false 56965075 1360507 56478 1569245134 9781569245132 77 <![CDATA[Party of One: The Loners' Manifesto]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170458555m/56478.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170458555s/56478.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56478.Party_of_One_The_Loners_Manifesto 3.65 405 Self-reliant, each loner swims alone through a social world—a world of teams, troops and groups—that scorns and misunderstands those who stand apart. Everywhere from newspapers to playgrounds, loners are accused of being crazy, cold, stuck-up, standoffish, selfish, sad, bad, secretive and lonely—and, of course, serial killers. Loners, however, know better than anyone how to entertain themselves—and how to contemplate and to create. They have a knack for imagination, concentration, inner discipline, and invention—a talent for not being bored.

Too often, loners buy into society’s messages and strive to change, making themselves miserable in the process by hiding their true nature—and hiding from it. In Party of One, Anneli Rufus delivers a long-overdue argument in praise of loners. Assembling evidence from diverse arenas of culture, Rufus recognizes loners as a vital force in world civilization rather than damaged goods who need to be "fixed." A compelling, morally urgent tour de force, Party of One rebuts the prevailing notion that aloneness is indistinguishable from loneliness, and that the only experiences that matter are shared ones.

]]> 31939 3.59 473 102 2003 0 0 false Fri May 22 09:42:43 -0700 2009 Fri May 22 09:42:43 -0700 2009