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The Lonely American: Drifting Apart In The Twenty-first Century (2009)

by Jacqueline Olds(Favorite Author)

3.67 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0807000345 (ISBN13: 9780807000342)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

Beacon Press

review 1: Excellently presented, interesting examples given, and generally well-written, 'The Lonely American' explores the causes and effects of stepping back from our busy lives. I particularly enjoyed chapters 1, 2, 6, & 10.Some quotes I found interesting:"Cocooning is the couples' version of social isolation. It does increase closeness in marriages. It also increases the fragility of marriage, the burdens placed upon marriage, and, over time, it increases the likelihood of both divorce and loneliness" (p116)."Social isolation is a common denominator among most families in which child abuse occurs" (p124).
review 2: This book is pretty depressing (but really well written and interesting!), but I read all the way through it anyway, because it confirmed a sense I have b... moreeen having about modern society, and American society in particular, which is that we're just not as connected as we used to be. This book cites all sorts of studies, all sorts of personal observations, and of course all the technological innovations like the Internet, Facebook, etc., that have become so indispensible but more and more just keep us chained to our computers and out of touch with flesh-and-blood people. The conclusion is simple: connect more, "stay limber" socially, as they put it - as with exercise, it's better to do some regularly, but if you get out of the habit, you'll just have to get through that period of stiffness while you're getting limbered up again. But really, this was just too depressing, I think I'm going to read The Happiness Project next... less

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