The Lonely City: The Adventures and Art of Being Alone
Reviewed by: Maya Tait Dzudovich

Info About the Book - Age of The Lonely City

Book name: The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone

Author: Olivia Laing

Pages: 336

Format: Biography/Memoir

Published Date: March 1st 2016

Publisher: Picador

Star rating: 4.3

Audience: Kids of the age of 13+ and adults

Where you can get this book:

Review of The Lonely Review

The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone is a non-fiction book written by Olivia Laing. The book was first published by Picador in 2016 and, like Laing's other works, it blends research, biography and memoir. The research of the books took place when Olivia was living alone in New York City after her partner left.

The book is not just about her own experiences. The book discusses Edward Hopper, Andy Warhol, David Wojnarowicz, and Henry Darger. Each artist's work and personal history are examined to understand how isolation impacted their creativity and outlook on life. Each of these artists made different kinds of art, but they all had something in common: they used their art to express their feelings of isolation and loneliness. For example, Edward Hopper painted scenes that often look lonely, like people sitting by themselves in a diner at night. Andy Warhol, known for his pop art, was surrounded by people but often felt disconnected. Henry Darger created a whole imaginary world to escape into, and David Wojnarowicz used his art to fight against the feeling of being invisible.

Olivia Laing also talked about her own experiences with loneliness and how exploring these artists' lives helped her understand her own feelings better. She explained that loneliness can be very difficult, but it can also lead to creativity and a deeper understanding of one another and others.

In the end, "The Lonely City" shows that while being lonely can be hard, it's something many people experience. Through art and understanding, people can find ways to connect and feel less alone.

Likes and Dislikes about the Book

Likes

Relatable: This book is relatable for me because, I live in Toronto, which is the second largest city in North America. Even in such a big city I still sometimes feel lonely.
Cool artists: Artist like Andy Wahrol, Edward Hopper and David Wojnaeowicz, have there own unique twist on making there art, and showing how it is to be lonely in a big city like NYC etc.
I like the front and back cover: The cover of the book was designed by Peter Adlington. Pete said "For Lonely City, the goal was to reassure Laing fans that you were getting what you loved from the last books and for new readers I think it needed to look high-end, smart, aspirational and tell you that here was writing on the same level as Joan Didion, Rebecca Solnit, Rachel Cusk etc etc. Maybe unlike those comps though, we wanted to show the personal story as well so the cover had to carry deep emotion. They really showed the loneliness in the big city in the cover.

Dislikes

Bit too long: This is just a personal opinion. I think that they went above and beyond while writing this, but at the end of the day it is just an opinion.
Talks about a lot of different stuff: Again this is also another opinion. I feel like she talks about a lot of different stuff like, artist (Andy Wahrol, Edward Hopper and David Wojnaeowicz) her own experiences and other people experinces too. I just feel like it is all over the place a bit.

Fan Fiction

October 15th 2000 something

I’ve always dreamed of living in big New York City, but now that I am here, it feels a bit overwhelming. The skyline is breathtaking, but sometimes I feel like I’m another tiny speck in such a big city. I moved here like a month ago with my Dad, because he got a new job here. I thought it would be exciting, but it's mostly been pretty lonely.

October 23th 2000 something

The school here is massive then back home in Scranton Pennsylvania. Everyone seems to already have friends, and I’m just the new kid from Scranton. Lunchtime was the worst though. I sat alone, pretending to be engraved in my phone. I miss my old friends. We used to hang out after school, buy ice cream and talk about everything. Here I haven't made a single friend.

October 25th 2000 something

Today I took a walk in Central Park after school. It's strange to see so many people, yet feel so isolated. I watched kids playing, couples walking holding hands and tourists taking pictures. It's like everyone that wasn't me had it perfect. I sat close by the lake listening to the album Elephant by The White Stripes, while watching the boats coming in and out. It’s like this is my little escape from reality. Maybe one day I’ll have someone special to share this with.

October 29th 2000 something

Today I joined photography club in school. I figured that this might be a new way to meet people who shared the same interests as me. We had our first meeting of the school year. Everyone seemed very nice and welcoming, but I just felt like an outsider, like always. It's like everyone already knew eachother and I was just there. I didn’t talk much, but I took some good.

October 29th 2000 something

Today I joined photography club in school. I figured that this might be a new way to meet people who shared the same interests as me. We had our first meeting of the school year. Everyone seemed very nice and welcoming, but I just felt like an outsider, like always. It's like everyone already knew each other and I was just there. I didn’t talk much, but I took some good pictures of the city on my way back home. I feel like photography helps me see the beauty in such a chaotic place like New York City.

October 31st 2000 something

My dad has noticed that I have been feeling down lately, so he suggested that we go to a museum. We went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was very fascinating. It made me forget about the loneliness I have been feeling lately. We saw so many amazing exhibits. I took a lot of pictures and even started sketching some ideas of my own art. It was a great way to end the day, and I’m so glad my dad suggested it.

November 1st 2000 something

I think I just made a friend in the photography club today. Her names Isabella, but most people just call her Izzy, for short I guess. She approached me after our meeting was over. We talked for a bit and we exchanged numbers. She said that she was into street photography, which is something I like doing too. We planned to meet up this weekend and explore the city together and take some pictures. I am both very nervous and excited at the same time. I guess that's pretty normal to feel.

November 5th 2000 something

Izzy and I had our photo walk today. It was so much fun. We roamed around SoHo and Chinatown, capturing the essence of the different neighborhoods. We talked about our favorite photographers, school and just life in general. For the first time since moving here, I felt like I belonged here. Izzy is really cool and funny. I hope she thinks of me as a friend. But I hope she doesn't think I’m desperate to have one friend.

November 7th 2000 something

Things are starting to look up. Izzy introduced me to some of her friends, and they were very welcoming. We hung out at a coffee shop, talking and laughing. It felt good to be part of a group for once. I know it will take time to build strong friendships, but I’m optimistic. Maybe New York City isn’t so bad after all. It really isnt that bad.

November 12th 2000 something

Today, I explored Brooklyn. I took the subway alone and felt like a real New Yorker. The area was vibrant and full of life. I visited a flea market, bought a vintage jacket, and took lots of pictures. It was like my little solo adventure, but I didn’t feel lonely. For once, I felt independent and confident in myself.

November 15th 2000 something

Izzy and I are planning to do a photo project together. We’re going to document the diversity of New York City, capturing different cultures and neighborhoods. It’s exciting to have a project to focus on. It makes me feel more connected to the city and its people.

November 18th 2000 something

Life is getting better. I still have moments of loneliness, but they’re becoming less frequent, which is great. I’m finding my way here, slowly but surely. New York City is starting to feel more like home. I know there will be ups and downs, but I’m ready to face them. After all, this is the city that never sleeps, and neither will my dreams. But finally for once I am proud to say that I feel like I actually belong here.

November 20th 2000 something

I think I could really make a difference in this world. When I first came here I felt like an outsider. But now I can make people who feel like outsiders feel not alone.

Movie cover

A man sitting on a bench by himself looking at the beautiful city. Were not sure what is going through his mind right now, but we can always imagine. That's what can be great about being by yourself cause you can be in our thoughts. Maybe they are thinking about something that has happened to them. This should be the movie cover to the book the lonely city, because it depicts what it is like to be lonely in a city.

Front book cover

The majority of people are black and there is one person that is red, and they really stand out to your eye. When you feel like your alone, you feel like everyone knows that's how you've been feeling, but sometimes we don't know that. You feel like you stand out and just feel desperate to not be lonely and try to seek for help but your not quite sure.

Back book cover

The back cover is the same as the back cover, cause that's usually how it works. You might be done the book and still feel the same or feel like you can do better for yourself.

Why I think you should read The Lonley City

I think that you should read the lonely city because, it can be quite relatable for yourself, you might learn about how others feel or you might even figure out about yourself. Honestly there is a lot of learning in this book and it is a must read book if this appeals to you.