem to love so much. Like, in the chapters about Finances and Spirituality she makes sure to reinforce how important it is to save money, to only buy things you value, to not get overwhelmed with the need to buy stuff. But then literally every other advice she gives on anything (hobbies, food, "self-care", home design and organization) is ALL about STUFF. About buying cute things and fancy self-care items. She also seems to think that because she's lucky enough to be an author and is able to work from home and control her own schedule, that everyone else also has that luxury. She seriously goes on and on about "morning routines" with like 20 steps (including meditation, of course!!), and making "themed international dinners" for yourself if you can't afford traveling. Like C'MON. Seriously? That's so out of touch AND condescending, I don't even know what to say.
Overall, this is not only super weak in terms of content, but incredibly out of touch with reality. While there are some interesting points in the middle of all this, they could have been adequately expressed in an essay, instead of this highly generic prototype of the self-care book with a ton of unnecessary info.
Maybe if you're a straight, white, fairly wealthy girl, let's say, in her late teens or early twenties, this MIGHT be useful to you, but I think you'd be better off just reading something else to be honest.
fluidstatic's review
lighthearted
reflective
2.0
A strategy guide for people living alone. Concentrates on the material aspect of living alone, and from a feminine perspective, which makes it less than useful for a man like me. Some insights about the luxury of solitude,but little substance.
More...