On My Own: The Art of Being a Woman Alone

All about finding your center

I will be purchasing many copies of this book to give to the women in my life. Some of the women are married, some are divorced 'or about to be', one is my niece who is not yet an adult. All of them, like me, spend a majority of their time as caretakers. As women, even now, we devote ourselves to others: husbands, children, parents... and I think this book is necessary reading for us. Many of the women I know are alone, in their marriages, in their lives and I think most of us have absorbed 'through society's paradigm' that there is something wrong with us because of it. Here is my question to you: Why is it that it is okay for men to be alone but not women? If a man retreats from society or is unmarried then he is contemplative, thoughtful, bachelor 'bachelor pad is never a dirty phrase'. But a woman doing the same thing is: a spinster, to be pitied, damaged, unwanted. Women need to reclaim our contemplation and I think this is a great book to start your journey. I will be rereading it, passing it to friends, gifting them with it, sharing it with my daughter. It is a good paradigm shifter. I have been reading a lot of the current dalai lama's writing and I think this fits in. This is a thoughtful analysis of our place as women in our own space written in our own voice. It is good for every woman to read. It is about finding your center.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Not Just for Single Women

I decided to purchase this book after reading a review in a magazine. I'm not single, but my husband is frequently gone for months at a time for his work. His leaving typically fills me with a bit of dread and saddness. I realized that before I was married being 'On My Own' was something that I rather enjoyed at times and didn't cause me to feel such a void. The book shows you various reasons that being alone can cause fear, from childhood experiences with aloneness to experiences as a teen and young adult. You also become more aware of the ways society, our culture and upbringing have caused you to turn away from your true self and to see aloneness as undesirable. I read this book from cover to cover in 2 days. The personal stories from various women were touching and examples of childhood experiences seemed as if they could have been written specifically about me. I have to say that now I'm almost looking forward to my husband's next long business weekend. I feel as if I've gained something from reading 'On My Own', and feel a spark of excitement at the idea of spending some quality alone time that I now realize will enrich and help increase my sense of self. I don't think I'll ever look forward to his trips that are months long, however, I think I'll be better able to deal with them. Who knows, maybe I'll start grad school! This book seems to be for all women reguardless of your current life situation. This is one of the most powerful books I've read, it truly reaffirms who you are as a women. If I can take all this from 'On My Own' as a happily married woman, I can't imagine that there couldn't be something here for everyone.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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