Lonely: A Memoir by Emily White

Author: Emily White
Publish Date: March 1, 2010
Website: http://www.lonelythebook.com/emily-white-author/
ISBN: 9780061765094
List Price: $25.99
My Rating: 2 out of 5

Jacket Synopsis:
This boldly honest and elegantly written memoir reveals the painful and sometimes debilitating experience of living with chronic loneliness—the first book of its kind devoted exclusively to the subject.

Despite having a demanding job, good friends, and a supportive family, Emily White spent many of her evenings and weekends alone at home, trying to understand why she felt so disconnected from everyone. To keep up the facade of an active social life and to hide the painful truth, the successful young lawyer often lied to those around her—and to herself. She was suffering from severe loneliness. 

My Comments:
I saw this book and thought it would be a good, helpful read. Being that it is a memoir, it would have personal insight and reflection on loneliness. I expected it to be an informational read that would help me understand my own feelings of loneliness. After personal set-backs, loneliness is ever present, even with so much family and friends around. The book describes different types of loneliness: situational, emotional, and chronic, the major types that I took from the read.

The author suffers what she terms as chronic loneliness and writes about the fact that there is not much study or material around the state of loneliness. With that said, I expected this book to provide helpful insight on how to deal with loneliness, but it does jump from a memoir format to a medical-jargon filled self-help that I found difficult to apply. I had high expectations that this book would share relate-able ways to conquer, if not, manage loneliness, but, sadly, I found the read frustrating and daunting.

I congratulate Ms. White on an amazing accomplishment and difficult journey. I hope that this book was cathartic for her and that it helps others who experience the state of loneliness, if the can get through the monumental material.