On My Own
The Liberation of Living Alone
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- £9.99
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- £9.99
Publisher Description
On My Own sends the refreshingly positive, and supportive, message that being alone is not a sign of failure but can be an empowering and liberating experience.
Society can be cruel in its assessment of a woman alone, regarding her as defective or deserving of pity. Similar pressures cause women to be ashamed of losing the status of mother, wife or girlfriend, and to dread the prospect of 'going it alone'. But, as the author of this inspiring book points out, being on your own can be a vital, intensely creative experience in which you can find your own voice and live a fulfilling life.
The case histories and positive view of On My Own will resonate with every woman, young and old, since it touches on a sensitive nerve shared by women all over the world.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
After two divorces and more than two decades as a psychoanalyst, Falk is an expert on the concept of being a woman alone a term she prefers because "as a distinct category within women's culture, it formally elevates our presence and status, helps us to achieve visibility and expression, and allows us to redress our marginalized state." Hyperbole aside, there's no denying that to embrace being a woman alone isn't easy in a society where "bachelors are always eligible," while " 'spinsters,' almost by definition, are ready for the dumpster." But as Falk makes clear in this useful and appealing manual, it's inaccurate, unfair and unhealthy to equate being alone with being unwanted or a failure. Some may cringe at her flowery language, but she offers plenty of evidence for her central thesis that "aloneness is an opportunity, a state brimming with potentiality, with resources for renewed life." Drawing from her own experiences, those of her patients, and examples from such writers as Marion Milner and cultural figures like Kitty Carlisle Hart, Falk offers plenty of material to help even women with partners to understand the distinction between being abandoned and choosing to be alone, and to appreciate the healing and nurturing benefits of solitude.
