THE ONENESS –
June 9, 2025 – In Wim Wenders’ recent film Perfect Days, the main character, a Tokyo toilet cleaner, spends many of his hours in solitude; watering plants, contemplating, listening to music and reading. Thoughtful and positive outlooks on solitude have been taking up more and more space on our screens, bookshelves and smartphones…
In the past couple of years, several titles on the topic have been released, with a few more in the works. Solitude: The Science and Power of Being Alone, and Solo: Building a Remarkable Life of Your Own hit the shelves in 2024, and Nicola Slawson’s Single: Living a Complete Life on Your Own Terms was published in February. Then last month saw the release of Emma Gannon’s much-anticipated novel Table For One; having made her name with non-fiction books questioning traditional ideas of success and productivity, Gannon is now reconsidering modern relationships, in a love story focusing on a young woman finding joy in being alone, rather than with a partner.
Later this year, two more self-help guides, The Joy of Solitude: How to Reconnect with Yourself in an Overconnected World and The Joy of Sleeping Alone, are coming out, as well as a paperback, English translation of Daniel Schreiber’s Alone: Reflections on Solitary Living, which originally came out in Germany in 2021.
