A Biography of Loneliness

Outline

A Biography of Loneliness (2019) traces the history of loneliness as an emotional experience. Fay Bound Alberti shows that loneliness, as we understand it today, is a relatively modern idea that grew with changes in religion, industry, individualism, and technology. Through letters, diaries, and case studies from the eighteenth century to social media, the book explores how loneliness affects the mind and body and how societies can respond to it.

• Loneliness as we understand it today is a relatively modern idea, not a timeless human experience.
• Changes in religion, industry, individualism, and technology all shaped how people came to feel and describe loneliness.
• Letters, diaries, and case studies from the eighteenth century onward show how loneliness has been experienced over time.
• Loneliness affects both the mind and the body, so it is more than a passing mood.
• Understanding where loneliness came from helps societies think about how to respond to it.

Fay Bound Alberti is a British historian whose research focuses on the history of emotions, the body, and medicine. She has taught and led research projects at several British universities. Her books include Matters of the Heart, This Mortal Coil, and A Biography of Loneliness.