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A review by jrc2011
Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone by Eric Klinenberg
3.0
The title of this book is entirely deceptive: I was expecting more information about the benefits or advantages. The early chapters describe the historical rise of solo living in parallel with the industrial age and the entry of women into the workforce. The information about the availability of housing for single dwellers was interesting -- from hotels to apartments to SROs and smaller houses.
Ultimately, this book essentially an overly long attempt to validate data in a study with anecdotal interviews claimed as "qualitative" research. The author keeps throwing in things about our obsession with the "cult of individuality." He routinely describes the benefits but then tears down the same. The overall tone of the book is rather like a series of blog posts or lifestyle magazine articles that seem to draw from the same handful of studies. The repeated use of description of the interview subjects doesn't increase the credibility -- just seems pseudo-journalistic.
Ultimately, this book essentially an overly long attempt to validate data in a study with anecdotal interviews claimed as "qualitative" research. The author keeps throwing in things about our obsession with the "cult of individuality." He routinely describes the benefits but then tears down the same. The overall tone of the book is rather like a series of blog posts or lifestyle magazine articles that seem to draw from the same handful of studies. The repeated use of description of the interview subjects doesn't increase the credibility -- just seems pseudo-journalistic.